I need some advice...

Natalya Boothe

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Im very new to Arachnoboards, and I only joined so I could ask this question. If its already been asked sorry for wasting a n thread on this but I couldnt find anything similar.

So ive got a Grammastola Rosea, shes about 4 and a half years old, I got her December of 2015. The pet store gave us all the wrong stuff for her, for a while we had a sponge in her water before we got rid of it, a really pathetic hide that had two open sides that she had to block up herself, and the completely wrong substrate: wood chips! Shes been starving herself, and ive read that for her species that normal every once in awhile, but shes really skinny and has webbed herself up in her hide. The last time she ate was last April, and im really worried about her. I use a lamp for heat but that just because my room isnt very temperature controlled and its winter. I dont know if I need it but I dont want her to get cold. Id also like some advice on what substrate i should get her and from where. Ive heard some things about coconut fiber, potting soil and peat moss? What I'm mainly worries about is that she so skinny and wont eat. I thought she was in premolt but her abdomen is supposed to get bigger not smaller? Anyway, sorry for the ramble but any advice on substrate or why shes not eating would be greatly appreciated. I really dont want her to die. Thanks
 

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Venom1080

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Here's a simple arid terrestrial set up that I use for my porteri.
IMG_20181104_142118514.jpg
Peat moss for substrate. Coconut hide. And water dish from a peanut butter jar or something.

Temps 65+ will work just fine for them.
They like it very dry, so no need to focus on any humidity.
Screen lids are a no. If they climb onto them, they can get their claws stuck, dangle, and lose legs.
The cage is a exo tera breeder box. Cheap plastic Sterlite tubs work just as well too.
Feed this one every few months. But you can feed up to once every couple weeks.
Age really can't be told well. If she's over 5". She's likely around 10. Lots of pet stores sell tarantulas as supposedly very young, I don't know why. They pretty much just pull a number out of the air most of the time.
Those exo tera cages work great for arboreals, but not so much Terrestrials.


Webbing up the hide like that is a classic sign of premolt. I'd set up a new cage, then check if she's molting. If not, I'd transfer her right away, premolt or not.

Skinny is a relative term with beginners.. I've seen healthy spider declared anorexic by some.. pics would be great.
 

Theneil

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Okay, so for substrate, i suggest cheap topsoil of the LOOSE cocofiber. (bricks are cheaper but they take FOREVER to dry out, so for one T, i would just fork out the extra for the loos stuff - or just cheap topsoil.)

I would go ahead and keep the hides if they fit her.

Fill the tank with the new sub about 1.5x her longest legspan from the top, then put the hides in and half berry them so that she can excavate them to jer liking. Make aure there is a dish with good clean water all the time.

Probably the most important thing: REMOVE THE LAMP. this species is from near the atacama desert and can easilly survive any temperature that your bedroom will ever reach in the winter time. She could be near the end of days (its unlikely that it is only 5 years old) or extremely dehydrated due to the heat lamp. Have any pictures of the spider?
 

Nightstalker47

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Yeah you definitely need to change the sub, a dry bag of coco fiber or eco earth would be your best bet...you can buy these at most local pet shops.

What are your room temps? Heat lamps will eventually dry out and desiccate the tarantula, I would turn that off immediately...if shes getting dangerously skinny its probably severe dehydration, its also possible that you now have a MM.

Just to reiterate, you want to avoid creating hot spots and only just raise just the ambient temperature in the room. A space heater would be your easiest fix.

Good luck.
 

Natalya Boothe

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Thank you so much, I really appreciate the quick replies, I'll remove the lamp, and try to get some pics of her, and work into getting some better substrate right away.
 

Teal

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Super skinny and not eating... maybe a mature male?

i met somebody once to buy a couple spoods and they showed me a rose hair about that they had. it was about 2"dls and they bought it over 8 years ago. :eek:
I have a P. lugardi that I got as a half inch sling 5 years ago who is about 2" now. Age is completely irrelevant for spiders!
 

Natalya Boothe

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Ive got some pictures but I had to ruin her web, but she doesnt seem that mad. She's about 4 inches long.

I sexed her using the pics from a thread here, so im pretty sure shes female. Shes got the little flap on her mold.
 

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Teal

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If the abdomen is around the same size as the carapace (or larger), your T is just fine... which it looks to be in those photos. And is definitely not a mature male :)

I use plain top soil as substrate for my Ts, and cork bark is highly recommended for hides/starter burrows.
 

Venom1080

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Yep, just what I thought .Perfectly healthy spider, not skinny. :) Just change out the cage to something more suitable as soon as you can, and you'll have her another 20 years.

Super skinny and not eating... maybe a mature male?



I have a P. lugardi that I got as a half inch sling 5 years ago who is about 2" now. Age is completely irrelevant for spiders!
You keep them cool and feed sparingly, right?

So no, it won't vary that much if you keep them normally.
 
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Teal

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You keep them cool and feed sparingly, right?

So no, it won't vary that much if you keep them normally.
I just keep them at room temp (60-80F depending on the season) and feed once a week or so.
 

Natalya Boothe

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I just wanted to update: I bought some peat moss and put her in a lower and wider container. But i dont know if she really likes the new substrate? Its a lot softer than the wood chips so it'll be better for when she molts, but she spends her time hiding on the piece of wood i put in, like she doesnt want to be on the substrate?
 

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The Seraph

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I just wanted to update: I bought some peat moss and put her in a lower and wider container. But i dont know if she really likes the new substrate? Its a lot softer than the wood chips so it'll be better for when she molts, but she spends her time hiding on the piece of wood i put in, like she doesnt want to be on the substrate?
I would add in a little more substrate until the height from the lid to the sun is at the most 1.5 times her legspan. Unless of course it is already. Also, unless the sub is moist, she is probably fine and just doing all the things a spider does.
 

Natalya Boothe

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Okay thank you, that really makes me feel better. I had read that when a spider is streesed out about their substrate theyll climb tha walls and stay off it, and I thought that was what she was doing. The substrate isnt too moist, i dont spray it, and i read that peat moss was drier than substrate like Coco fiber.
 

Thekla

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I would add in a little more substrate until the height from the lid to the sun is at the most 1.5 times her legspan. Unless of course it is already. Also, unless the sub is moist, she is probably fine and just doing all the things a spider does.
This! :)

And also, the substrate looks a bit loose. Ts don't like to walk on ground that shifts under them. So, tamp it down real good to make it more solid.
 

cold blood

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Okay thank you, that really makes me feel better. I had read that when a spider is streesed out about their substrate theyll climb tha walls and stay off it, and I thought that was what she was doing.
Roaming and climbing can be normal, or part of acclimation...not stressful.

Stress is generally not a real concern.
 
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