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My first T....

SirKristoff

SirKristoff

I decided yesterday while out with my girlfriend, that it was time to face a fear that has been haunting me for most of my life... Spiders..
I took the first step while in a pet store yesterday, and held a baby pink toed Tarantula...
I decided that night, hell. Why not.
So I read for the whole day, everything I could on basic Tarantula care... and decided on a rose hair...
Well here she is... Very calm, docile, and a good first start in conquering this fear... her name is Mosag which was the wife of Aragog... so named by my gf
 
Good first choice. Most G. rosea are docile -- though there are a few who "haven't read the manual" and have major attitude. Just as well you did some reading. Most pet stores keep their Ts in abysmal conditions and top it off with the most ignorant care advice.
 
shes just in a basic 10 gal tank with a screen lid, undertank heater for a 5 gallon tank and a hide... of course water dish too...
the media in the tank is eco-earth that I squeezed the living hell out of to get as much water out as possible... though i guess some moisture is good... from what i understood, it needs to be able to support a burrow.... She seems to be doing well though... she slept in her hide, and is out walking around in the enclosure right now... some times scaling up in to the corner of the tank...
It is really quite interesting to watch these little creatures....
 
Hey Travis, does she look to be in good health to you? She seems fine... But I know next to nothing about Tarantulas....

 
Absolutely. She's gorgeous..
Grammostola rosea ~ Rosehair Tarantula

Terrestrial.
Requires a premade hide, as they are minimal burrowers.
Will eat 2-4 large-XL crickets every other week.
Needs a shallow dish of standing water (RO).
Do not use tall enclosures for this species. As they can fall and injure themselves while climbing.
Known for their gentle, docile nature. They are the first recommendation for beginners.

Appears you have an adult female. Life expectancy of you're new pet is 20+ years..

p.S.. Be careful. You are entering a highly addictive hobby!
 
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I've got her in a 10 gallon standard... Think that will be ok Travis?
 
10gal. is good
20gal. is perfect

I like to pamper my pets with big digs..
 
I've got her in the 10 gal with 2 hides, one over the warm spot and the other over the cool spot... Dropped a few crickets in there but she's paying no attention to them at the moment... Either she is not hungry or she is stressed from the move... Probably both?
 
Rosies are really shy about eating. In the 11 years I had mine, think I only saw her eat like 5 times. They're nocturnal, so all their action is done after dark.
 
  • #10
They are addictive I ended up with 5 somehow. Most are mine are slings. Watching them molt and grow is so much fun. I just got a controller for my camera. The next time one molts I am going to try to put together a timelap vid.
 
  • #11
Just watched a Goliath bird eater molt today at petco... My mind was blown lol
 
  • #13
Weird. Mine alway seem to be on their backs. Guess it doesn't matter. That thing is huge! I have a Brazilian salmon that I hope will get fairly large.
 
  • #14
Lasiodora parahybana actually battle the goliath for title of world's largest tarantula. I had a 10" adult female.. but my blondi actually maxed out at 12".

When a tarantula get's to be that size, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to flip completely over. Molting on their side isn't all that rare..
 
  • #15
Mass do you still have many tarantulas?
 
  • #16
SirKristoff said:
undertank heater for a 5 gallon tank and a hide... of course water dish too....
Click to expand...

Ditch the heater, it is completely unnecessary. Standard room temps (unless you like to live in a freezer) are fine.

Don't be surprised if she complete ignores the hides. G. rosea often don't bother using them in captivity. As Travis mentioned, don't worry about burrowing, she's unlikely to go to the effort of doing so. The media does not need to be kept moist at all, and for that matter too much moisture can be lethal for them. They are truly arid land dwellers. Make sure you do not use those water gel crystals or leave a sponge in the water dish as so many idiots at the pet stores advise people to use.
 
  • #17
Nope no sponge in there just water lol...
And seeing as my Apartment gets cold as hell at night... My room stays warmer than the others because of a few large fish tanks though...
My room is like a pet store right now...
Snakes, fish, axolotls, Tarantulas....
 
  • #18
G.rosea

Some of these spiders are completely docile, I'd say the majority are highly unpredictable on a day to day basis. They behave much differently according to temperature as well... Mine mostly like to move around a lot of dirt (if the dirt is loose) not to say they burrow, simply that they spend a lot of timing-- physically moving the dirt.

Pretty, but rather boring! Pokes, GGBs, and avicularia are much more exciting :)
 
  • #19
Better choice than my first T. I haven't even been able to handle mine, but she's a LP, so.....
Sounds like you prepared well for the little guy.
 
  • #20
David F said:
Pretty, but rather boring! Pokes, GGBs, and avicularia are much more exciting :)
Click to expand...

But for those just getting their feet wet, so to speak, a hardy "pet rock" like G. rosea isn't a bad way to start. :D
 
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