Tank Set up for A Chile Rose

[Simon Norfolk]

Right guys- this is my tank set up. I should begin by explaining that its a 54 litre tank 12"x12"x24". That works out roughly 15 gallons.

The stuff in the corner is sphagnum moss- which molly can drink from if she so pleases- and otherwise it keeps humidity constant. Attached to the back wall is a heat mat, hooked up to the thermostat you can see in the picture. The thermostat is set to 24C. This is monitored by the thermometer which you cant see because its hidden in the lid of the tank. The lid of the tank is sealed off (originally it had a fluro bulb there) fine mesh netting.

I keep molly around 50 humidity although sometimes I wonder whether fixing the hygrometer to the back wall in front of the heat mat was a mistake in case it reads completely wrong. So it could be alot more humid than that- if anybody would care to shed any light.

The 'in house' thermometer is also on the back wall- this is so i know the heat mat isn't ever getting to 'cooking' temperature because i know molly likes to sit by that wall alot.

Feedback would be appreciated. Otherwise I hope that this helps people like Richard who are just setting up. Although from what I gather theres absolutely no need for a tank this size! In fact most enclosures I see are barely a quarter of this.

The substrate is the eco-earth stuff, and it's laid about 1" deep- molly never seems to do any burrowing. Nothing in the tank is too high so there's little danger of molly falling and hurting herself unless she's a berk and decides to crawl up the wall of the tank. I have never ever seen her attempt to climb the sides of her tank though.

I think she's a mature female but actually have no real idea. There certainly arent any palpal bulbs or spurs. Also...for a chile rose she's not very pink; in fact she's more like an earthy brown. I was wondering if this is likely to change following a moult? (She's not eating at the moment and she's been quite inactive so I'm anticipating her first moult since my acquisition in december).

Colin is this to your satisfaction?

[Colin D Wilson]

Looks like a nice display tank, lots of things in there to offer her a tactile environment, and lots to hide in and under too.

I would give her about 4 inches of substrate though, just to give her the option to burrow if she wants and also to lessen the height she could fall from (just in case, I'm paranoid about this, she's bound to be a berk sometime, all mine are ).

My satisfaction doesn't matter, if you're happy with it and your spider seems nice and naturally content then thats all that matters mate.

Sounds like a moult may be coming up, they're a pretty spider when they moult, you'll be well chuffed.

Colin

[Peter Lacey]

If that were mine I'd remove the large bark hide. I'd raise the substrate to half fill the depth (rosea are opportunist burrowers) and encourage a hide underneath that lovely gnarled piece of wood. Creating a slope would help visual interest. You might want to put some stones underneath to make sure it doesn't collapse with all the burrowing she may do. The moss is not needed for a G. rosea as they are from dry regions (Atacama desert and surrounding area), but its fine for decoration. I very much doubt it keeps humidity constant unless its regularly watered (twice a day perhaps combined with other humidity factors) which is as I say unnecessary.
The benefits would help protect your rosea from falls, it might never happen but why take the risk. It would also provide a clear area which you may find is used to line the substrate with a fine blanket of web. At the moment there's lots of places for insects to hide - dead or alive!
I don't attach my T&H guages to the sides as I like to move these around to check the readings in various parts of the tank, however I don't use temperature gauges and I'm moving away from heating enclosures as my Ts are in the loft room where its always warmer than the rest of the house (heat rises).
The argument against providing a deep enough substrate for burrowing is you may see less of your T, however if you were cunning you could create a burrow that revealed itself at the side of the tank enabling you to see what's going on inside. Luckily my rosea did this for me and she never seems to mind that light enters, infact she's quite often very visible against the side.
These are just my opinions, nothing to say what you're doing is wrong, just different approaches.

EDIT: I'm assuming you're aware there are different colour strains of G. rosea?

[Simon Norfolk]

Yeah not too certain about the colour strains to be honest. I know its genetic and there are several- but for example I wouldnt have a clue which colour morph Molly is.

The burrowing suggestion is interesting though. I could well do this....

[Peter Lacey]

Here's a visual description of colour strains from Colin:

http://www.thebts.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=23793&postcount=11

[Simon Norfolk]

Right so by the looks of things then Molly's a CCF...so here I go googling CCF Grammastola Rosea. What do the letters actually stand for? I know this is way off topic on this thread but you've opened the proverbial can of worms.

