Tank size

[Oli Dodds]

That sounds like a large G. rosea! You might want to check the size again and also the sex. Females live much longer than males and if you receive an adult male of that size he may only have a couple of years left in him.
Generally speaking the size should be about twice the leg span, obviously then the length is fine but the width seems a little restricted. Not sure if that would cause probs so I'll let someone with more experience answer that one.

I've never heard of a rosea reaching these sizes, maybe its one of those "Airlie Brae" ones haha
And If indeed it was a mature male, it would live some months, not some years
Oli

[James Box]

actually Grammastola males do sometimes live for a couple years past maturity! possibly Brachypelma's and Aphonopelma's as well. it's just due to the fact that they're REALLY slow-growing. it's yet another nice thing about these particular genera.
most males only live a few months after maturity...which happens for at least some species only 2 years or so after being hatched...so not a long life-span.
perhaps that's what was meant.

[Tracy Sherwood-Farnfield]

Hi there and welcome.

I am a 'new' Chile rose owner myself (juvinile, arrived 10th Jan, called Ruby).

I just wanted to say that I have one of the cricket keeping tubs you refer to and I think it's great. Mine has little black hiding tubes which extend to the outside of the tub and allow for quick and clean cricket removal/transfer. I even use it to 'drop' a morsel into the tank with minimal disturbance and there is nothing quite as exciting as watching the progress of a hapless cricket ever closer...closer...before she finally pounces!

I 'feed' my crickets on (insert major supermarket chain here) value 'wheatabix' and a bit of fresh pepper or carrot (or whatever I happend to have chopped for dinner!). To avoid the 'jumping all over the place' problem I get my husband (LOL) to transfer them into this tub outside, apparently he puts one on top of the other and then turns them upside down - he claims he hasn't lost any yet!

My only issue with them is they smell a bit funny 'en masse' so I keep them in the spare bedroom/study where they amuse my husband when he is working.

Let us know when you become a proud parent.

[Richard Shah]

Ts is just an abbreviation of Tarantulas, I tend to use it a lot.

You might find it better to avoid spiderlings that are too small. It's not necessary to purchase multiples at the same time but you may wish to add according to what's locally available. You'll gain plenty of interest and experience to increase your collection to smaller specimens which could also go in the same tank. Its not likely to increase your feeding bills at all.

For variety you might want to consider the Brachypelma's, Aphonopelma's and other Grammostola species.
Here's a good list to give a reasonable selection of common species:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/the.tarantula.store/care-species.htm

You can also find plenty of images of a huge array of Ts within the new BTS site:

http://www.thebts.co.uk/forums/gallery/index.php/cat/511

EDIT: I've edited the above because I noticed you were'nt interested in a number of Ts, sorry. However its worth keeping the info for future reference.

Peter Lacey, thank you. I do strongly appreciate what you've done for me. I will have a look at those links, for future reference. I have decided that I will get the s-ling Chile Rosea, which is 1cm big - it really is a matter of waiting for my mum to come back from Australia and then I'm gonna ask her!

[Richard Shah]

Roy again, Louise is right about the s/lings they are better in smaller containers. I use plastic food tubs that I buy from wilkinsons very cheap very good, but make sure you burn a few holes in each side for air. I use a needle heated up on the stove it's quick and easy.

Can I ask are you intending just to keep the one T, or would you be getting more, cause what I do and probably a lot more collecters. Get a few s/lings cause if you get one & it turns out to be male you will only have it a couple of years.

Where as if you get a few, and a couple are fem and a one male, you can sell your surplus stock on. Therefore getting a fem for your collection, and helping others become Arachnologists like ourselves.
Roy.

Hey Roy
I see your point - how would I be able to tell if it's male or female though? And yes that is definitely something to consider! I'll have a think about that, but my main preference is to just get one; your point is very valid with me though!

Hi there and welcome.

I am a 'new' Chile rose owner myself (juvinile, arrived 10th Jan, called Ruby).

I just wanted to say that I have one of the cricket keeping tubs you refer to and I think it's great. Mine has little black hiding tubes which extend to the outside of the tub and allow for quick and clean cricket removal/transfer. I even use it to 'drop' a morsel into the tank with minimal disturbance and there is nothing quite as exciting as watching the progress of a hapless cricket ever closer...closer...before she finally pounces!

I 'feed' my crickets on (insert major supermarket chain here) value 'wheatabix' and a bit of fresh pepper or carrot (or whatever I happend to have chopped for dinner!). To avoid the 'jumping all over the place' problem I get my husband (LOL) to transfer them into this tub outside, apparently he puts one on top of the other and then turns them upside down - he claims he hasn't lost any yet!

My only issue with them is they smell a bit funny 'en masse' so I keep them in the spare bedroom/study where they amuse my husband when he is working.

Let us know when you become a proud parent.

