New here......picture of our rosehair

[ericaleigh]

I am new here....this is actually my first post.....
Just trying to learn more about our tarantula........We've had "her" for over
2 1/2 years now....She's grown quite a bit since we first bought her...this is my son holding her....she actually belongs to him.....
I bought her for him for doing well on a school assignment.....I never imagined we'd have her this long...
but she seems to be doing well....

 

[Dev]

kinda hard to tell, but your 'female' rose hair looks like a mature male.
Can you see hooks under the two longest front legs?

 

[cheetah13mo]

Looks like a mature male to me too. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but all mature male T's are short lived because of their obsesion with finding females, hence they don't think about food or drink and the fact that there are hooks on the front legs which makes it almost impossible to have a sucessful molt. He's very pretty. You might think about selling him to someone who will mate him with a female or finding someone to do a 50/50 deal with you.

 

[ericaleigh]

Really? I'm glad someone can shed some light on this for me.....because I actually bought it from a pet store and they said they thought it was a male. The only reason I thought it might be a female is because I'd read that males only lived about a year after maturity. It was pretty large when we bought it and we will have had it for three years this November. I know it's molted at least once since we've had it. Ahhhh....so if it is a male is there anyway to know how long he will live? Would he be happier if I brought him home a female before he dies???haha....don't think I want to do that.....but if he doesn't have much time left I would consider taking him to someone that might want to mate him....

 

[ericaleigh]

Oh...one more thing it does look like there are little hooks under it's front two longer legs...he kinda keeps them folded under but I did see them....he also has two little legs in the very front......so maybe he is a male?
I've never touched him I just look at him through the glass......only my son holds him so I guess I've never noticed that......

 

[Dev]

If hooks are visible, then its definitely a male. those 2 small legs in the front are called pedapelps(spelling?). completely normal for any T or true spider for that matter. on the end of them, there should be two pouches that look something like boxing gloves.

 

[cheetah13mo]

Maybe someone at the pet store would want him or knows someone who would. I would recommend selling him and finding a new one. Most likely you'll buy a female since most of the ones at pet stores are Wild Caught adults and without hooks means they are female. A male will only live until the next molt after their mature molt. They sometimes they die sooner. A female G. rosea can live for years after it's mature molt and keep molting and be just fine. A female could live another 20 years after it's mature molt. Gool luck with whatever you choose to do.

 

[GailC]

I don't think there is anything wrong with keeping a mature male as a pet. Why replace him when he obviously is docile and the son likes to hold him? They could get a new one and end up with miss psycho.

Just be prepared for what will happen to him. How long since he molted last? Male rosies can live up to 2 yrs after maturing.

 

[cheetah13mo]

I don't think there is anything wrong with keeping a mature male as a pet. Why replace him when he obviously is docile and the son likes to hold him? They could get a new one and end up with miss psycho.

Just be prepared for what will happen to him. How long since he molted last? Male rosies can live up to 2 yrs after maturing.

I'm not saying anything is wrong. I just don't want there to be any surprises and I'm giving them options and my thoughts on what I would do. They know perfectly well that they can keep the little man and give a happy home, as they have been for years now, and let it live out it's days.

 

[ericaleigh]

I appreciate everyone's opinions and information that has been shared with me. I obviously don't know a whole lot about T's as this is the first one we've ever owned. I have been very surprised how easy they are to care for and versatile they seem to be.

I'll admit when my son started asking for one the first thing I said was no way! I was even a little skittish when we first got him because I was afraid he'd get out and be wondering around our house or something. I no longer feel that way and even make sure my son is caring for him properly. I don't see myself ever picking him up though as I'm afraid of being bitten....although my son has held him quite a bit and he's never bitten him. My son is 13 now and is asking for a snake.......I'd much rather him have the T than a snake....

I know for sure he's only molted the one time and since we've had him three years in November.......I'm certain it was in that first year that he molted. Like I said.....he wasn't tiny or anything when we bought him...actually pretty good size(I thought huge at the time) although he's alot larger now.

I am not sure what we will do......I guess I'll leave it up to my son to decide....but thank you all......