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Humidity and heating for the Chile Rose

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  • Humidity and heating for the Chile Rose

    Hi all, i've just bought my first t (Juvenile Chile Rose). He's in a glass tank, with vermiculite substrate, waterdish, cork bark retreat and a heat mat under the tank (covers 1/3 of the tank).

    What humidity should i be aiming for?
    Is it a good idea to move the water bowl away from the heat mat(to control humidity)?
    Should i have the heat mat under the retreat or not?
    Does this species have any kind of web (mine doesn't after a week)?

    Sorry there are so many questions
    Thanks

  • #2
    Grammostola

    Hi Lee,
    Your set-up sounds OK, but I'd change a few things. Firstly this species hates living on damp substrate. Keep one side damp and the other dry (easily done because the heat-mat will dry out one side, so long as you don't add water to that side). You'll probably find your spider prefers to sit on the dry side (so long as it isn't too hot).

    I don't suggest using pure vermiculite - most spiders hate it. Make a 50/50 mix out of it with peat (or coir is even better). This mix is much better for the spider to excavate (although you'd be lucky if this species even does this - they don't burrow much in captivity).

    Hope that helps.

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    • #3
      Sorry...

      No they don't make much web at all - just light wisps of silk on the ground.

      Your bark retreat can straddle the heat mat (the entrance of the retreat can be over the hot part, but the deep part of the burrow under the unheated section). Watch your spider's behaviour - that'll help you decide

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      • #4
        Thanks for the tips

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        • #5
          I've moved things around a bit. I haven't had chance to change the substrate yet, i'll do it in the week. The heat mat now heats the entrance to the retreat and the middle of the tank. Since i've done this he's removed a large section of vermiculite from inside the retreat and he doesn't seem to come out any more. Is this a good thing or bad thing? (i'm assuming its good because he seems happy hidden away).

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          • #6
            Chile rose

            Yes - sounds like a good thing to me

            A good rule of thumb:
            "A happy tarantula is one you can't see".

            Doesn't apply to redknees though

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            • #7
              chileans like it not to hot bout 70-75 temp and about 50-60 humidity but raise this up to about 70 just prior to a molt. It is best tp put the heat mat on the outside side of the tank, hope this helps

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              • #8
                I've moved accross to a 50/50 peat vermiculite mix, and my t doesn't seem to happy. The humidity is a little higher than it should be (i'm hoping thats the problem) My t is either resting its legs against the glass or trying to climb the cork bark.

                Does this sound like a humidity problem??

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                • #9
                  Humidity

                  Yes ! Just let the tank dry out by increasing the ventilation if you can. You could also reduce the depth of substrate for half the tank (so that side dries out quickly). It can take a couple of weeks for a T to settle down, so don't be too concerned.

                  You often read in keeping books to keep spiders at 70-80% humidity. To be honest these stated levels are totally meaningless. Wild tarantulas will experience fluctuations in humidity between day-night and between seasons. This species is from a dry natural habitat - not a dripping rainforest!

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                  • #10
                    Hi Lee,

                    Just wondering if you are thesame Lee Jenks who used to live around Newbury about 15 years ago?

                    Ray

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                    • #11
                      No sorry, i'm from Wolverhampton.

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