It keeps falling? And smaller abdomen?

[Londoner]

A picture is worth a thousand words .

A shrinking abdomen could be a result of not eating or dehydration to name a couple of common causes. Earlier in the thread you said your T doesn't eat much which could be the reason.

A lack of appetite could be a result of an impending molt but you'll only really notice a darkening of the abdomen just prior to the shed (that's if the T has a bald spot from kicking hairs). Even then, if the abdomen doesn't appear dark, it could still be in pre-molt, just an earlier stage.

Mature males also have a reduced appetite so that's a possibility as well (especially if you factor in the frequent climbing).

It may even be a case of the notorious "rosie hunger strike"! Without a picture though, all this is guesswork .

 

[El Pistolero GL]

A picture is worth a thousand words .

A shrinking abdomen could be a result of not eating or dehydration to name a couple of common causes. Earlier in the thread you said your T doesn't eat much which could be the reason.

A lack of appetite could be a result of an impending molt but you'll only really notice a darkening of the abdomen just prior to the shed (that's if the T has a bald spot from kicking hairs). Even then, if the abdomen doesn't appear dark, it could still be in pre-molt, just an earlier stage.

Mature males also have a reduced appetite so that's a possibility as well (especially if you factor in the frequent climbing).

It may even be a case of the notorious "rosie hunger strike"! Without a picture though, all this is guesswork .

I want to take a picture but the only way I can is through my phone and the camera on it is trash.

If it just isn't hungry will its abdomen still shrink? I mean it looks like I'm starving it but I give it food constantly it just does not eat it.

 

[Londoner]

Well the easiest possibility to eliminate is the MM one. Do you know how to tell a mature male G. rosea by eye? If not, just look for a "hook" on the underside of each front leg. It will be situated just past the 2nd joint from the "toe" end. They're fairly noticeable .

 

[El Pistolero GL]

Well the easiest possibility to eliminate is the MM one. Do you know how to tell a mature male G. rosea by eye? If not, just look for a "hook" on the underside of each front leg. It will be situated just past the 2nd joint from the "toe" end. They're fairly noticeable .

I just checked it and I'm pretty sure the only hooks it has are under each foot, but to be sure could you tell me the scientific name of them? So I can look up pictures

 

[Londoner]

I recently posted this in another thread but I'll put it here also. It shows the hook (tibial apophysis) under the raised front leg.

[/IMG]

 

[El Pistolero GL]

Thanks for the picture. Yeah I don't see any

 

[Londoner]

Well we can discount MM for now then. How much smaller than the carapace is the abdomen? Does the abdomen appear wrinkled at all? (that's a sign that the T is dehydrated)


As long as the abdomen isn't too much smaller than the carapace it may well be a fast (random or pre-molt). The only solution to that would be to keep offering food every now and then and keep the waterdish full.

 

[Wachusaynoob]

Thanks for the picture. Yeah I don't see any

Do the pediapalps look like a boxing glove? (round?)

 

[El Pistolero GL]

It's not that much smaller and actually a little after the first post I made the abdomen has gotten bigger, bigger than the carapace actually. Don't know how. And they do not, they look normal as far as I can tell. I guess my only real problem now is if he/she is about to molt. Thanks

 

[Stan Schultz]

Same reason some people say ATM machine.

And "PIN number." We are a race of stutterers!

 

[MichiganReptiles]

And "PIN number." We are a race of stutterers!

And VIN number.. drove me nuts when I was an insurance agent.

 

[Stan Schultz]

some one should update the sticky then.

I suggested that, or at least that someone might substitute merely the link for the entire sticky, but no one has taken me up on it. And, I don't know what the procedure is for doing so or even if I could.

The biggest reason for not updating the entire sticky is that the last time I printed off a hard copy it took nine 8-1/2 x 11 pages!

Not that I'm verbose or anything!

 

[Stan Schultz]

It's not that much smaller and actually a little after the first post I made the abdomen has gotten bigger, bigger than the carapace actually. Don't know how. And they do not, they look normal as far as I can tell. I guess my only real problem now is if he/she is about to molt. Thanks

Okay, let's go at this in an ordered fashion:

1) Have you read http://people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/stansrant.html? If not, do so. Be especially certain to read all four books as soon as convenient. They will explain 95% of your questions, especially the ones you don't know enough yet to ask!

2) Have you read http://people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/roses.html? If not, do so. Roses are weird, even for tarantulas, and that's one reason they're so popular. Tarantula enthusiasts get bored with "normal" tarantulas really quickly!

3) Keeping in mind that the only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask, "Does your tarantula have access to a water dish with fresh water 24/7?"

4) Along the same tact, "Is the cage out of bright light, and especially direct sunlight?"

5) Ditto, "At what temperature are you keeping the cage?" "Are you using any source of artificial heat?"

6) Ditto, "What are you using for substrate?"

7) Ditto, "What are you doing about humidity?"

... And what I was trying to ask was if it has gotten weaker? It used to be able to go up the walls and stay there for long periods of time but now it only hangs on for a few seconds then falls, ...

8) How long have you had this rose?

9) Has it ever molted for you?

Wild caught roses normally molt the first year that they're in captivity during their normal molting season in Chile, i.e., October through December (rarely in September or January). So, if you just got it within the last few months, it indeed is approaching a molt. And, the reason it can't climb may very likely be that whatever mechanism on their tarsal scopulae ("toe pads") that allows spiders to climb glass is getting dirty or worn out. As soon as it molts it'll be fine again. An imminent molt may also explain its waning appetite.

BTW, after that first molt in captivity nearly all roses get confused and may not molt for 2-1/2 years or more. Read the "roses" webpage for more information.

Lastly, surely you have a friend or relative with even a mediocre digital camera. Can't you borrow it for 20 minutes to take 5 photos from various angles and upload them for us to see? They can even stand there and watch you take the photos. They may even want to take them for you.

Enjoy your photogenic, little, 8-legged buddy!