Help Needed Please!

[Gemma Harris]

I have had a Chilean Rose for just over a month now and she has not eaten once. She senses the prey (crickets and mealworms) and once they touch her she tucks her legs back and then runs away... I try every three days with a fresh bug but have had no luck. She is not showing signs of shedding and is still quite active but I have noticed a slight reduction in her abdomen size. All bugs are taken out after a day, her temp and humidity are kept at correct levels to my knowledge and I mist regularly. Can anyone suggest anything that can be done?? Thanks

[Phil Lilley]

Yeah, leave her to it. I've got a G Rosea and she's been the same for a while now to, I know she'll eat when she's ready to. Most Ts can go a few months with no food, so don't worry yet, she'll not starve.

Is her rump blackened? She might be due a moult.

[Peter Roach]

Welcome to the infuriating world of the Chile rose.

For a tarantula to not feed for a month is absolutely nothing to worry about. I have a few that I only feed once every 2 or 3 months and they are still growing.
For a Chile rose not to feed for a month ? I wouldnt even start to worry for another 18 months yet !!!
Grammostola rosea are well known for not feeding for extremely long periods without any problems.
I would suggest that you ignore her/him for a MINIMUM of another month apart from changing the water weekly.
At the end OCTOBER put one cricket in the tub. If the cricket isnt taken within 2-3 minutes, take it out and try again in another month.
Repeat once every month until it feeds.

her temp and humidity are kept at correct levels to my knowledge and I mist regularly

As long as the temperature is somewhere between 20C - 27C the chile will be OK.
Generally the average house temperature in the UK is sufficient

I would suggest that you totally IGNORE the rubbish on the interweb about humidity and misting Chile roses.

Do NOT mist Chile rose's . . . . . Do NOT mist Chile roses. . . . . . Do NOT mist Chile roses . . . . . . . Do NOT mist Chile roses

BTW. . . . . . Do not mist Chile roses

They come from the edges of the Atacama desert which is one of the driest places on the planet so they just dont need misting, just make sure that they have a supply of clean fresh water.

[Stanley A. Schultz]

I have had a Chilean Rose for just over a month now and she has not eaten once. ...

Gemma, at the moment I am more fascinated with you than the tarantula. For how long have you been keeping tarantulas? How many have you had over this period?


Enjoy your little 8-legged enigma!

[Gemma Harris]

Thanks for that Phil, her rump isnt blackened and cant see any other sign of getting ready to moult, will keep an eye on her and tempt her occasionally and hope she eventually eats something!!

[Gemma Harris]

Thanks Peter for your advise, her temperature is usually around 26C so she isnt cold! Will promise not to mist.... she doesnt like me doing it anyway!! I'm going to leave her until end of October for a feed and fingers crossed she will be grateful next time I drop in a cricket!

[Phil Lilley]

Thanks for that Phil, her rump isnt blackened and cant see any other sign of getting ready to moult, will keep an eye on her and tempt her occasionally and hope she eventually eats something!!

I'm new to the hobby myself, only been a few months for, so I've been asking all the same questions...glad I can pass it on.