Help Again!!!!!!

[Carole Selkirk]

Well you have all helped me so far with keeping Rosie(my sons chile rose, sorry that I have named her) alive but now Im having real problems with her,maybe not problems but real concerns for me. Why is she killing crickets with real enthusiasm and then discarding them? this has been happening for weeks! I bought some new crickets today and told the guy there how Rosie stood leaning against the side of her tank until she was only on one leg then fell into her very shallow water tank, he gave me some moss for free and told me to put it in her water dish, then he said that her substrate(yes guys I'm learning) should be kept moist, I did say tthat in Chile it isnt wet but he told me that I was the novice here( which is very right) so I have been advised on here to keep her in dry conditions which I do follow all your advice. Saying that, I did tell the guy in the shop that I came on here and he quickly changed the subject and got a huge lizard out of a tank and started to feed it in front of me, dont think he was so impressed when I said it was cute!!Ray,Lee and all who have advised me in the past please give me a direction now because I 'm wondering if its better to give her to someone who knows how to really look after her.
Should I keep her tank /peat moist? Why wont she eat her food? Should I put moss in her water? If I am failing would somone take her off my hands for a while( I really like her now so that last question would really be a last resort)

[lee smith]

if she is killing and leaving her food it usually means that she is starting on her pre-moult cycle (mine do he same). i would still reccomend leaving her substrate dry and maybee wet a little of it round the water dish.

does she have a bald patch on her abdomen? if she does and its darker than usual then it definetly means shes comming up to a shed.

[CJ_GRISDALE]

Stick To What You Have Been Told On Here, Petshops Arnt The Best Places In The World To Get Advice On This Subject Unless They Are Specialists, I Dont Speak For Them All But I Think If A Lot Of Them Where Honest They Would Say They Werent Sure, They Tend To Use General Care Advise Rather Than Advise That Relate To Your Particular Species, Which In Your Case Id Say Lee, Ray Etc Where Quite Right What They Said

[Ray Hale]

Hi, try to relax and do not worry.

It is a fact that many pet shop owners dont keep tarantulas as a hobby and whilst they do not knowlingly give bad advice they are not always the best sources.

She may well be in premoult . If she is killing but not feeding she is removing the annoying litle critters. When a spider moults crickets have been known to have a nibble so she is protecting her self.

I suggest you stop feeding her for a few days. If she is a climber add a little more substrate in order that she does not have so far to fall. Although it shouldnt really hurt her. Dont give up on it. You really are doing fine.

I spray my tanks rather than use dishes as tarantulas will take water from the side. I dont like moss as it harbours all sorts of nasty organisms.

Take a look on our site at the FAQ sheet and How to keep a tarantula.

Hope this helps

Ray Hale
BTS Committe