Noob!

[kupo969]

Hey guys, I've been wanting to get a tarantula and I wanted to start out with a little rose-hair! I've been reading care sheets but I wanted to know if I can get some advice from people that know a little more than the average care sheet.

What are some basic materials do need? What is a great substrate? Any other advice would be great!

thanks for your time>

 

[P. Novak]

Well Common names arent really the preferred name used here, so go with the scentific name to start things off, Grammostola rosea.

This species can be kept in a bone dry enviornment with a full water dish. I'd use the "bed-a-beast" or "jungle mix" substrate bricks that are sold in pet stores, or go to a near by orchard and buy some peatmoss. Any substrate will be fine as long as its soil/dirt that has no chemicals in it.

Grammostola rosea is a slow growing species that are usually docil, but every now and then there is a very angry one that will bite you if it gets the chance.

What size is the T you are planning to get?

 

[Drachenjager]

Hey guys, I've been wanting to get a tarantula and I wanted to start out with a little rose-hair! I've been reading care sheets but I wanted to know if I can get some advice from people that know a little more than the average care sheet.

What are some basic materials do need? What is a great substrate? Any other advice would be great!

thanks for your time>

very easy T to keep there. Bone dry and i mean BONE dry substrate of 100% peat or a peat/coco fiber blend , water dish and a hide. Keep the substrate no more than 1.5 times the leg span of the T. feed a couple crickets once a week or twice a week if its a larger T maybe. And you should be set. If you are comfortable , the T will do fine so you wont need to worry about heating or cooling the tank if you keep the room between 70-85F the T shoud be just dandy.

 

[Drachenjager]

Well Common names arent really the preferred name used here, so go with the scentific name to start things off, Grammostola rosea.

This species can be kept in a bone dry enviornment with a full water dish. I'd use the "bed-a-beast" or "jungle mix" substrate bricks that are sold in pet stores, or go to a near by orchard and buy some peatmoss. Any substrate will be fine as long as its soil/dirt that has no chemicals in it.

Grammostola rosea is a slow growing species that are usually docil, but every now and then there is a very angry one that will bite you if it gets the chance.

What size is the T you are planning to get?

Darn it Novak !! stop typing faster than me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GGGGRRRR lol

my only problem with the bed a beast type substrates is its hard to dry them out for a rosea...evn my anax dosent like that stuff .I am gonna have to get peat for them , they wons stay on coco fiber , maybe if i could dry it real dry they may but to get it to where you can use it it gets full of water lol
maybe i can take some to work and put it in my drying oven lol

 

[By-Tor]

Second to last sticky thread might save you a bit of looking

 

[kupo969]

I'm not sure on the size of the T. I wanted to get a smaller one so that I can see it grow. As for jungle mix, I have that for my scorps and it's pretty moist and barky, isnt that no good?

Edit: Also, can you be a little more specific on feeding the T? Should I feed it every day? every other? 1 cricket? 2?(I know it depends on the size)

Thanks for the all the help.

 

[Drachenjager]

I'm not sure on the size of the T. I wanted to get a smaller one so that I can see it grow. As for jungle mix, I have that for my scorps and it's pretty moist and barky, isnt that no good?

bark=no good

 

[Mushroom Spore]

I'm not sure on the size of the T. I wanted to get a smaller one so that I can see it grow.

You won't see anything. Maybe in a few years it might be a LITTLE bigger, but yeah. Slowest growing species ever.

Edit: Also, can you be a little more specific on feeding the T? Should I feed it every day? every other? 1 cricket? 2?(I know it depends on the size)

Feed once a week. I suggest using pre-killed, both for the tarantula's safety and because they're easier to store if they're just in a tupperware in the freezer instead of needing food (and dying off all the time). You also won't have to worry about chasing down a live cricket if your T isn't hungry, just reach in with tweezers and pick out the carcass if not eaten in 24 hours.

I'd give them what they'll eat, but at most, one cricket smaller than they are (obv. MUCH smaller if you're feeding live crix). Two teeny pinheads if they'll take it, I guess.

EDIT: I had slings on the brain, obviously the above advice is for babies. Anything over 2" should be fine on 1-2 live crickets a week. Remove if not eaten in 24 hours, still.

 

[P. Novak]

Darn it Novak !! stop typing faster than me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GGGGRRRR lol

hehe oops

I'm not sure on the size of the T. I wanted to get a smaller one so that I can see it grow. As for jungle mix, I have that for my scorps and it's pretty moist and barky, isnt that no good?

