Hello and G. Rosea humidity question

[jennifertodd]

Hello everyone

I'm new to the board and new to keeping tarantulas. I have just got my first G. Rosea. I have been told it's a female between two and three years old.

I'm worried about the humidity in her enclosure not being correct because I have had the spider for a month and she has not eaten yet. From all the background reading I did prior to getting the spider I understood the range for G. Roseas is between 60% and 70%. The humidity in her enclosure is always around 80%, and it's gone up to 85% tonight. I'm keeping her on dry substrate. I was advised by the shop who sold her to me to provide a shallow dish of 'Hobby Reptix Aqua Gel' in place of water. The gel is a chunky consistency and I only put a few 'chunks' in the dish at a time.

I also have a wall mounted barometer/hydrometer in the house away from the spider and the humidity is at 80% in the house.

Is the humidity the reason the spider has not eaten? I don't handle her or think I cause her unnecessary stress.

Is there anything I can do to lower the humidity in the enclosure?

Jenni

[Chris Sainsbury]

Hi Jenifer

I would suggest to get rid of the gel. It is not that good IMHO for spiders. Use just normal water and it should be fine, just check it every other day or so to see if it is clean or indeed it has some aviable.

don't worry too much about the not feeding. G.rosa are known for this and have been known to go weeks, months and in a few cases years without eating. as long as the abdomen looks nice and not shrivelled up it should be fine.

to lower the humidity add more ventalation and let the substrate dry out more. But as a rule humidity is not something I personly check ever.

All the best
Chris

Good luck with it.

[Toran Tanner]

Hi Jenifer

I would suggest to get rid of the gel. It is not that good IMHO for spiders. Use just normal water and it should be fine, just check it every other day or so to see if it is clean or indeed it has some aviable.

don't worry too much about the not feeding. G.rosa are known for this and have been known to go weeks, months and in a few cases years without eating. as long as the abdomen looks nice and not shrivelled up it should be fine.

to lower the humidity add more ventalation and let the substrate dry out more. But as a rule humidity is not something I personly check ever.

All the best
Chris

Good luck with it.

sound advice