new spider owner

[Exoticquestion]

ok, so i just got a spider today, my first ever. now i have much experiance with exotic pets but i need to know, how often does the molting cycle come around? oncew a month? like a snake? or what? and also can i keep my crikets in the cage till molting comes around the just remove all the crikets?

thank you for your information

 

[Talkenlate04]

Molting gets farther and farther apart in time based on how big your T is. If its a small baby, it could molt once a month for a few months, then it will skip a month, then skip 4 then skip 7 so on and so on, eventually they will as adults get on an annual molt cycle of one molt a year or more.
I would not leave a constant food supply in the cage. Just offer food once a week or so and thats it. Anything not killed over night remove.

What did you get anyway?

 

[Exoticquestion]

Molting gets farther and farther apart in time based on how big your T is. If its a small baby, it could molt once a month for a few months, then it will skip a month, then skip 4 then skip 7 so on and so on, eventually they will as adults get on an annual molt cycle of one molt a year or more.
I would not leave a constant food supply in the cage. Just offer food once a week or so and thats it. Anything not killed over night remove.

What did you get anyway?

umm i think its a rose haired tuanchula. that's what they told me. it's rather small but it wont come down from the top of the cage lol

 

[Talkenlate04]

They will tend to wander a bit when placed in a new tank. They like it dry and with a water dish. So if your substrate is wet let it dry out naturally and soon she will settle down.
How small is small?

 

[Exoticquestion]

hmmm about two 1/2 inches long i dont know if thats big or small.

 

[Talkenlate04]

That's a small juvie. He/she will have a ways to go before reaching adulthood. Id say maybe 3-5 more years. With a max leg span around 6".

 

[Snowball]

You got yourself a sling there my friend congratz..like talkenlate said, Bone-dry substrate with only the water dish for moisture. I have a 3.5" rosie, and just to warn...erm...let you know , they're crazy. Right off the board noodles. If you encounter your spider moving things, flipping over water dishes, burying decor or doing summersaults singing a beetles song don't be alarmed. This is regular rosie behaviour. Have fun! Let's see a pic!!

 

[Exoticquestion]

ok so there's no way for me to fully know if it's male or female?

 

[Talkenlate04]

If you can get a clear picture of under the spider then maybe..... but the sure way is to wait for it to molt, then you would be able to try sexing it. You should cruise the sexing section to get yourself familiar with what to look for.

 

[Snowball]

I've always been told it's easier to sex if they're a bit bigger...is that false information? (I'm getting a 1/2" OBT pretty quick and it would be wicked to sex it lol)

 

[Exoticquestion]

ok cool, so is this breed of spider normally docile, or should i be more weiry of it biting?

 

[Snowball]

Rosies are pretty well behaved..but NEVER lose your respect for a tarantula, everyone is different. But they are known to have a pretty docile tempermant. Just be careful when you're doing clean ups and stuff...use tongs or long forceps to spot clean...also (I think this goes for every sp. correct me if I'm wrong) Don't bother a tarantula during or after a feast, lol.

 

[Exoticquestion]

ok so my questions aren't done lol. um some sites tell me to spray the tank with a bottle every couple of days. now do i do that or not? and also if they do bite me, i'll be ok right? sorry i wanna cover everything

 

[Snowball]

Lot's of sites just "Generalize" information. G. Rosea (You're spider) sp. like things BONE dry. So I wouldn't recommend misting a rosie. Just a shallow water dish will be sufficient enough. Partly the reason why your rosie may be climbing is because the substrate is too damp for it's liking.

In regards to you getting bitten, just run the site under near-scalding hot water and prepare for anything from minor swelling and irritation to a soft ball that itches and burns. It all depends on how your body copes with the venom...how much venom if at all was pumped out, if it was a dry bite(no venom) and what not. If you're allergic you could have complications. Many people relate being bit to anything from a bee sting to haveing a rail road spike driving through your hand. Just don't risk it...like I said do the hot water thing and hope for the best, if you know you're allergic contact a hospital.

 

[jenniferinny]

Don't mist a rosie's cage. They don't like it one bit. Some species you do mist, but, definitely not G. rosea.

 

[Exoticquestion]

ok so no misting at all? not even during molting? and how long till i can handle her? i just brought her home like 5 hours ago

 

[Snowball]

When he/she molts just keep the water dish near by don't go do something absurde like put it on the other side of the cage ontop of 8 rocks balancing on a pin =O...seriously though, just keep it close and fresh...as per handling...well I personally never handle my T's (this comes with the respect thing I mentioned earlier) but if you insist I'd say, I could be wrong I'm no expert in handling, wait for it to be a bit bigger...from what I hear slings and juvies can be kinda party poopers temperment wise...all sp. apparently. Their temperment changes with each molt, so it appears (Again noone flame me, I stay away from handling there for don't know much about it). But I've heard the best method is to gently brush its abdomen or back legs with a chopstick or something and coax it onto your hand. While handling, stay low to the ground, preferably over a bed or something. If your spider falls it'll break like an egg. NEVER force the spider, if you get the impression it doesn't wanna do anything, let em be. The spider reacts, not thinks...everything is instinct so...probing it over and over...well you can fill in the blanks from there.

 

[Exoticquestion]

ok, thanks guys for the info

 

[Snowball]

Any time =)

 

[leo3375]

Another thing about G. rosea: Their behavior can be pretty erratic sometimes. They seem to specialize in making their guardians go insane.