Please help

PNTxLSTAR

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Messages
49
Im new to owning tarantulas and i bought my first 6 days ago and the woman in the store said i wont need any heat mats for rosie (my chilean rose) but ive woke up this morning its freezing and theres loads of condensation inside of the tank (mainly at side and above where her water is) is this normal and does this mean the tank is warm? Any advice?
Or am i just worrying for no reason?
I can try post a picture of the tank if you want me to (its pretty basic nothing special)

I live in the uk and the weather is never warm like in america

people have posted this question before but none that are clearly explained please help
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
11,044
Condensation means the glass is very cold and there is high humidity. Over to others as to what effects this has on those animals.
 

Red Eunice

Arachnodemon
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Messages
666
The Snark listed the why/how the condensation formed, if thats your question.
Grammostola rosea are from S. American dry savanna scrublands and don't require moist/humid enclosures. If its a little sling a full water bottle cap will suffice and moisten (slightly) a small area/portion of the substrate. Juveniles or adults keep the substrate dry, no harm if you overfill the water dish occassionly.
Tolerant in a wide temperature range 60°-85°F, although at the low end for a few hours at most. Heat mats can be used if affixed to the side and controlled with a thermostat, however raising the room temp with a space heater is most often recommended. In winter time, I use an oil filled heater, its radiant heat doesn't dry the air as quickly as resistance heater do. My T room is 192 sq. feet and winter electric bill increases by around $30.
A picture of the T and the enclosure would be most helpful.
Welcome to the forum and the "addiction"!
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
They should be kept at 69-78 degrees Fahrenheit. I recommend getting a heat pad that you put on the bottom of the tank. Another option is a heat lamp. This link is to the best tarantula care web site. http://www.mikebasictarantula.com/Gram-rosea-care-sheet.html
A heat pad should NEVER be under the tank. If the spider burrows towards it, it gets overheated or burn itself. A heat lamp is equally as bad because it dries the air considerably and is way too hot.

If you need to use a heatpad, stick it on the side and as high up as possible. But it's better to stick it to the back of the shelf or cabinet you're keeping your spiders on/in instead of putting it on the enclosure. Another option could be a space heater, but they use a lot of electricity and might up your energy bill ;)
20-25°C with occasional nighttime dips to 16-18°C is fine for non-tropical species like your G.rosea. ;)
 

Venom1080

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
4,611
Grammostola porteri require bone dry conditions. There should never be condensation.

condensation isn't really a problem at all. Keep in mind though, It can indicate a problem.

Don't follow the opinions of the uneducated. Be discerning when acquiring information.

Mike's basic care.... Etc isn't the worst site, but not the best either. Best to just stick to what folks on here say.

Heat mats and lights should almost always be avoided. If you must heat your one spider, use a mat and keep it off the cage.
 

PNTxLSTAR

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Messages
49
Is a sling a baby tarantula? Shes about 3 or 4 inches and if theres condensation in the inside its good right? Meaning its humid in there? My tarantula rosie stays out on his dead tree thing and goes behind it of a night when it does get slightly cold but i mean i dont have a thermo and the lady in the shop told me it dont need a heat mat and said its fine at room temp but my flat does get abit colder now its in the winter and ofcourse it does have a water bowl and also the woman in the shop told me it wont ever burrow and ive seen youtube videos of set ups in UK and they all dont have heat mats or heaters or anything thank you all for your advice and input ive been worrying about her :(
 

PNTxLSTAR

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Messages
49
The Snark listed the why/how the condensation formed, if thats your question.
Grammostola rosea are from S. American dry savanna scrublands and don't require moist/humid enclosures. If its a little sling a full water bottle cap will suffice and moisten (slightly) a small area/portion of the substrate. Juveniles or adults keep the substrate dry, no harm if you overfill the water dish occassionly.
Tolerant in a wide temperature range 60°-85°F, although at the low end for a few hours at most. Heat mats can be used if affixed to the side and controlled with a thermostat, however raising the room temp with a space heater is most often recommended. In winter time, I use an oil filled heater, its radiant heat doesn't dry the air as quickly as resistance heater do. My T room is 192 sq. feet and winter electric bill increases by around $30.
A picture of the T and the enclosure would be most helpful.
Welcome to the forum and the "addiction"!
I will take note and my tarantula is so beautiful its weird i cant stand little spiders or big house spiders but tarantulas are gorgeous and addiction? Haha i know im already falling in love with her even after a week :)
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
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Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851

Red Eunice

Arachnodemon
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Messages
666
Is a sling a baby tarantula? Shes about 3 or 4 inches and if theres condensation in the inside its good right? Meaning its humid in there?
Yes, sling is a baby spiderling.
The size yours is, adults reach 5"-5.5", would be a juvenile and probably won't burrow. Dry out the substrate, a full water dish is all it needs for drinking and humidity. The moist substrate is probably the reason it stays on top of its hide most of the time. Once the sub drys out you'll see it resting in different areas. Not an active genus, but very long lived, I've a G. porteri that was given to me in '91.
 

