Worried

M13

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 27, 2007
Messages
59
I have just got my first big T (first was a Zebra spiderling) and I am worried and seem to be making abit of a hash of it :( I keep getting conflicting advice.

I have set up my tank according to a mate who lives over the road who has a Pink toe and a White Knee.

Anyway this is my tank



Alice on my pic thread gave me some advice about ditching the bark, which is going tomorrow (currently drying peat out in the over)

I'm worried about the light though. My mate set it up saying it doesn't need a cover as the spider will move away from it when it gets warm, however tonight he was climbing around by the light and it came on (its run via a thermostat) and the poor spider damn near crapped himself ran off and hid. This worried me greatly.

So now I have turned the light off for the moment as my instincts say it's not safe for him (even though I was told otherwise)

Hows the best way to do this? Is a heat mat the way forward and have a separate red non heating light above his tank? I would like the tank lit if possible.

I'm getting abit miffed about it all now. I want the best for my first spider (ad of cause if/when I do have more) but at the moment with all the conflicting advice I am getting I feel like giving up already :(

I will be also raising the substrate tomorrow as Alice suggested as she said Rose's are clumsy climbers. I'm begining to think my mate doesn't know what hes doing, even though hes kepts Ts for 30 years.

Feeling abit sad by it all to be honest.

Thanks for any help and suggestions you can give me.

Kain
 

ctsoth

Arachnosquire
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Nov 17, 2006
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I may have missed it but what species of T is that?

I would very strongly recommend against that light, you don't want a sun dried tarantula. I think you are also asking for trouble with a heat mat. What are the temps in your tarantula room? I heat my T room with an electronic radiator to about 70-75 degrees F. I keep them in my bedroom, and my bedroom gets deathly cold in the winter [low 50s] so the radiator was for me, and then I got tarantulas :). If your T room is comfortable for you, it is probably fine......

Ditching the wood chips is a great idea, and if that is a terrestrial T the distance between substrate and the surface would be no more than your tarantulas length leg to leg. I use peat moss and it works great, and is cheap.

Edit: Unless your room is a bit below standard room temp [68-72F] I doubt you need any external heat source.... I use my radiator to bring my room up to standard room temps.....
 

M13

Arachnosquire
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Feb 27, 2007
Messages
59
Right I have turned the bulb of and unplugged it.

Reading that guide, I think I will see how goes without a heat source. We have the heating on in the day, but I'm worried it will drop cold by a few degrees at night. The current temperature in the room is about 75oF

I am a little worried about it dropping chilly (no pun intended lol) at night, but from what I have read on the guide, its probably better it does than use an artificial heat source.

I bed the poor creature is getting peed off with me keep poking around in his home :(

Kain
 

cheetah13mo

Arachnoking
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Oct 10, 2006
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T's can handle pretty cool temps. If it doesn't get below around 65 degree for prolonged periods of time, your fine. If it gets down to 60 or even a little less, and it's not for days, you'll have no problems and theres no need to worry about supplimental heat.
 
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Pyst

Arachnoknight
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Nov 7, 2005
Messages
266
I agree with what cheetah13mo says regarding the temp. You shouldn't need any external heating. Also you can go ahead and ad the peat if its slightly damp. Initially after adding it the spider might hang out on top of it's hide but it should dry out soon enough. Personally I don't use more than around 3" of it. I know some say keep it the spider's length from the top. So to each his own. It's your spider so you decide. Good luck with the rosea and may you get addicted like the rest of us.

-Mike
 

M13

Arachnosquire
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Feb 27, 2007
Messages
59
Thanks guys, you have really put my mind at rest.

I have had my little Zebra T a little over a week now and hes doing fine without heat. In fact hes currently running around the little tub hes in trying to catch a cricket! It's quite comical.

I will remove the bark tomorrow and had a little more peat into the tank so he can dig and whatever.

Is there any good books you guys could recommend (I'm in the UK)

Kain
 

thunderthief

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Dec 27, 2006
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Welcome to the addiction. Im in the Uk and dont use any extra heat source. My room is a pretty constant 70 - 75 in the day.