Hey Tracy,
I sure will. Can I ask where you got your T. from?
I find your information very useful, and I will do as you do, except I'll grab the cricket and hold it firm so that it doesn't move and then stick my entire hand right down to the surface of the tarantula tank, and then let it go - then I'll watch as nature does it thing! Lol!
Thanks a lot,
Rich

[Roy Patten]

Males

Hi Rich
It is very hard to tell a male till their quite large unless you have a Microscope, when the T moults you have to get the fresh moult and put it under the Microscope to see the sexual organs.

If your only a bigginer it will be hard to tell, but there is some info on here so have a lok around on the site and you should find sexing a T somewhere.
Roy.

[Tracy Sherwood-Farnfield]

Hey Roy
I see your point - how would I be able to tell if it's male or female though? And yes that is definitely something to consider! I'll have a think about that, but my main preference is to just get one; your point is very valid with me though!

Hey Tracy,
I sure will. Can I ask where you got your T. from?
I find your information very useful, and I will do as you do, except I'll grab the cricket and hold it firm so that it doesn't move and then stick my entire hand right down to the surface of the tarantula tank, and then let it go - then I'll watch as nature does it thing! Lol!
Thanks a lot,
Rich

Certainly, I (well my dad actually) bought my little lady from www.thespidershop.co.uk and I believe that Lee has some Chile rose slings for sale at the moment at very reasonable prices! I arranged for delivery to my work address as he sends out via Royal Mail Special Delivery and that way I knew that the pacakage would be signed for. My colleagues were at first a bit disturbed when I told them about the pending delivery, but once she had arrived they mainly just became curious. They are sent out very well packeged (and the box is not marked so only you will know what is inside) with little heat pads to keep them warm! I can highly recommend the service.

As I say my dad bought Ruby for me as a Christams prezzie and he found the spider shop via the BTS website, and it comes recommended by many here.

I once was handling a cricket to put it in the tank and it wriggled free and landed on Ruby's head - I have never seen a cricket devoured so quickly!!! LoL, they can be tricky little blighters!

[Richard Shah]

Hi Rich
It is very hard to tell a male till their quite large unless you have a Microscope, when the T moults you have to get the fresh moult and put it under the Microscope to see the sexual organs.

If your only a bigginer it will be hard to tell, but there is some info on here so have a lok around on the site and you should find sexing a T somewhere.
Roy.

Hey Roy
Oh ok I understand; I don't actually mind having a male, the fact that it would die within a few years doesn't bother me, my main concern is that it lives happy and healthy. I already have seen a thread in this part of the forum about sexing a T., but I don't think it's necessary until I decide to breed it with another T., or I really want to know how long it'll live for. Also, if the T. dies after a few years, I'll have a look at it then to see if it died because it was a male, or another reason.

Certainly, I (well my dad actually) bought my little lady from www.thespidershop.co.uk and I believe that Lee has some Chile rose slings for sale at the moment at very reasonable prices! I arranged for delivery to my work address as he sends out via Royal Mail Special Delivery and that way I knew that the pacakage would be signed for. My colleagues were at first a bit disturbed when I told them about the pending delivery, but once she had arrived they mainly just became curious. They are sent out very well packeged (and the box is not marked so only you will know what is inside) with little heat pads to keep them warm! I can highly recommend the service.

As I say my dad bought Ruby for me as a Christams prezzie and he found the spider shop via the BTS website, and it comes recommended by many here.

I once was handling a cricket to put it in the tank and it wriggled free and landed on Ruby's head - I have never seen a cricket devoured so quickly!!! LoL, they can be tricky little blighters!

Hi Tracy
The Spider Shop doesn't sell juvenile Roseas though; that is why I asked where you got it from. I know TSS is very rocommended too - I was told about it by Louise Nichols.
Sorry, which Lee is that that sells s-lings? I'm pretty sure a lot of your colleages would be thinking "Errr!"
Lol, I'd imagine that that cricket really wound her up! I'm sure I'll have fun with them, but I'll get really annoyed if it manages to escape!

[James Box]

crickets escape all the time! the bane of my existence lol

you'll be able to sex the T if the exuvium (new word for me, the shed skin) is in decent shape. there are signs to look for once the T is big enough! i've not managed to do it yet myself.

[Richard Shah]

crickets escape all the time! the bane of my existence lol

you'll be able to sex the T if the exuvium (new word for me, the shed skin) is in decent shape. there are signs to look for once the T is big enough! i've not managed to do it yet myself.

They won't from me... (I hope )
Lol, it's good to learn more words - increase your vocab.! As I said, I dnt really mind about sexing it, I'l just take it as it flows (time, I mean)
BTW does anybody ever use the IRC?? Lol.

[Peter Lacey]

tee hee IRC, used to use that all the time when I was committed to gaming. However there is a chat room within the BTS site, not been there myself.

