Question about my G.Rosea

[Elithial]

So I either have the most docile G.Rosea ever or something's amiss. I bought her about a month ago and she hasn't eaten yet (which isn't all that odd for a rose). When I check in on her everyday she's usually in a different spot just sitting there and she moves reflexively when I open the lid. I keep her water bowl clean and full and sometimes I take her out to handle....this is where I'm alittle concerned. Once I get her onto my hand she just sits there, no wandering, no playing the human hand ladder, just sits. I can pet her leg, her carapace, and even her abdomen (I avoid the hairs of course). When I pinch grab her to check if everything below is all peachy it appears it is and she squirms alittle but no major attempts to escape and no baring of the fangs. He abdomen is plump and the size of her carapace thought she's jet black on the under side and there's a black mark on the beginning of her abdomen and her carapace is a rosey color and light brown. Today when I pinch grabbed her I then set her down on me and she her left third leg crossed over the left fourth leg, I assumed this was from the squirming and gently tapped her left third leg off the fourth and it went right back into position. She just sat there and let me do this, no flinching no moving. I put her back in her cage, having to push her legs alittle to get her to go back in. She's really lethargic, is this normal or what?

 

[dannyboypede]

My PZB will let me do everything you described. My G. rosea will sometimes go completely limp. When this first happened, I was concerned, so I looked into it, and I read that when they go limp and/or allow their keeper to do whatever they want, it is a defensive response. It doesn't mean that the spider will bite, it is more of a playing dead sort of thing. I don't generally worry when rosies act strangely; I worry when they don't. For example, I have one G. rosea that is like yours, will let you do anything, and one that you can't even look at without it running all over the place and freaking out. Sounds like you have a healthy spider, nonetheless.

--Dan

 

[shanebp]

Why would this be strange considering a rosea is "the" starter tarantula?

With that said, every T has a different personality, including roseas.

 

[captmarga]

Some spiders- regardless of species - are like this. I took out a T to let a friend hold, knowing it was dead-gentle, and it wasn't until I put her back in the cage that I realized I'd given her the wrong T. Still, the T sat there like a trooper, just as I had promised. One of my rosies will grab anything, another is a pet lump.

With the darkening, you may be seeing pre-molt, so I would back off on the handling.

Good luck!

Marga

 

[Elithial]

Thanks guys! She's my first T so I just wanted to make sure all was well. She's my little eight legged baby after all.

 

[Rob1985]

it's a tarantula, not a cat or a dog.

They do "tarantula" things... like not move for long periods of time. :wall:

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

it's a tarantula, not a cat or a dog.

They do "tarantula" things... like not move for long periods of time. :wall:

+1

Also does it have hooks under it's first set of legs? And do the pedipalps look balled up like it's wearing boxing gloves?

 

[phily1579]

Yeah. I woulndt pick up the t. For ur saftey n the saftey of the t. Roseas dnt eat alot n like most t's, they dnt move very much. So dnt be alarmed. That what t's do. :clap:

 

[Scolopeon]

So I either have the most docile G.Rosea ever or something's amiss. I bought her about a month ago and she hasn't eaten yet (which isn't all that odd for a rose). When I check in on her everyday she's usually in a different spot just sitting there and she moves reflexively when I open the lid. I keep her water bowl clean and full and sometimes I take her out to handle....this is where I'm alittle concerned. Once I get her onto my hand she just sits there, no wandering, no playing the human hand ladder, just sits. I can pet her leg, her carapace, and even her abdomen (I avoid the hairs of course). When I pinch grab her to check if everything below is all peachy it appears it is and she squirms alittle but no major attempts to escape and no baring of the fangs. He abdomen is plump and the size of her carapace thought she's jet black on the under side and there's a black mark on the beginning of her abdomen and her carapace is a rosey color and light brown. Today when I pinch grabbed her I then set her down on me and she her left third leg crossed over the left fourth leg, I assumed this was from the squirming and gently tapped her left third leg off the fourth and it went right back into position. She just sat there and let me do this, no flinching no moving. I put her back in her cage, having to push her legs alittle to get her to go back in. She's really lethargic, is this normal or what?

Theres a post almost exactly the same in this section of the forums, and i'm going to give it exactly the same kind of response... it sounds like she is in premolt.

Just make sure you check the other forums, because there didn't need to be 2 posts with exactly the same content here, i'm not trying to sound rude but when I just made a response to the last one and then check this one.. and it's the same it can be a little frustrating.

---------- Post added at 01:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:53 PM ----------

Anyway, welcome to the hobby, G rosea was my first T almost 10 years ago!

"Generally the behaviour you can come to expect goes a little something like this:

No activity - 4 hours later he/she moves a leg - No activity - Might change position.

Next day - No activity although the pose has changed - 8 hrs later a shuffle and position change - night time she may go to her drinking bowl as I observed last night at about 2am and then ate a couple of crix and roaches I tossed in.

Rinse and repeat with a few deviations and thats the lifestyle of a Rose hair, and then a molt every say 2-3 years, yep thats it.

They don't call these pet rocks for no reason, my big female is a 7" statue. "

- My response to the other post, "G Rosea Retardation"

---------- Post added at 01:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:56 PM ----------

Just make sure you keep that water bowl filled at all times, they may inhabit dry and arid scrubland regions but they do need a constant source of water present.

 

[Elithial]

it's a tarantula, not a cat or a dog.

