chilean rose feeding

awow

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 22, 2010
Messages
9
Long story short, I recently came into a chilean rose tarantula. I have no experience with tarantulas but I have done a bit of reading (lol petrock i know) and I know that I am suppose to remove rejected food within two hours so that I do not stress out the T.

Today, i tossed in a couple of juicy crickets for dude to eat, but after an hour he hadn't moved. I went to work and got back after 5 hours, making a total of 6 hours of cricket madness, and they still had not been eaten.

I have removed them now, but I did have a few questions.

Q: How often does the chilean rose eat?
Q: Does he prefer to eat during the night, as I *believe* they are nocturnal?
Q: Would it be alright to toss in those scrumptious crickets before I hit the sack, and remove them in the morning?
Q: Is there a drawback of leaving the crickets in indefinitely?
Q: How long should the T go without eating before I become worried?

I really do appreciate anyone who takes the time to answer my questions!!

Cheers,
Alex
 

Scoolman

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Messages
612
Q: How often does the chilean rose eat?Depending on size 2-4 crickets per week
Q: Does he prefer to eat during the night, as I *believe* they are nocturnal?Yes, you should leave prey in the enclosure at least ovenight before removing.
Q: Would it be alright to toss in those scrumptious crickets before I hit the sack, and remove them in the morning?Yes, that would be fine
Q: Is there a drawback of leaving the crickets in indefinitely?Only if a molt is impending. A molting tarantula is defenseless.
Q: How long should the T go without eating before I become worried? I read an account of a G rosea going for three years without eating. Just be sure to always have fresh water avilable, and provide prey regularly. It will eat when it wants to.

Check this link:
CARE AND HUSBANDRY OF THE CHILEAN ROSE TARANTULA
 

awow

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 22, 2010
Messages
9
Ehehehe, I have yet to get enough confidence to try to handle the darn thing. I hope I will eventually. Would handling a rose hair be alright? Or should I just look at the badass spidey next to my bed?
 

Scoolman

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Messages
612
Ehehehe, I have yet to get enough confidence to try to handle the darn thing. I hope I will eventually. Would handling a rose hair be alright? Or should I just look at the badass spidey next to my bed?
Very touchy subject. Simply put, it is your choice. They definitely do not need to be "hugged". Keep in mind that a fall of 1 foot can kill an adult tarantula, due to their mass. My choice is obvious.

This one of my G pulchra after her January molt. They have molted again since then.

Handling tarantulas is not advised by this forum.
 

awow

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 22, 2010
Messages
9
By handling, you meant full on picking up?
What about "petting"? - Is there any way to "pet" your spider?
I know that the hairs on their body can be "shot" at threats...
 

Scoolman

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Messages
612
By handling, you meant full on picking up?
What about "petting"? - Is there any way to "pet" your spider?
I know that the hairs on their body can be "shot" at threats...
They don't "shoot" the urticating bristles. They can use their rear leggs to scrape the bristles off and send them air borne. They can also press them into your skin, if they choose, as they walk over your hand. If you first gently touch the abdomen with a soft bristle paint brush to test for reaction and s/he does not react defensively you can try and give the abdomen a gentle stroke with our finger. Always do the brush check first. As for your reaction to the bristles, you won't know until you encounter them. They do not seem to bother me, but others have very severe allergic reactions.
 

awow

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 22, 2010
Messages
9
Well, I grabbed one of my softer paintbrushes lying around, and he didnt seem to mind.

I then got my hand close to him, and who he moved lightning fast and in a totally pissy manner. Wigged the hell out of me.

Guess its a look, but don't touch kind of dude.

Thanks again for your help,
Alex
 

Kirsten

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
205
People can develop allergic reactions to urticating hairs the more they handle, or so the reports have been.
 

Scoolman

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Messages
612
Well, I grabbed one of my softer paintbrushes lying around, and he didnt seem to mind.

I then got my hand close to him, and who he moved lightning fast and in a totally pissy manner. Wigged the hell out of me.

Guess its a look, but don't touch kind of dude.

Thanks again for your help,
Alex
Some will allow it, some won't. They all have their own very individualistic personalities. Give him some to settle in and maybe a few weeks down the road he will be more receptive. Make sure your movements are slow and steady, their bristle are very sensitive and can even sense motion through the air movement. He will live a perfectly happy life without ever being touched by you. Handling is purely a human need/desire.
 

Hobo

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Staff member
Joined
Jul 27, 2009
Messages
2,208
You don't really need to feed it that many a week. They will do fine on one cricket every week, or even every 2 weeks (appropriately sized to the spider, of course). Any more than that, and you may experience one of their notorious fasts for a year or two!
 

Moltar

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
5,438
Be aware that G. rosea (Chilean Rose) is a species known to fast for remarkably long periods and for no apparent reason. This can last for literally months on end. I have an older, grizzled big mama of a rosie that has eaten -as i recall- 3 cricket sized roaches in the last 2 years. If this is what your spider seems to be doing don't worry. Just make sure it always has a water dish and let it do its thing. Don't leave crickets i there more than 24 hours because they will annoy and stress the spider. There is no need for concern about this fasting as long as the abdomen stays plump and wider than the carapace.
 
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