G. Rosea thrasing the enclosure!!!

[KevinFrancisco]

This is my 2inches G rosea's enclosure. She's been putting webbings on the substrate and hangs them all over her enclosure. Is she just re-decorating her home or this is a sign of something? Help please. Thanks.

The stuff at the upper part of the enclosure are all substrate.

And thats her on the upper-right corner doing the deed! :?

 

[Vespula]

Mine leaves webs all over the place too. I think that's normal for them.

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

Take the water dish out and add more substrate. Wait until it gets bigger to give it a water dish. Being that small, you run the risk of your sling drowning. Just mist one side of the enclosure every few days or when it dries to ensure it stays hydrated. As for the substrate, I would recommend adding about 3-4 more inches. As for the webbing. That's just your sling naturally webbing when it walks and climbs and the dirt it runs through is getting caught in it and as it climbs it gets stuck to the side.

 

[AprilH]

I don't know that all that substrate made it up there by accident. I've seen a few of my Ts webbing substrate into strange places after carrying it there with their fangs and palps (yes, sometimes on top of the container). Who knows why? They just do strange things sometimes.

 

[galeogirl]

I wouldn't worry about the webbing, but add a few more inches of substrate so that your t doesn't get hurt if it falls.

 

[philge]

How moist is your substrate? My G. rosea will not even touch the substrate unless it is completely bone-dry. If the sub is moist, the T might be avoiding it.

 

[rockhopper]

Seeing as this is two years old the substrate has probably had ample time to dry out.

 

[Stan Schultz]

Chris - I've got to disagree with you. Sorry.

Take the water dish out and add more substrate. Wait until it gets bigger to give it a water dish. Being that small, you run the risk of your sling drowning. ...

First, removing the water dish also removes the only source of water, except what little it gets through its food. And, that may result in it becoming dehydrated. And yes, I am fully aware that they seldom to never have a chance to sip from a water dish in nature, but you're not keeping your tarantulas in nature. You're keeping them in a completely artificial environment where all the natural rules no longer work.

Second, adding more substrate may not necessarily be a bad thing, but I don't think that will solve the issue. The rose already has enough substrate to establish a burrow if it really wanted to. Something else is wrong. (See below.) The only important drawback to a thicker layer of substrate is that this retards the drying process, and roses, like most desert tarantulas, don't like dampness. Unless you have a specific reason for using a deep layer of substrate, I recommend nothing more than about an inch (~2.5 cm) deep.

Third, the actual incidence of a tarantula drowning is so rare that if and when it ever happens it's front page news. From about the 4th through 6th instar onward almost all (or nearly all) tarantulas are covered with a waxy coating that prevents them from wetting. (And from the photo, that tarantula is well beyond that stage.) When they land in water their coat of bristles traps a thick layer of air around their bodies, and they float like corks. And, this layer of air affords plenty of oxygen to supply their needs for a long time. And, the surface of the air bubble acts as a secondary lung, exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide with the water next to it. While I'm not sure that this is able to endlessly keep the tarantula alive, it definitely will extend its life a long, LONG time.

[Parenthetical note: Every once in a while I've seen goldfish for sale in small plastic bags hanging on hooks on displays in random stores. Everybody is amazed that they can get enough oxygen to survive. The fact is that oxygen and carbon dioxide pass through the plastic easily, taking care of the fish's respiratory requirements. I offer this little story as an example of the basic principle above, but in reverse.

The major problem in the fish's case is the elimination of its waste. There's nowhere for it to go and the fish ends up poisoning itself in its own sewage. Thankfully, on humanitarian grounds, this marketing practice has largely been suppressed if not outlawed in most places.]

... Just mist one side of the enclosure every few days or when it dries to ensure it stays hydrated. ...

DO NOT MIST! Roses, even young ones like this, abhor damp substrate, and keeping it damp fairly begs for a mite infestation.

Kevin: Is the rose's substrate damp or dry? In the photo it appears damp, and you infer your rose does a lot of climbing. Roses abhor dampness and it may be climbing to get away from it. Keep the substrate dry.

... As for the webbing. That's just your sling naturally webbing when it walks and climbs and the dirt it runs through is getting caught in it and as it climbs it gets stuck to the side.

I have seen many tarantulas wrap loose substrate up in their silk in an apparent effort to control it in preparation for moving it from place to place. You are correct that it's probably unimportant here, though.

I am concerned that you're keeping your rose in the wrong container. Move it to a wide, flat container instead. What you're using for a cage would be better for an arboreal tarantula, an Avicularia for instance, than a terrestrial one. (Actually, it's not much suited for anything as a cage except perhaps a Betta.) I would recommend something like Petco's Reptile Keeper. Note the dimensions: 14.38" L X 8.56" W X 5.94" H (36.5 cm X 21.7 cm X 15 cm). It's a wide, flat cage. Not very tall. (And no, I do not own stock in Petco, and am not even terribly in love with them. Their link was merely handiest on the 'Net.) I see that you live in the Philippines, and this exact brand may not be available. It doesn't matter. These are mass produced under many different trade names. Look for similar products under other brand names in cities near you.

Or, use a small, standard aquarium,



or a plastic shoe box.



Lastly, tarantulas generally don't like fluffy, loose substrate. They want a firm, solid surface to walk on. Initially, while the substrate is still damp, tamp it into a firm pad. As it dries it'll get rather hard, heaven for a terrestrial tarantula.

Your tarantula is moving substrate around and generally being hyperactive because it's uncomfortable. My guess is that it either doesn't like the container or you're keeping the substrate damp. Try changing to a wider, flatter container and dry, well packed substrate, then get back to us on this thread to tell us how it worked out.

Enjoy your little 8-legger enigma!