Fasting Rose Hair

[Team Gomberg]

I've had my 2nd rose hair since Jan 1st. The guy before me had her for 6 months and she had eaten in his care.

She has not eaten since I've had her.

I know everyone says this is a common thing for this species but my first rose hair never fasted. It's been 2 months and I'm trying to eliminate possible reasons.

I thought maybe she was just settling in, so I stopped handling her. I only disturb her to drop in a cricket every Sunday and if it's still in there the next morning I remove it.

Now, I wonder if she's fasting due to the temperatures. I live in Oregon and it's still very cold here. My house thermostat is kept around 62°F. I've used an infrared laser gun to temp her and her enclosure and it's around 65°F. Too cold for her, right?

Her enclosure is glass, so I plan to pick up a ReptiTherm heat pad. Will that help?

Thanks for any input.

 

[Evanthomas]

I wouldn't use a heating pad unless you can regulate the exact temperature it will get to. Any chance you can get the ambient room temperature up to 70 degrees for her? Other than the temperature I wouldn't worry too much about her not eating, my rose hair has gone many many months (so many I lose track) without eating.

 

[Team Gomberg]

Ok thank you

 

[kormath]

chile isn't too warm, about like here but without the temp variations we have. if i recall the atacama desert where rosea live has mid to upper 70s in the daytime during summer, and nights are down in the 40s. winter the daytime temps are in the low 70s, and nights can get down to freezing.

All of my T's stay in my bedroom on a desk in the corner. Temps there average lowest in the winter at 72, and summertime highs at 82. I'm not comfy with higher or lower temps than that lol The 2 rosea my son and I have are doing very well at those temps.

 

[MassExodus]

About the heat mats, I think they can be used safely as long as you get a good one. There's alot of experienced keepers that still use them. I dont, but I did for a few years, never had a problem with the zilla mats. I used a thermostat though. Its just easier and more practical to heat the whole room.

 

[MassExodus]

@Shampain agreed. That said, I can't go a full week without checking the moisture lovers like Pamphobeteus and Theraphosa. All of mine have false bottoms with gravel and a pvc pipe running to the bottom. 7 years or so in the hobby and I still worry. Probably due to losing a $200 female antinous in a molt. She was so beautiful. RIP Jenna Jameson.

 

[Team Gomberg]

I decided against the heat mat. Thanks everyone.

I did put an LED puck light over the terrarium though. It's kept in a cube style cabinet and didn't receive good lighting.
I also increased the level of coco coir substrate and added a real plant.
I've seen what I would call "more normal behavior" since the changes.
She still hasn't eaten but she has water and doesn't look shriveled, so I'm trying not to worry

Her water dish

Her cave

 

[Team Gomberg]

Normally she isn't in the glass corner like that. She likes the top of the log, the center of the plant and running into the cave when I disturb the lid.
This was when I first put her back into the tank and was happy to get the fang angle!

 

[Team Gomberg]

I see webbing! Fun!

 

[Tricocyst]

I agree with @Evanthomas from way earlier.. my rose hair also would go so long fasting that you couldn't keep up with how long it's been.. you have the right idea of just being patient and adding food once a week.. eventually it will get hungry enough to eat

 

[Pasodama]

Nice, new, enclosure.
Glad you decided against using a heat mat.
Hoping you turn the light off, at night, though.
Good to see she is behaving better. After being settled in, should eat, eventually, once hungry enough.

 

[kormath]

i like the set up. my only concern is lack of ventilation. Hopefully you have a fan or something near by that moves the air around in the room? stagnant stale air is not good. I found that out the hard way keeping them in a doorless closet in the hall.

 

[Team Gomberg]

oh yes, the light gets turned off at night

my only concern is lack of ventilation.

I found that out the hard way keeping them in a doorless closet in the hall.

I will say my living room air isn't stale at all. I'm an "open window" kinda gal.

However, I covered her screen lid with plastic and cut ventilation slits in it. I read that I needed to do that so A) she didn't walk upside down on the mesh lid and B) they needed a closed lid so the tank didn't dry out.
Is that bad advice?

Can I ask what happened and how you learned the hard way?

I want to do what's right for her. It's hard when you get conflicting advice....

 

[MassExodus]

oh yes, the light gets turned off at night



I will say my living room air isn't stale at all. I'm an "open window" kinda gal.

However, I covered her screen lid with plastic and cut ventilation slits in it. I read that I needed to do that so A) she didn't walk upside down on the mesh lid and B) they needed a closed lid so the tank didn't dry out.
Is that bad advice?

Can I ask what happened and how you learned the hard way?

I want to do what's right for her. It's hard when you get conflicting advice....

The first part is correct, they do sometimes get stuck in mesh, I only use mesh lids on the ones that dont climb. As far as drying out the enclosure, it should be very dry for a rosea. They are the epitome of a dry species. All they need is a water dish

 

[Team Gomberg]

The first part is correct, they do sometimes get stuck in mesh, I only use mesh lids on the ones that dont climb. As far as drying out the enclosure, it should be very dry for a rosea. They are the epitome of a dry species. All they need is a water dish

So, would you remove the plastic and expose the screen mesh?

 

[Team Gomberg]

I notice that Jamies Tarantula cages (whoever that is, but they seem popular) are closed box like enclosures with vent holes. Isn't my plastic covered lid with vent slits kind of the same thing?

 

[MassExodus]

As long as your enclosure is dry and you have plenty of ventilation theres no need really.

 

[kormath]

oh yes, the light gets turned off at night



I will say my living room air isn't stale at all. I'm an "open window" kinda gal.

However, I covered her screen lid with plastic and cut ventilation slits in it. I read that I needed to do that so A) she didn't walk upside down on the mesh lid and B) they needed a closed lid so the tank didn't dry out.
Is that bad advice?

Can I ask what happened and how you learned the hard way?

I want to do what's right for her. It's hard when you get conflicting advice....

We had our whole collection in an open closet in the hallway. Fans in each room on each end of the hallway, plus all the traffic back and forth by the closet you'd think would have been enough air circulation.

Our T's started to become lethargic and not as active as they were before moving them into the closet. When we'd take them out for feeding they seemed to perk up, become more active. The GBB started rebuilding web tunnels. Put them back in the closet later that day and they're back to being lazy. Removed all the Ts from the closet into our respective rooms after that and they perked back up again.

So even with air circulation in the hall itself, the shelves in the closet blocked the circulation from the spider enclosure. It's easy to test, take the enclosure out of the shelf unit for a couple days and see if it changes behavior at all. if not he should be fine in there.

 

[Team Gomberg]

Gotcha, thanks for sharing.

I took the plastic off the screen lid because condensation was collecting on the glass...and you all say they need it dry.

Still watching and observing but it seems as though the light, live plant and open screen top are making a difference.

 

[MassExodus]

Gotcha, thanks for sharing.

I took the plastic off the screen lid because condensation was collecting on the glass...and you all say they need it dry.

Still watching and observing but it seems as though the light, live plant and open screen top are making a difference.

Condensation is bad..especially for a dry species. They can "drown" in a wet tank. Their book lungs can't take in enough oxygen if the air is too saturated. I would remove the spider to a tank with dry substrate and adequate ventilation.