[Tracy Sherwood-Farnfield]

Give them a ring (or better still an e-mail), that is what my dad did (he arranged it all without any of us knowing, my mum was not impressed and said she might stop visiting!) I guess he might not be able to list eveything on the web-site, he said mine was about 1/2 it's adult size, so it could be classed as a sub-adult I suppose (not sure of the criteria) Lee (@the spider shop) is very helpful, but then I am sure all the other recommended places are too!

Fed Ruby last night - watched as she missed the cricket first time, then chased it into the corner to finish the job! Very amusing! She has no mercy.

[Clinton Hogben]

crickets escape all the time! the bane of my existence lol.

But it does keep the cat amused chasing them round the house

Clint

[SylviRigden]

I have a cricket 'colony' living under my fridge in the kitchen, they are getting quite harmonious lately lol.

Richard, I just keep my crickets in the tubs they are bought in. I just pop their food in and they seem quite content. You can buy different sizes of cricket to suit the size of T you have. If you have trouble with them leaping out when you remove the lid a short spell of 10 mins or so in the fridge will quieten them down.
Keep all those useful tubs, then when you have lots of T's ( like most of us here ) you can buy the crickets in bulk and just divide them up into all those spare tubs.
When the postman arrives with a sack of crickets, you will open it up to see 800 or so jumping beasts all running up the sack towards you. Shake them down and scoop them up into a china mug from the sides of the sack as they can't jump out of a china mug, they just spin around the bottom. Then just tip the amount you want into a prepared tub and stick the lid on

[Richard Shah]

tee hee IRC, used to use that all the time when I was committed to gaming. However there is a chat room within the BTS site, not been there myself.

Lol, I was talking specificly about this site's IRC (my fault for not specifying). Nobody is ever on it!

Give them a ring (or better still an e-mail), that is what my dad did (he arranged it all without any of us knowing, my mum was not impressed and said she might stop visiting!) I guess he might not be able to list eveything on the web-site, he said mine was about 1/2 it's adult size, so it could be classed as a sub-adult I suppose (not sure of the criteria) Lee (@the spider shop) is very helpful, but then I am sure all the other recommended places are too!


Fed Ruby last night - watched as she missed the cricket first time, then chased it into the corner to finish the job! Very amusing! She has no mercy.

No, I chose the Spider Shop - now I'm sticking wid it lol! I think they list adult Roseas on their site, but not subs (it's in the sub-adult/adult section, but by the spider's specs, it an adult). Your mum's reaction was a very general reaction I seem to be getting from my friends; like one of my frends was saying "Why wuld you want a Tarantula?" and he asked a ot of my friends and my form teacher if they'd want a Tarantula, and they all said no, well, except one who said cuz of me, they want one!
I'll definitely contact them sometime soon, when I feel the time is right and I know for sure that I can get one, and have all my things set up.
Ruby is a good Tarantula! I like spiders with no mercy! (Entertaining for me, entertaining and tasty for her!)

But it does keep the cat amused chasing them round the house

Clint

I wish my cat was like that; after a year of having him, he became a lazy cat who wanted his meat dead already! When I was i year four (the year I got him in, 2004) I used to hunt down flies with him, and when they were too high up, I'd swat them down, gently enough so that they could still fly, and he just grabbed them with his paws. What happened?

I have a cricket 'colony' living under my fridge in the kitchen, they are getting quite harmonious lately lol.

Richard, I just keep my crickets in the tubs they are bought in. I just pop their food in and they seem quite content. You can buy different sizes of cricket to suit the size of T you have. If you have trouble with them leaping out when you remove the lid a short spell of 10 mins or so in the fridge will quieten them down.
Keep all those useful tubs, then when you have lots of T's ( like most of us here ) you can buy the crickets in bulk and just divide them up into all those spare tubs.
When the postman arrives with a sack of crickets, you will open it up to see 800 or so jumping beasts all running up the sack towards you. Shake them down and scoop them up into a china mug from the sides of the sack as they can't jump out of a china mug, they just spin around the bottom. Then just tip the amount you want into a prepared tub and stick the lid on

Lol, that would def. be something to have my mum say 'no' to me when she gets back from Australia! That would irratate me too!My P/S doesn't sell different sizes, although they do for locusts. I'd be glad to buy them instead, but they fly!
I'd prefer to get them the plastic tank; although the fridge idea is good. I think I'll do this for when my T. is still a s-ling;
When I get my crickets, I'll put them in the tank. When it's close to feeding time (half an hour before feeding time actually), I'll take a cricket out, and I'll put it in a container, and stick it in the freezer for twenty minutes. I'll give it to the s-ling, and let the s-ling do it's thing.
OR I can stick it in the fridge for ten minutes in a separate container, and take the cricket out and slice it up!


Thanks to ALL posters,

Rich.