[Colin D Wilson]

If she's coming up for a moult the she may just be dull.
Wait till she's moulted and had a week to harden up and then compare.
All those picture were taken within a month or so of a moult and show fresh colours.
If she is the colour varient that has more of a copper / brass coloured carapace then you've got a nice spider and i'd consider buying her off you

For information....

NCF=normal colour form (some refer to this as TCF = typical colour form)
RCF=red colour form
OCF=orange colour form
CCF=copper colour form

[Richard Shah]

Right so by the looks of things then Molly's a CCF...so here I go googling CCF Grammastola Rosea. What do the letters actually stand for? I know this is way off topic on this thread but you've opened the proverbial can of worms.

Copper colour form. And thanks a lot, but I don't think I want so much decor yet lol! Just a basic set-up, a few plants and rocks will be fine for me, inc. the water bowl (I might get an exo-terra [ET] one) with an ET cave too.
As other people have said, I'd say use more substrate - obviously I've never had a T. before, but from all I've seen, I would've said four inches like 'the others' lol!
Rich.

[Simon Norfolk]

Certainly seems to be the general consensus that I use more substrate. How about surface area of the substrate. For example- you can see in my tank that there's a lot of 'play' stuff for molly but little ground space. Now I know that peter recommended that I lose the large tunnel in favour of plain space- which was actually the case up until about a week ago. Then I went and bought the tunnel thinking that she needed less plain space because she was in such a big tank. Now im in two minds. I understand that there probably isnt a 'right' answer here. Sounds like quite a big job though taking everything out and putting more substrate in and all that jazz. With regards to burrow; what if I cunningly use a half cut kitchen roll tube and insert it into the substrate by the glass- so the burrow is cross- sectioned? Or have I missed the point entirely here because if i do that then molly doesnt really have to burrow- she just gets an underground retreat?

Richard- my water dish is ET and its nice and shallow so there can be paddling without drowning! The far left cave is one of those nifty gadgets that you can bend to your desired 'bendage'.

[Colin D Wilson]

You could bury the hides into the substrate leaving a little hole for entry and then she would have the substrate over the top to walk around on...
You can see the "half plantpot" burrowed into the sub on the top right of this picture

[Richard Shah]

If she's coming up for a moult the she may just be dull.
Wait till she's moulted and had a week to harden up and then compare.
All those picture were taken within a month or so of a moult and show fresh colours.
If she is the colour varient that has more of a copper / brass coloured carapace then you've got a nice spider and i'd consider buying her off you

For information....

NCF=normal colour form (some refer to this as TCF = typical colour form)
RCF=red colour form
OCF=orange colour form
CCF=copper colour form

I love the way that you go beating me to it... damn man! lool!!!

Certainly seems to be the general consensus that I use more substrate. How about surface area of the substrate. For example- you can see in my tank that there's a lot of 'play' stuff for molly but little ground space. Now I know that peter recommended that I lose the large tunnel in favour of plain space- which was actually the case up until about a week ago. Then I went and bought the tunnel thinking that she needed less plain space because she was in such a big tank. Now im in two minds. I understand that there probably isnt a 'right' answer here. Sounds like quite a big job though taking everything out and putting more substrate in and all that jazz. With regards to burrow; what if I cunningly use a half cut kitchen roll tube and insert it into the substrate by the glass- so the burrow is cross- sectioned? Or have I missed the point entirely here because if i do that then molly doesnt really have to burrow- she just gets an underground retreat?

Richard- my water dish is ET and its nice and shallow so there can be paddling without drowning! The far left cave is one of those nifty gadgets that you can bend to your desired 'bendage'.

Kl! I think I will get one then!

[Simon Norfolk]

Okay so by half burying one of the hides and leaving a small opening at the top- thats likely to encourage her to start burrowing? Sounds interesting.

All my obstacles aren't likely to interfere with her feeding waltz or blanket webs?

[Colin D Wilson]

As long as you leave enough room for her to flip over and moult then all should be well, she'll probably feed anywhere she wants to.

[Andrew Ferguson]

Visually Simon, it looks great. But the recommendations the more knowledgable have said, will make it look just as good. I'll be taking it all on board for when mine gets a bit bigger.

[Simon Norfolk]

Yep tomorrow's my day off so lucky molly is going to get a bit of a household makeover. She'd best be excited!! To be honest; even though Tarantula's really only need the basics- I absolutely love augmenting her little home. It's virtually entirely for my benefit. I'm always on the look out for interesting things to put in her home or for her to eat. So far the most interesting thing I've seen is Bug gel! ingenious!