Odd Grammostola Mollicoma behaviour!!!

[Damian Storer]

Hello all! Now it seems that after her first moult under my care my GM (formerly a GR or so i thought!) has recently been observed acting in a way that i can only describe as blummin' weird. She is basically sitting there using her left furthermost back leg to.... well..... err...... scratch her arse is the only way i can put it. Then for some horrible reason she then extends the same leg under her body and proceeds to cleans her fangs and general mouth area with the very same leg / foot / claw whatever (Telotarsus IV!!! Thank you Mr. Schultz). Can anyone help me as to what she may be doing. As a side note, she has made a 'bed' of web around her favourite barmouth rock recently and is deficating very rarely but will eat nothing and has not done so for 2 months ish...... So could this be signs for a pending moult? Advice would be much appreciated

[Peter Roach]

Can anyone help me as to what she may be doing

Yep I can

First she had an itchy arse, so she scratched it and then she cleaned her fangs with the same leg !!!!
The only bad thing about that is that she didnt wash her foot after she scratched her arse and before putting the aforementioned foot into her mouth . . . . 'scusting creature

ps. I'm serious. She had an itch and she scratched it and then cleaned the foot in her mouth or cleaned her mouth with her foot.

[Damian Storer]

Yep I can

First she had an itchy arse, so she scratched it and then she cleaned her fangs with the same leg !!!!
The only bad thing about that is that she didnt wash her foot after she scratched her arse and before putting the aforementioned foot into her mouth . . . . 'scusting creature

ps. I'm serious. She had an itch and she scratched it and then cleaned the foot in her mouth or cleaned her mouth with her foot.

Excellent!!! It took me a while to respond to this as i couldn't type for laughing and trying not to burst into hysterics each time i wanted to respond i thought that she may be about to moult again, but it seems that i was simply there at the wrong time and witnessed one of her private moments! Bless her little urticating hairs...

[Damian Storer]

Must just mention too a very proud moment for me....... i'm now officially a member of the BTS £15.80 well spent and to a very worthy cause too!

[Stanley A. Schultz]

... She is basically sitting there using her left furthermost back leg to.... well..... err...... scratch her arse is the only way I can put it. ...

It's merely grooming itself. Some describe it as "cleaning itself just like a cat;" but in fact, spiders' distant ancestors invented and perfected the procedure some 450 million years earlier. Cats are just playing...
...
...
...
...
... copycats!

(Did you see that one coming?)

... Then for some horrible reason she then extends the same leg under her body and proceeds to cleans her fangs and general mouth area with the very same leg / foot / claw whatever (Telotarsus IV!!! Thank you Mr. Schultz). ...

Nothing new or different here either. My dogs regularly "scratch [their own] arse" too, but since the dogs are a lot more supple that the tarantulas, they can do it directly, without the intermediary use of an appendage.

[Recently, the Pedigree dog food people came out with a new brand of dry dog food purported to boost the family dog's immune system. Considering that the dogs regularly sniff each others <edit>, lick their own <edit>, and dine on the pâté from the cat pan if you're not quick enough to clean it first, I am amazed that anyone would be foolish enough to think that their dog's immune system needed any kind of boosting!]

If you think that's bad, you don't want to know about pseudoruminants.

And, call me "Stan" We're all friends here.

... she has made a 'bed' of web around her favourite barmouth rock recently ...

You like a carpet on your living room floor; she likes a carpet on hers too!

Tarantulas are spiders. They spin silk. Often mega-quantities of silk. It's their sole purpose in life beyond confusing and perplexing us. If it didn't spin any silk we'd be worried. Relax. Everything's gonna be all right.

... and is deficating very rarely but will eat nothing and has not done so for 2 months ish...... So could this be signs for a pending moult? ...

We can't answer this directly because you haven't told us much about the tarantula. For instance, how big is it? Note that we don't care how old it is, we need to know its size. And, in spite of all its faults we generally use something called the DLS, a.k.a., Diagonal Leg Span, which is the distance from the tip of one front leg to the tip of the rear leg on the opposite side when the tarantula is in a normal resting posture.

However, maybe, maybe not. If she is, what are you gonna do about it? If she isn't, what are you gonna do about it?

Go the kitchen. Grab your favorite glass, cup, mug, flagon or stein. Fill it with your favorite beverage. Slip your favorite CD into the player. Grab a small rug, go into the tarantula's room, find a convenient spot on the floor, sit on the rug and do a little meditating with your spiders. It's good for your blood pressure. (You should see your tarantula in the Lotus Position. It's almost unbelievable!)

