Introduction & hopefully some help...

[Craig Mackay]

Hi, my names Craig & I'm new to the hobby.
I got an adult female G. Rosea in March and she settled in really nicely, eating a locust every 3 or 4 days. Her substrate is coir with a flower pot hiding place and an open water dish. The temperature is around 25-28 degrees & humidity around 70%. When the locusts were gone I got her some crickets which she seemed to enjoy for a while before her eating seemed to slow. I wasn't worried as I'd heard G Rosea's very notorious for fasting long periods. She hasn't eaten for 3 or 4 weeks now, however she seems to be hungry. I offer her a locust every couple of days and she throws herself at it and appears to take a bite. However, she instantly withdraws and the locust is left unharmed. It's the same when I offer her crickets. Is it possible she's hungry but doesn't like crickets or locusts? I thought that seemed unlikely and either way I'm sure she'd eat if she was hungry enough. I thought maybe she was just being defensive but shes never aggressive with me. She hasn't moulted in the time I've had her and I'm not sure when her last moult was. She's about 3-4 inches legspan.

Any help with this would be great.

Thanks

[Craig Mackay]

Here's a picture of her...

[Colin D Wilson]

Hi Craig and welcome

More than likely she's coming up for a moult and see's the introduction of another animal in her tank as a threat or risk to her moulting process.
Also one locust (i'm assuming "large") every 3-4 days is a fair amount and she may just not have the need to eat. All my adult rosea do very well on 1-2 large crickets every couple of weeks.

I would not offer her any food for about a fortnight and then try with a locust (which you said she seems to eat readily)

If in this time she starts to web/hide more than usual this would be a good indication that a moult may be forthcoming.

[Craig Mackay]

Thanks for your quick reply Colin. I'll give that a go and post back with progress.

Cheers

[Colin D Wilson]

Please do mate, any other questions.......post away....it's what we're all here for

Colin

[Craig Mackay]

Thanks for making me feel so welcome

[Ray Gabriel]

With the 99% chance she is wild caught, there is avery good chance that she as stopped feeding because her body clock has told her its brumation time (similar to hibernation).

I would take away all the heating for a while adding a small back up of 60 or so in winter (yep even Scottish winter)

Ray

[Kate Arbon]

As long as she doesn't seem to be losing weight, she could theoretically go months and months without eating (I've heard of rosies going for over a year and a half!) and be totally fine. Just keep water available. She might moult, she might just be on hunger strike. Such is the suspense that this hobby provides! lol.

Personally, if one of my spiders starts acting how you describe, I drop down offering food to every 2 weeks or so. If she doesn't eat within a few hours take it out again. If she eats, then start offering her food on a normal schedule again.

Welcome to the hobby

[Ray Hale]

Welcome to the Forum Craig. You will get some good advice here.



Ray Hale
BTS Committee

[Luke Anthony]

Hi, my names Craig & I'm new to the hobby.
I got an adult female G. Rosea in March and she settled in really nicely, eating a locust every 3 or 4 days. Her substrate is coir with a flower pot hiding place and an open water dish. The temperature is around 25-28 degrees & humidity around 70%. When the locusts were gone I got her some crickets which she seemed to enjoy for a while before her eating seemed to slow. I wasn't worried as I'd heard G Rosea's very notorious for fasting long periods. She hasn't eaten for 3 or 4 weeks now, however she seems to be hungry. I offer her a locust every couple of days and she throws herself at it and appears to take a bite. However, she instantly withdraws and the locust is left unharmed. It's the same when I offer her crickets. Is it possible she's hungry but doesn't like crickets or locusts? I thought that seemed unlikely and either way I'm sure she'd eat if she was hungry enough. I thought maybe she was just being defensive but shes never aggressive with me. She hasn't moulted in the time I've had her and I'm not sure when her last moult was. She's about 3-4 inches legspan.

Any help with this would be great.

Thanks

Hi Craig im new to the forum too, now about your G.rosea its all good dont worry mine does the same i try her on a cricket every week and leave it in with her for 24 hours if she does not eat it then i just take it out plus they dont move around to much so they dont need to eat much unlike us humans we never stop anyways welcome to the forum hope you like

[Craig Mackay]

Thanks for all the responses and welcomes. This has gotta be the friendliest forum I've ever been on. Normally you have to sift through pages of abuse to find anything worthwhile. What a refreshing change. I'll keep you all updated.

[Colin D Wilson]

Thanks for that Craig...I think i can speak for the rest of the staff and admin that comments like that make it all worthwhile being part of it.

[Stuart Common]

Hi Craig, welcome! My rosea did exactly the same thing over the last 2 or 3 weeks, didnt eat either crickets or locusts, but if they went anywhere near they were just killed and left, more reciently he put down a load more webbing and hurray he molted again yesterday (7th July) and is currently sprawled out having a rest. To give you an idea of timescale he last molted on the 15th April and theres quite a good difference in size between. Also remember if yours does molt just leave it be, and dont offer it food for perhaps the first week.

Good luck

[Matthew Baines]

My g. rosea is a adult female and she is off her food too but i know she has a shed on the way cos she did the same this time last year and shed . But i keep thinking i can see splits in the legs and i have no idea what thats all about!!!!!!

[Craig Mackay]

Hi Craig, welcome! My rosea did exactly the same thing over the last 2 or 3 weeks, didnt eat either crickets or locusts, but if they went anywhere near they were just killed and left, more reciently he put down a load more webbing and hurray he molted again yesterday (7th July) and is currently sprawled out having a rest. To give you an idea of timescale he last molted on the 15th April and theres quite a good difference in size between. Also remember if yours does molt just leave it be, and dont offer it food for perhaps the first week.

Good luck

Thanks Stuart, its good to know that others have had the same experiences.