My rose hair hasn't eaten in over a year, help!

[ariann]

I have a 4 year old Rose Hair Tarantula, Eloise, who hasn't eaten in over a year. She also hasn't molted in about the same ammount of time. She startles really easily now and I'm afraid she isn't well. She has a shrunken abdomen, it looks like there is always dirt on her but it's not shriveled. We've lived in the Pacific Northwest for 2 years now (from utah) could it be the humidity that she doesn't like?

 

[8legfreak]

Rosies are notorious for going on long fasts. Someone posted here not too long ago about one that went over 2 years. I wouldn't worry much at this point. Keep the water topped off and offer food say, once every two weeks.

She still looks healthy and plump. Don't worry, I think this is why a lot of keepers don't really enjoy rosies - it's what they do.

 

[Rob1985]

Your T looks healthy. Keep in mind, long periods of fasting is normal for Grammstola porteri. Remember, they like it dry and just keep a full water dish.

Try feeding her a cricket every two or three weeks. Eventually she will eat, when is uncertain.

 

[14pokies]

Are you positive it's a female? To me it looks fuzzy and leggy like a mature male..

 

[boina]

I just want to second @14pokies. Mature male was my first thought when I saw those pics. Can you get a pic of the pedipalps? Or of the front legs, from the side, to see if it has hooks?

 

[Spidermolt]

Not related to the question but you should put more substrate in so if your t falls it won't hurt itself and you may also want to but a better lid on top because he could easily crawl up the one side, push the lid off and walk out.

 

[cold blood]

4 years...lol...that things probably a decade old...lmao.

You don't need help, you either need patience or a female.

 

[Arachnomaniac19]

Either the Ts is pretty stressed out from light, or that succulent is going to be dead soon. Keep her in a darker place or get a less transparent hide for her. Keep in mind that they live in burrows in the wild.

 

[BobBarley]

Another vote towards mature male... If it isn't, my head will implode.

 

[Paiige]

Looks like a potential male to me as well. Also, with these Ts, it's normal for them to not eat or molt frequently. My Rosie hasn't molted in well over 3 years, could even be 4 or 5 years now. She hasn't eaten in about 6 months but she fasted for a year and a half once.

 

[Deb60]

Looks like a potential male to me as well. Also, with these Ts, it's normal for them to not eat or molt frequently. My Rosie hasn't molted in well over 3 years, could even be 4 or 5 years now. She hasn't eaten in about 6 months but she fasted for a year and a half once.

That's a longtime without food! When your new you don't realise just how long they can go without food.

 

[Paiige]

That's a longtime without food! When your new you don't realise just how long they can go without food.

Yep and you also overfeed like crazy I used to try and feed her every day...

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I've never, never and never heard about a G.rosea fasting so far. Clearly you have a problem: you purchased the wrong Theraphosidae

no 'fence, jok it's normal, btw.

 

[Andrea82]

Is the small mesh lid thing the only ventilation for him/her?
Is this the enclosure where she has always lived in? It is a bit big and there is a lot of open space. I would either downgrade her enclosure or up the substrate level and give her a proper hide, something half buried in the substrate.
But that aside, if it is a mature male, then you won't have to change a lot. What was your feeding schedule before it stopped feeding?
@cold blood @BobBarley , if he is mature, then he has been that for at least a year....he doesn't look like one, not scruffy or anything.

But OP, please post pictures of pedipalps and first legs.

 

[cold blood]

Is the small mesh lid thing the only ventilation for him/her?
Is this the enclosure where she has always lived in? It is a bit big and there is a lot of open space. I would either downgrade her enclosure or up the substrate level and give her a proper hide, something half buried in the substrate.
But that aside, if it is a mature male, then you won't have to change a lot. What was your feeding schedule before it stopped feeding?
@cold blood @BobBarley , if he is mature, then he has been that for at least a year....he doesn't look like one, not scruffy or anything.

They require very little ventilation as they're kept dry. Mine has minimal venting aside from the small gaps around the top (its also an over size enclosure).

But OP, please post pictures of pedipalps and first legs.

I think the enclosure is fine...yeah, its a poor "hide" (I hate hides that are essentially dead ends), but frankly this species almost never uses a hide.

That is a good point about it looking very nice for a year old MM, but they can live a while after maturity, and I have never had a MM of this species to compare an MM to....but you could well be correct.

 

[darkness975]

I also think it looks a lot like a mature male

 

[Nanchantress]

I have a mature male G.rosea who goes about 6-9 months between eating 1 cricket at a time. He does still enjoy a drink of water now and then though.

 

[dragonfire1577]

the "rose hairs" in the Grammostola genus like G. rosea G. porteri and G. sp northern gold are known for fasting anyway and it does look MM which would further mean poor appetite so I wouldn't stress too much.