I started with one at Christmas and now have 5, inc 2 Slings.

As for books the ones I have and like are.

The Guide to Owning a Tarantula and The Tarantula keepers Guide.
 

M13

Arachnosquire
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Feb 27, 2007
Messages
59
I got up this morning and the temprature in the room with the T's is 66 Degrees.

Is that far to cold for him? it warms up to about 75degrees in the daytime.

Kain
 

Alice

Arachnoangel
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Sep 29, 2006
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976
good to see you are taking advice :clap:

just do what you intend to do (lose the bark, raise the substrate, lose the heat). i know that some people do well with terrestrials in high tanks - but the only t i ever lost to an accident was a terrestrial falling while climbing the tank walls (they were not extraordinally high) and rupturing her abdomen.

rosies do fine with night temperatures a little lower. it will be warmer in summer after all. i wouldn't worry about that. if you really want a heat source, use a very small heat matt (6 w) and attach it to one side of the tank. the hide should be on the other side.
 

M13

Arachnosquire
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Feb 27, 2007
Messages
59
Thanks Alice.

In a little while (after I have woke up properly) the bark is comming out and I am raising the hight of the peat a little more.

I think I may get a little heat mat, as sometimes the weather can drop really cold at night here in the UK. I few weeks ago we had 7 inches of snow.

As soon as I get up now, while its still cold I will be sticking the heating on for a few hours just too warm the room up abit.

Kain
 

Alice

Arachnoangel
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a little heat is ok if you are worried ;)
just mind that the matt is very small and that it is only on one side of the tank, away from the hide. if your rosie is cold, she will go where the heat is, if not, she can use her hide without being grilled.
 

M13

Arachnosquire
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Feb 27, 2007
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59
Ok I have done the modifications





She really doesn't like being put into the box she came in, she ran from one end to the other. Almost looked like she was panicking!

When I put her back in, she could tell the floor covering was different.

seems quite happy anyway.

Kain
 

Alice

Arachnoangel
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that's a lot better :clap:

i just don't see a water dish - though g. rosea like bone dry substrate, they drink from time to time, so you might want to offer her a shallow waterdish and refill ist 2-3 times a week.
it's normal she's stressed out from all the changing tank and substrate, she will calm down again. and will be even happier once the substrate dries out :D. you don't need to moisten the substrate, EVER, with a rosie. in case your friend tells you differently - yes, a pinktoe and a a. geniculata need more humidity, rosies come from very dry areas.
 

M13

Arachnosquire
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Feb 27, 2007
Messages
59
She has got a water dish, but I hadn't put it in at the time of taking the picture.

Shes abit confused now and the ground feels different, you can see her tapping her legs on the soil probably thinking 'this is different!'

Lol

Kain
 

Alice

Arachnoangel
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hm, tapping her legs? does 'she' use her front legs and pedipals to drum on the soil? if so, you might have a mature male. those have a very short life span and are basically only good for breeding.

we can tell you if 'she' is only checking out her new substrate or if you have a mature male on your hands - just take a good pic of her pedipals and first leg pair. if it's indeed a sexually mature 'he' you should see boxing gloves on the pedipalps and hooks on the legs.
 

Pyst

Arachnoknight
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Nov 7, 2005
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If your rosea wasn't doing this on the old peat then it's just checking out the new substrate. Once it dries out completely things will return to normal. Setup looks good.
 

M13

Arachnosquire
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Joined
Feb 27, 2007
Messages
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Nah wasn't the pedipalps she was tapping with, it was her front 'main legs' I think it was just feeling about as it was new.

Shes stopped now.

On another note, I have just bought another spider - Brachypelma boehmei

:D

Kain
 

Nitibus

Arachnodemon
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Feb 7, 2007
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728
Nah wasn't the pedipalps she was tapping with, it was her front 'main legs' I think it was just feeling about as it was new.

Shes stopped now.

On another note, I have just bought another spider - Brachypelma boehmei

:D

Kain

And the crazy spider insanity begins... I'm with you brother !

Soon you'll have 30 !
 
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