PNTxLSTAR

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Messages
49
Yes, sling is a baby spiderling.
The size yours is, adults reach 5"-5.5", would be a juvenile and probably won't burrow. Dry out the substrate, a full water dish is all it needs for drinking and humidity. The moist substrate is probably the reason it stays on top of its hide most of the time. Once the sub drys out you'll see it resting in different areas. Not an active genus, but very long lived, I've a G. porteri that was given to me in '91.
Im gonna buy a thermo because she is way more active then when i first got her and it does get really cold but ive got a towel atm covering 50% of the tank (she has plenty of air getting in from the ledges on top of the tank and she has water and the substrate is abit drier now i dont really want to get a heat pad or a heater or w.e as someone above said it could kill her there is slight condensation atm not as much as before after explaining this do you have any advice for me? I will deffo get a picture of the tank tommorrow as its currently 02:49 am haha is there any signs the tarantula gives that shes cold i mean shes usually either on the wood or behind it (like her hiding place her own place to go) she dont seem to move that often and where the chilean hair is from does it get cold of a night (thats when its the coldest in my flat) sorry for the paragraph haha
 

bryverine

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Messages
890
Im gonna buy a thermo because she is way more active then when i first got her and it does get really cold but ive got a towel atm covering 50% of the tank (she has plenty of air getting in from the ledges on top of the tank and she has water and the substrate is abit drier now i dont really want to get a heat pad or a heater or w.e as someone above said it could kill her there is slight condensation atm not as much as before after explaining this do you have any advice for me? I will deffo get a picture of the tank tommorrow as its currently 02:49 am haha is there any signs the tarantula gives that shes cold i mean shes usually either on the wood or behind it (like her hiding place her own place to go) she dont seem to move that often and where the chilean hair is from does it get cold of a night (thats when its the coldest in my flat) sorry for the paragraph haha
The towel will only go so far (almost nowhere), tarantulas don't produce heat like mammals do. Now if you can get a heat pad under the towel somewhere and insulate it from the cold, that might be a good way. In a pinch, you can heat up some water in a(some) bottle(s). Water is one of the best thermal batteries besides liquid ammonia (please dont use it for your T :anxious:). Water should be easy to find and it's pretty darn cheap. ;)

Another option (the one I chose) is to put the T in a closet and then heat that closet. Much smaller space than a room and usually has no windows. Put a towel at the bottom of the door, and it should hold the heat in pretty well. I threw on some weather stripping for good measure, but you get the idea. It's not as fun as having a T to look at all the time, but it's warmer for them.

The final advice I have is you could always share some sheets and snuggle with your T. My wife wouldn't let me do this, but it could keep your T warm... :D
 

PNTxLSTAR

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Messages
49
The towel will only go so far (almost nowhere), tarantulas don't produce heat like mammals do. Now if you can get a heat pad under the towel somewhere and insulate it from the cold, that might be a good way. In a pinch, you can heat up some water in a(some) bottle(s). Water is one of the best thermal batteries besides liquid ammonia (please dont use it for your T :anxious:). Water should be easy to find and it's pretty darn cheap. ;)

Another option (the one I chose) is to put the T in a closet and then heat that closet. Much smaller space than a room and usually has no windows. Put a towel at the bottom of the door, and it should hold the heat in pretty well. I threw on some weather stripping for good measure, but you get the idea. It's not as fun as having a T to look at all the time, but it's warmer for them.

The final advice I have is you could always share some sheets and snuggle with your T. My wife wouldn't let me do this, but it could keep your T warm... :D
My tarantula is just settling in ive already asked my gf if i could snuggle with rosie but she aint having it haha and i have a cupboard (not sure what you yanks call it haha) and im not gonna bother with the heat pads or anything as it does get quiet humid inside her closure (terraruim place)
Will get a thermo soon and will maybe but one if the temperature is lower then what it is :)
 

grip

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 16, 2017
Messages
2
I was concerned about heating, I live in the south east and it can get bloody cold in winter, I dont heat the house when at work so it will get very cold. I bought a viv and stuck a self adhesive heat mat to the back and use a habistat to control the temps and it seems to be working.
 

bryverine

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Messages
890
My tarantula is just settling in ive already asked my gf if i could snuggle with rosie but she aint having it haha and i have a cupboard (not sure what you yanks call it haha) and im not gonna bother with the heat pads or anything as it does get quiet humid inside her closure (terraruim place)
Will get a thermo soon and will maybe but one if the temperature is lower then what it is :)
Cupboards are perfect. Really I was just suggesting you put your T in a small space. These are much easier to heat both thermally speaking and financially speaking. I'm super chea...er, frugal... so in the closet they went.
 