Do not obsess so excessively over your tarantulas. They've been at this game many times longer than our entire family tree has been in existence. They're trying to teach you something. Relax. Take another sip of that beverage, watch and learn.



Enjoy your little 8-legged guru!

[Damian Storer]

Thanks Stan her DLS is 5" approx. So she's not small by any means. Her last moult was late February.
I'm calm.....

I'm 6'5" and my hand measurement is 9" from wrist to finger tip, so she's probably almost fully grown...

[Damian Storer]

Hhhhommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

[Stanley A. Schultz]

Thanks Stan her DLS is 5" approx. So she's not small by any means. Her last moult was late February. ...

Really? Wild caught or cage bred?

If wild caught, this may be another species of Grammostola that experiences a Hemisphere Shift. I'd be most interested in seeing regular reports over the next few years about it's feeding and molting cycles and dates.

If cage bred, why at that size is it molting out of season? (Assuming you live in the Northern Hemisphere.)

Oh wait! I just checked your profile. "Shrewsbury, Shropshire" is in the U.K. Definitely Northern Hemisphere!

... I'm calm..... ...

The questions that everybody has on their minds, but are afraid to ask, is, "What does he have in that 'glass, cup, mug, flagon or stein?' " and "Will he share?"

... I'm 6'5" and my hand measurement is 9" from wrist to finger tip, so she's probably almost fully grown...

Definitely, and probably also mature. Have you tried to breed her? Consider doing so.


Enjoy your not-so-little, 8-legged, wonderment!

[Damian Storer]

Right then. Well i bought her for £20 ($25-30 ish) from a local petshop near were my parents live in Wolverhampton, called DoLittles. They 'claimed' that she was caught wild and was not much more than six months to a year old. I had a discussion on here with Peter Roach about this when i first came on here and to my shame i bit a little at the fact that i was dupped into thinking that that was true. But i knew NOTHING about T's before i walked in there so i believed that she was very young. If she is not much more than a year old then i'm gonna need a bigger tank (or boat, Jaws 1975!!).

The truth is is that i don't know were she came from, but i bought her in November 2011 (early xmas present!) and she moulted for the first time in my care late February 2012. I have extensive photos and video of the whole event as i was fortunate to be off work that day and i watched the whole event. Beautiful

However, with help from folk on here it appeared that instead of being a Grammostola Rosea, she may actually be a Grammostola Mollicoma (Anthracina?) as after her moult she was almost completely black other than a flame coloured trim around her carapace and upper quarter of her legs. Very nice on the eye

She is currently not feeding and hasn't for around nine weeks now, but is still deficating once a fortnight... ish? I have just removed a cricket from her tank as they were sitting side by side almost watching me together which was quite sureal

She does NOT have a heat mat. The temperature in there currently shows 23 degrees c (73-74 F) and the hydrometer shows 75%. She has a water dish around 4" by 2" in there that is refilled every four days or so. I am trying to accustom her to northern hemisphere seasons as i have a tank cover, which i remove at sun up and put on at sun down, so the lights from the room will not make her think that the sun is still shining until 11pm or later every night! When it's dark in December here at 5pm, the cover will be on and not removed until sun up the next day at around 8am. Yes Shrewsbury is definately northern hemisphere, so i hope she is adapting as the months go by.

As for my glass, i'm afraid it's not alcohol as i haven't been near it since i was 19 and i'm now 37. Bad car accident that changed my life forever and my view of what alcohol does to people. Usually it's just water, squash or some sort of fruit juice. Nothing exciting at all but i'm willing to share with everyone if needs be

The strange part of her being mature is that i was under the impression that Chilean's were supposed to be heavy legged and a bit fuzzy or hairy, but mine is quite spindly in the leg department, but that could be for a number of reasons. I'm not an expert so i can offer no explanation there, sorry!!

Well that was a waffle i hope that that overview gives you an idea of her daily life routines and i will gladly keep a diary of what happens to her over the months, no problems at all.

If those six wheels ever take you to the west coast then say a hello to San Francisco for me. I'm a big 49ers fan!!!!!!!

[Stanley A. Schultz]

... Well i bought her for £20 ($25-30 ish) from a local petshop near were my parents live in Wolverhampton, called DoLittles. They 'claimed' that she was caught wild and was not much more than six months to a year old. ...

They were right on one count, wrong on the other. It probably was wild caught at that size, but is a lot more than "six months to a year old." With a 5" DLS, it's probably more than 5 years old and less than 15. Tarantula's growth rates are extremely variable and depend strongly on food availability, average temperature, sex, species, and maybe a lot of other variables we don't yet know about.