Edit: Also, can you be a little more specific on feeding the T? Should I feed it every day? every other? 1 cricket? 2?(I know it depends on the size)

Thanks for the all the help.

Oh I must of got the name wrong, I know there is some other name to the bed-a-beast stuff with the word "jungle" in it. If jungle mix has bark in it, then no not that.

If you're getting a smaller T and want it to grow faster(power-feeding) then feed it almost everyday or every other day, if you want it normal, then feed it around 3 times a week.

 

[kupo969]

Awesome, all the advice above is 20 times better than what they give you on 80% of the care sheets. Thank you for all the help! Don't hesitate to give me any advice someone failed to mention.

 

[P. Novak]

Awesome, all the advice above is 20 times better than what they give you on 80% of the care sheets. Thank you for all the help! Don't hesitate to give me any advice someone failed to mention.

I'm pretty sure we've covered everything, but don't be afraid to ask anymore questions.

Is this gonna be your first T?

 

[kupo969]

Yep, going to be my first T. Also, I was going to ask what kind of tank would this species of T need? A wider/longer tank or a taller type?

 

[P. Novak]

Yep, going to be my first T. Also, I was going to ask what kind of tank would this species of T need? A wider/longer tank or a taller type?

Oh cool, congrats! Welcome to the hobby!

Grammostola rosea is a terrestrial type T, so it needs more ground space then height. So go with a wider/longer tank. If you're getting a sling then all you need is a small container for it to live in for awhile.

 

[kupo969]

Sling! For a second there i thought you were talking about scorpions, lmao. Awesome, I just gotta check what sizes are available. Thanks for the help

 

[P. Novak]

Sling! For a second there i thought you were talking about scorpions, lmao. Awesome, I just gotta check what sizes are available. Thanks for the help

No problem. With Grammostola rosea pretty much any size is available year round. If I were you, I'd look for a RCF G.rosea, even more gorgeous then the common ones!

 

[spid142]

If you decide to get a baby T, they're called a sling, short for spiderling. They can live in pill bottles to start, little jars/containers when getting more than about half in width of the pillbottle, then graduating to larger jars or aquariums as the T grows. Welcome to T keeping, its really fascinating.

 

[kupo969]

Wow, they look awesome. I was also wondering how would I handle a T? such as picking it up. (I know this is not recommended and know that everyone reacts differently to bites. I know how to handle my scorps)

 

[thirtysixwood]

sorry to be a little blunt or otherwise sarcastic... but you could keep a rose hair in the corner of your room with the rest of the spiders that naturally live in your house or surrounding areas... to answers of your questions... bed a beast is ok, just as long as you make sure it is dry before you put your t in it... peat moss is another great supplement, along with some vermiculite... is great... alll can be purchased cheap from lowes or something, just make sure it says organic.... but as I say, if its a rose hair you want... your not going to kill it, unless you put it in a phish tank filled with jack dempsies and oscars.. or some poisoness turtle that has yet to be discovered...

 

[P. Novak]

Wow, they look awesome. I was also wondering how would I handle a T? such as picking it up. (I know this is not recommended and know that everyone reacts differently to bites. I know how to handle my scorps)

THere are various ways, and it usually takes time as to what method works for each individual T. Like I can hold all my Ts except my P.ornata because I do not know its reactions good enough yet, and I really don't want my first bite coming for a Poecilotheria spp.. Most of my Ts I can gently nudge onto my hand and then handle from there, some I have to nudge into a container and then onto my hand. My docile Ts I can do the "pinch" pick up. I'll find you the handling thread for you to read over.


EDIT: heres the thread, http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=41775

 

[kupo969]

sorry to be a little blunt or otherwise sarcastic... but you could keep a rose hair in the corner of your room with the rest of the spiders that naturally live in your house or surrounding areas... to answers of your questions... bed a beast is ok, just as long as you make sure it is dry before you put your t in it... peat moss is another great supplement, along with some vermiculite... is great... alll can be purchased cheap from lowes or something, just make sure it says organic.... but as I say, if its a rose hair you want... your not going to kill it, unless you put it in a phish tank filled with jack dempsies and oscars.. or some poisoness turtle that has yet to be discovered...

Hehe I know but I just want to make sure it gets the best care!