PNTxLSTAR

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Messages
49
Cupboards are perfect. Really I was just suggesting you put your T in a small space. These are much easier to heat both thermally speaking and financially speaking. I'm super chea...er, frugal... so in the closet they went.
okay she is completely fine now when it gets to humid in there i open the viverium and let cold air and she likes it and its nice and warm in her home i think she knows it and ive just bought some crickets and just fed her for the first time so
1 why does the tarantula kill it straight away and then keep it in her mouth for almost 30 mins now
2 inside the cricket farm? The prepack box they all come in had what looks like a little cattipilar in it and ive also noticed theres several little yellow balls in there kinda like frogs eggs you see on tv and they are making a weird noise too why?
3 i only have 1 tarantula and about 30 crickets in a tiny container i have a disuesed small fishtank 10litres should i keel them in there with egg crates and stuff ive seen on youtube? Or shall i just leave them? Thanks :)
 

BC1579

Arachnobaron
Joined
Sep 17, 2017
Messages
321
I'd like to add a warming solution. In college I worked in an industrial freezer and we used to take a long athletic and fill them with dried beans (red beans, pintos, whatever). We would then toss the sock in the microwave for a minute or so and then stuff them in our pockets. Those dried beans hold warmth pretty well and I would have to imagine they're safe for Ts. They don't go bad and they're about as cheap as cheap gets.

Maybe a sock wouldn't be the best containment vessel for them, but you might be able to figure something else out. Maybe using two socks arranged on the outside of the enclosure would provide a little warmth through the glass on those really cold nights.

Just a thought.
 

bryverine

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Messages
890
okay she is completely fine now when it gets to humid in there i open the viverium and let cold air and she likes it and its nice and warm in her home i think she knows it and ive just bought some crickets and just fed her for the first time so
1 why does the tarantula kill it straight away and then keep it in her mouth for almost 30 mins now
2 inside the cricket farm? The prepack box they all come in had what looks like a little cattipilar in it and ive also noticed theres several little yellow balls in there kinda like frogs eggs you see on tv and they are making a weird noise too why?
3 i only have 1 tarantula and about 30 crickets in a tiny container i have a disuesed small fishtank 10litres should i keel them in there with egg crates and stuff ive seen on youtube? Or shall i just leave them? Thanks :)
1. Tarantulas use their venom to liquify their prey. I feed mine dubia roaches which are super fat and juicy. It's not uncommon for my Ts to be eating 8+ hours later. Mouth Link
2. I'd put them in a container with egg crate and carrots or some other food that doesn't stink. Don't use cucumbers.
3. I have 400+ dubia roaches and 10 tarantulas. Unfortunately you either make lots of trips to the store for three crickets at a time or get a bunch and keep 'em at home. :sorry:

I'd like to add a warming solution. In college I worked in an industrial freezer and we used to take a long athletic and fill them with dried beans (red beans, pintos, whatever). We would then toss the sock in the microwave for a minute or so and then stuff them in our pockets. Those dried beans hold warmth pretty well and I would have to imagine they're safe for Ts. They don't go bad and they're about as cheap as cheap gets.

Maybe a sock wouldn't be the best containment vessel for them, but you might be able to figure something else out. Maybe using two socks arranged on the outside of the enclosure would provide a little warmth through the glass on those really cold nights.

Just a thought.
That's exactly the same principle behind the hot water bottles. My grandma always used rice socks. Turns out water is actually better at holding heat than most things; especially those found around the house. :)
 
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PNTxLSTAR

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Messages
49
okay she is completely fine now when it gets to humid in there i open the viverium and let cold air and she likes it and its nice and warm in her home i think she knows it and ive just bought some crickets and just fed her for the first time so
1 why does the tarantula kill it straight away and then keep it in her mouth for almost 30 mins now
2 inside the cricket farm? The prepack box they all come in had what looks like a little cattipilar in it and ive also noticed theres several little yellow balls in there kinda like frogs eggs you see on tv and they are making a weird noise too why?
3 i only have 1 tarantula and about 30 crickets in a tiny container i have a disuesed small fishtank 10litres should i keel them in there with egg crates and stuff ive seen on youtube? Or shall i just leave them? Thanks :)
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