... She is currently not feeding and hasn't for around nine weeks now, but is still deficating once a fortnight... ish? ...

I'm going to present the hypothesis that it's somewhere in its Hemisphere Shift very similar to G. rosea. It will be extremely interesting to see how this story unfolds.

... She does NOT have a heat mat. ...

And, doesn't need one.

... The temperature in there currently shows 23 degrees c (73-74 F) ...

Well within the (wide) acceptable range.

... and the hydrometer shows 75%. ...

Not relevant. She can adjust to almost any relative humidity you're comfortable at. If matters get too extreme she'll let you know by always resting next to the water dish, standing on top of the water dish, or even soaking her abdomen in the water. If that happens, close off almost all the open parts of the cage with plastic food wrap (or by some other method) to eliminate almost all ventilation. Then, instead of wafting off into the room, the water that evaporates from the water dish will accumulate in the air in the cage, gently and constantly raising the raising the relative humidity.

... She has a water dish around 4" by 2" in there that is refilled every four days or so. ...

This is good.

... I am trying to accustom her to northern hemisphere seasons as i have a tank cover, which i remove at sun up and put on at sun down, so the lights from the room will not make her think that the sun is still shining until 11pm or later every night! When it's dark in December here at 5pm, the cover will be on and not removed until sun up the next day at around 8am. ...

I admire your dedication. It's all good.

... The strange part of her being mature is that i was under the impression that Chilean's were supposed to be heavy legged and a bit fuzzy or hairy, but mine is quite spindly in the leg department, ...

Have you posted photos of her anywhere? If so, can you supply a URL? If not, can you post a few photos of her from several different directions? And of her cage, also from several different directions?


What happens if you find out that your little 8-legged buddy is a Dallas Cowboys fan?

[Stanley A. Schultz]

Damian, it seems as though I never gave you my two bit introduction. Probably because I hadn't started doing them when you first arrived on scene. So, to make sure you don't feel abused or neglected, here goes.

BINGO! YOU SAID THE MAGIC WORDS!

To make sure that you're starting out on the right foot and have been introduced to all the basic issues, I'm going to begin with my soon-to-be-world-notorious NEWBIE INTRODUCTION. If I'm mistaken, I apologize. But, even if you aren't a newbie I suggest that you read through it for review. (I just LUVS doing this!) Please stand by while I load the canned message.

HEY PEOPLE! WE'VE GOT ANOTHER NEWBIE HERE!

Cue the mariachis, the confetti, and the clowns. Let's start the party!

Damian, please don't be offended! I've been messing with tarantulas longer than most people on this forum have been alive, and I still consider myself a newbie. I'm just having a little fun with you.




Okay, let's get down to business. First, the pleasantries:

"Welcome to the hobby!"

"Welcome to these forums!"


Read, READ, READ! Now, to get you started on the right foot I urge you to read the following webpages.

Stan's Rant - A little initial boost in the right direction.
BE SURE TO READ AND HEED THE WARNINGS! They'll save you a bundle of cash and maybe a few dead tarantulas!
BE SURE TO READ THE BOOKS! The books will not only answer all your questions, but will also answer all the questions you hadn't thought to ask!

Myths, Misconceptions, and Mistakes Perpetuated by Tarantula Enthusiasts - A growing list of bad information in the hobby. Be sure to explore all the links.

And since you already have, or are going to get, a Chilean rose tarantula (Grammostola rosea) you definitely should also read Care and Husbandry of the Chilean Rose Tarantula - How NOT to let your Chilean rose tarantula drive you to the funny farm!

And then, you should read Substrate to get to the down and dirty of the situation. Yeah, I know it's a lame joke. Sorry.

Additional Thoughts:

Good Starting Philosophy:
Most newbies start out trying to make tarantula care as complicated as possible, fretting over all sorts of silly things. For the beginner at least, and for most of us experienced aficionados as well, the best philosophy is, SIMPLE IS BETTER! As long as it supplies the basic necessities, the simpler your tarantula's cage is, the less there is to go wrong.

The Search Function:
Don't take this as a criticism, but if you don't already know about it, please learn to use the Search function at the top of the page. It'll save us all a lot of time and effort. Most novices and even many seasoned enthusiasts fail to appreciate that 95+% of all tarantula issues have already been addressed, sometimes ad nauseam, on these forums. All you need do is look for the discussions.

