First post...just need a pointer in the right direction..

[De_Bunk]

Ive had a Chile Rose for over 10 months...I feed it Brown crickets but i have never seen it eat. I found one 'sucked' out shell of a cricket...but thats it. I feed it regularly ( a couple a week ) but it doesnt eat them...

I can leave them in there for a few days..Nothing..

Thats all its eaten in 10 months...what goes in..comes out...

So..I moved it to a smaller tank and fed it 2 'Black' crickets( on the advice of a breeder)..and within 30 secs it had caught one...and then the next day it had caught the other one.

Following that, i put two more in...and this is the strange bit...within a few seconds...it caught both...AT THE SAME TIME ...The crickets, both ran past and my Tarantula turned and pounced and caught both...

After a few seconds, the spider moved to a small hollow it had dug and started laying web down...Still holding both crickets in its fangs...

It appeared to release one of them, whilst it began feeding on the other..The freed cricket made an attempt to run...and the spider instantly pounced again, still holding the other cricket...

"It couldnt have been using its fangs to hold the other cricket", i thought...But when i looked closely...It had one impaled on one fang..and the other cricket on its other fang...

So..

1. Is this normal or was it a case of the spider being in the right place...at the right time..?

2.If its suddenly started to eat so much, in such a short space of time..Have i been starving it for the past 10 months...'cos that wouldnt be nice..and it would, kinda be my fault for feeding it Brown Crickets...

3.Do you lot think im doing ok with it...

Any help or advice would be appreciated...

DB

( PS How much humidity for a "chile rose"...and what kind of temp...?)


Thanks...

[marie metcalfe-brachygirl]

Hi
i have seen t's catch more than one cricket at a time. i have a male auratum that can manage three at a time, he will catch two, web one lightly then catch the last one. he then eats them with great relish.
as for the sort of crickets, many t's do have preferences. i have found all of mine will take black crickets and locusts, while a lot of then will not eat browns. i suspect this is because browns tend to be more jumpy and can escape easier, whereas the black are easy targets.

[De_Bunk]

Brachygirl...

Thanks...

I thought mine might be either lucky...or superfast...

Someone told that black crickets make more noise...

I wouldnt know 'cos my Tarantula catches them before they get a chance to...

Is that right..that they make more noise..??

Anyways..

What do you lot reckon is the right humidity and temp for a chile rose...or do you reckon its ok because ive had it 10 months, mist the tank ocasionally and its eating well now...

Do you think everythings ok with my set up..?

Should i leave it as it is..?

So many questions i know...But because of the sudden change in the spider...form hardly any movement...to running all over the place...its got me a bit paranoid...

DB



Thanks again...( because i wouldnt like it to die and it being my fault )

[marie metcalfe-brachygirl]

Hi
i only keep brachys, but all the caresheets around for G. rosea say 70-80 degrees temp and around 65% for humidity.
as your t is feeding and moving i would think the conditions you have must be ok.
black crickets are noisy, always chirping away, i dont mind as i quite like their song.

[De_Bunk]

Brachygirl..

Funny enough..i dont mind listening to the crickets, especially at night when im in bed...Makes me think im somewhere exotic...

Well, its eaten 4 crickets in 48hrs approx...and it looks like its cleaning its fangs or something in that region...cant see where its dumped the carcasses tho'...

Another thing is, that it has a perfectly good hiding place..( a piece of curved bark) but its decided to spend all its time outside...

I must admit i was a bit dubious when i first bought the Tarantula...but now im finding it quite fascinating...The spider has really changed..its walking around quite a bit now...It keeps going back to where the crickets hide and appear from...

Maybe its got the taste...

Thanks...

DB

[Kerin McEwing]

chile roses are desert species and generally don't need misted or humidity up to 65% I've found. mines do fine at 50% humidity which is maintained with just a large water dish regularly topped up. i started off misting mines and noticed that they tended to look uncomfortable and raise themselves up if humidity rose above 55%.

My black crickets are kept in the kitchen and even with 2 closed doors between me and them they still keep me up at night. i've got to shove them in a cupboard before i go to bed. i really detest the brown crickets. far too jumpy and i've lost so many in my flat there's probably enough to start a viable population.

[De_Bunk]

Electrochix..

I know what you mean..

I had a Leopard Gecko, and a friend of mine found the plastic container that held the crickets...

Because they were all hiding under the egg carton, he opened it...moved the egg carton and dropped the whole lot in my front room....and never told me...

That night, whilst watching TV...i saw something move across the floor...i thought it was a spider..It was a cricket...

For the next six months i had crickets running about and chirping...

They seemed to live in the large stone fireplace...'cos thats where i saw them the most...coming out of the cracks and gaps...

Just when you thought it was safe...Out they came...

We live and learn...

DB

[H@GG!S]

Not trying to funny or anything but i cant hear crickets never have been able to my ex-wife used to complain like mad about them and my mother dose when she comes over .... am i abby-normal lol or dose anyone else get this ???
(sorry for going off topic)

[De_Bunk]

And hey...

I'm a nice fella'...

Just incase anyone was wondering...!

DB