They do "tarantula" things... like not move for long periods of time. :wall:

Oh I know but my pink toe is a little racecar with eight legs and eats quite healthily so

---------- Post added at 08:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:47 PM ----------

+1

Also does it have hooks under it's first set of legs? And do the pedipalps look balled up like it's wearing boxing gloves?

Nope, all signs point to female, she's got a pretty obvious and big genital aperture.

---------- Post added at 08:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:47 PM ----------

Theres a post almost exactly the same in this section of the forums, and i'm going to give it exactly the same kind of response... it sounds like she is in premolt.

Just make sure you check the other forums, because there didn't need to be 2 posts with exactly the same content here, i'm not trying to sound rude but when I just made a response to the last one and then check this one.. and it's the same it can be a little frustrating.

---------- Post added at 01:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:53 PM ----------

Anyway, welcome to the hobby, G rosea was my first T almost 10 years ago!

"Generally the behaviour you can come to expect goes a little something like this:

No activity - 4 hours later he/she moves a leg - No activity - Might change position.

Next day - No activity although the pose has changed - 8 hrs later a shuffle and position change - night time she may go to her drinking bowl as I observed last night at about 2am and then ate a couple of crix and roaches I tossed in.

Rinse and repeat with a few deviations and thats the lifestyle of a Rose hair, and then a molt every say 2-3 years, yep thats it.

They don't call these pet rocks for no reason, my big female is a 7" statue. "

- My response to the other post, "G Rosea Retardation"

---------- Post added at 01:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:56 PM ----------

Just make sure you keep that water bowl filled at all times, they may inhabit dry and arid scrubland regions but they do need a constant source of water present.

Thanks, sorry about repeating someone elses post. I did try searching but I guess I used the wrong keywords because every post I looked through just didn't satisfy my worries so I wanted a direct-my-situation answer. Sorry if that's upsetting. I know they don't move much, that much I expected. I just wondered why she didn't move much when I picked her up when youtube's got plenty of roses playing the ladder game. I guess noone films the still ones because it's not as interesting?

 

[Scolopeon]

Oh I know but my pink toe is a little racecar with eight legs and eats quite healthily so

---------- Post added at 08:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:47 PM ----------



Nope, all signs point to female, she's got a pretty obvious and big genital aperture.

---------- Post added at 08:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:47 PM ----------



Thanks, sorry about repeating someone elses post. I did try searching but I guess I used the wrong keywords because every post I looked through just didn't satisfy my worries so I wanted a direct-my-situation answer. Sorry if that's upsetting. I know they don't move much, that much I expected. I just wondered why she didn't move much when I picked her up when youtube's got plenty of roses playing the ladder game. I guess noone films the still ones because it's not as interesting?

When they are in premolt their activity almost halts completely lol.

 

[stevet73]

my g rosa always moving about but dont eat much was getting bit worried glad joined this forum really put my mind at rest

 

[dannyboypede]

When they are in premolt their activity almost halts completely lol.

I have seen this and the exact opposite, but it has varied based on how heavy the premolt was. When my N. chromatus first goes into premolt, it turns vicious and becomes even more active than usual, but a few days before the molt it pretty much stops moving. My Lp never stops moving around!

--Dan

 

[Scolopeon]

I have seen this and the exact opposite, but it has varied based on how heavy the premolt was. When my N. chromatus first goes into premolt, it turns vicious and becomes even more active than usual, but a few days before the molt it pretty much stops moving. My Lp never stops moving around!

--Dan

No you are right, I was refering to Rose Hairs in general though.

I find even the baboon spiders become less aggressive and sluggish, but a quick tap and they are off and can still move.

My Gigas and Muticus are premolt right now, and my GBB just molted last night, now almost 2"...

Colour general dulls right out, H.Gigas goes drab brown before molting.

 

[Elithial]

I saw a baby OBT at my LPS yesterday! :O It was so angry and so cute. I also got to find out happily that my LPS buys from local breeders and reptile shows so I can feel safe buying from them and knowing they're not WC. Woo

 

[Dr Acula]

there's a black mark on the beginning of her abdomen

sounds like your girl is a male.

 

[Elithial]

sounds like your girl is a male.

Why do you say that? She's got no hook, no boxing gloves, and the 'lip' of the genital opening is pretty fat and obvious.

 

[jgod790]

Sometimes my G rosea will not move significantly, for weeks at a time. But when its warm, she can be extremely active and not stop moving for weeks at a time. She will stop moving, but only for an hour or so, and then continue moving around. Some people think they know it all about G rosea, but the truth is, they can be very interesting and unpredictable. Ive had my G rosea for 10 years now, and she still amazes me by her behavior sometimes. they seem to go through phases of activity, and inactivity. My G rosea is typically docile, but 3 times in the 10 years Ive had her, she was actually extremely aggressive and wouldn't let me touch her. So before you handle your G rosea, ALWAYS DO A TEMPERAMENT TEST!!!!!!!! This may sound stupid but like I said, G roseas CAN be unpredictable and although EXTREMELY rare, they do have mood swings and will be aggressive at times. But it is VERY rare for a G rosea to be in a bad mood. Like I said, 3 times out of 10 years for mine.

 

[Elithial]

Some good news! Today I got back home from lunch and Cinnamon is on her back. Premolt = check. I took a nap and a just a few minutes ago I have two spiders in my cage, oh wait that's her skin. Guess the strip tease is done. I removed the exuvium and looked real close, sure enough, female = check. She's still on her back right now but she's probably tired and will flip over when she darn well feels like it. Here's hoping she's still a sweety post molt. Of course I'm not bothering her until she's all done hardening up.