A Basic Operating Principle:
If you can't find an answer to your concern using the Search function (after all, search engines are far from perfect), by all means ask us. Remember,

"The only dumb questions are the ones you don't ask."
"And, dumb questions are always easier to deal with than dumb mistakes!"


Fire away! "We aims to please."

Basic Goals in Keeping Tarantulas:

1) The primary goal in keeping tarantulas is NOT to keep them alive, BUT RATHER TO AVOID KILLING THEM! Generally, if you leave them alone, they'll usually do just fine.

2) The other goal in keeping tarantulas is seeing how many tarantulas will fit in your home. Hence, the following:

Also, has no one told you?

THE TARANTULA KEEPER'S LAMENT

Like those potato chips,

you can't have just one!


You've been warned!

(And, we offer a tip of the ol' hat and our profound thanks to the Frito-Lay Company for institutionalizing the progenitor of this little joke.)

Visit the webpages. Read the warnings. Read the books. Watch these forums. Do the searches.

DON'T DO ANYTHING ANYBODY TELLS YOU UNLESS ITS CONFIRMED IN ONE OF THOSE BOOKS, OR WE CONFIRM IT HERE!

IGNORE THE !@#$%! CARE SHEETS!

Then, get back to us with any concerns you may have. We're here to help.

Lastly, it would help a lot if you would post several photos of your tarantula from several different angles, and several photos of its cage from several different angles. A few cell phones work okay, but most can't focus well enough, and proper focus is very important. If at all possible use a better camera. Maybe borrow one from a family member or friend? A picture is worth 1000 words! Besides, "We LUVS pichers!"


End Canned Message

It's all good!

There! I've done enough damage. Best of luck!

YOU NEEDS TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
Your little 8-legged buddies are going to be giving you spot quizzes daily!

[Damian Storer]

What happens if you find out that your little 8-legged buddy is a Dallas Cowboys fan?

Hey Stan thank you for trawling through my email and ticking the check boxes on what's going on with my GR (GM?) right now. However, if i discover any stars in her tank or blue & silver pennants anywhere then we'll have words i guess it will keep the rivalry going and just to finish me off the crickets are all probably Packers fans! Damn cheese heads

[Damian Storer]

THE TARANTULA KEEPER'S LAMENT
Like those potato chips,
you can't have just one!
You've been warned!

Thanks for such a warm welcome Stan, belated or not it was worth the wait! As for the statement i've quoted above, i'm afraid i may be unique enough to suggest that i have one T and i will remain a one T man (brave or what!). When i first looked at getting a T, i did the usual bloke thing and looked for the biggest meanest thing out there, so naturally i considered a Goliath bird eater. But when i told my partner when asked "So what do they eat?" and i had to respond with "live mice", i got one of those stares..... you know the one i mean?

Well, from what i've read since that would have been a bad idea anyhows. Perhaps the Chilean Rose or the Mexican Red knee was always going to be the starting block so i investigated a little further before making the purchase (they actually had nothing but Chilean Roses at the time i was going so that narrowed it down somewhat!).

Wish lists right, i'll stick my neck out here and tell you what i would like IF i ever did get any other T's, as i do have three vivariums or differing sizes, but only the one T. If i'm ever single in the future, then the Goliath bird eater will be a consideration, but otherwise i absolutely love - INDIAN ORNAMENTAL!!! There is also a variation known as the Gooty ornamental and i like the idea of having an arboreal type in contrast to the burrowing lifestyle as a challenge. Other than that for some reason i really like the Wolf spider, although this is going off in a different direction to T's, but i'm fascinated by their big eyes and some have beautiful orange markings on their front legs and fangs in contrast to black or usually grey bodies. And that's it!!! Not much of a wish list, but there is not much else that catches my eye, but i'm very new to this so there is time to read up on some others that may extend the list a little further

But for now, my Chilean Rose is keeping me content. She is very photogenic however and despite providing shelter and cover, she always likes to sit on top of the half log or half coconut shell that i put in there!! I once put the coconut shell over her and the next morning when i uncovered the tank, there she was sitting on top staring right at me! Perhaps i should call her Charlotte and get her a pet pig lol

Well, as for reference so you can see what she's up to and for as many pictures and videos that i have, i've gone and created a facebook page for my T!!! yeah yeah, alright stop laughing everyone if you type 'chewpa grammostola mollicoma' you'll find my T's homepage! I've made it public access so you don't need to be friends to read all about her (am i actually writing this?), so go ahead and fill your boots!!

Let me know what you think...

[Damian Storer]

Beautiful



Just hanging around

[Damian Storer]

Check out the flame tinted edges to her carapace! Is this normal for Grammostola Rosea?