new Rosehair Tarantula

I recently added a new creature to my life. Meet Lucretia, the rosehair tarantula. I never specifically planned on getting a T, but I attended a tattoo convention in Nashville last month.. there was a table set up with reptiles and a T to handle. I fell in love instantly with their rosehair, and the guy running the booth had one other T to sell. He ended up giving her to me for free when he saw how enamored I was by them. :)

Lucretia is settling in great, and eating crickets very eagerly. Here's a pic of her. I have her in a large critter keeper with coco fiber, a small water dish, a half-log hide, and an UTH.

For handling thus far, I basically put one hand into the tank as if it were part of the environment, and nudge her onto it with my other hand. She tends to be pretty active when handled, and is really not yet fully-grown I am told. I have a good friend who has kept Ts for awhile as an information source. I was wondering two things:

1) I have gotten two opinions on water dishes. One is that they should have a sponge in it, and no standing water. The other is that a small amount of shallow water is good, and that it should be changed often, and to avoid a sponge b/c it harbors fungi and bacteria. What's best? I have the shallow water in for now.

2) I was told several options on substrate. One is coco fiber, which I am using now, and like. The other was a vermiculite/perlite mix, which I am not crazy about because vermiculite is not something I enjoy handling. What's better? Thank you all.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.n...26667727ee929c

Yay for rosehairs!!! I def agree about the sponge...eeew. just a simply shallow water dish is perfect. Clean it often and ur good! Cocoa fiber works great. Congrats on ur new T....just a warning tho, one is never enough :p

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Thanks :) I have read a lot that rosies are not good starters, but I just feel comfortable with her. I saw your pics of yours; beautiful!

I was pleasantly surprised on the infrequency with which they need to be fed, and the smaller-than-I-thought caging required.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Tarantulas. :)
Here is a must read for G. rosea.

http://people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/roses.html

Lots of good info and the proper ways to care for them.

Nice page! I am being one of "those people" calling her a rosehair, I guess! lol :) I did think of naming her Rosie, but that seemed too typical. rofl.

:p

My first one was named Rosa :o
I had her for 20+ years and I'm guessing she must have been around 25 when she passed.

Wow; I love that they are so long-lived. And I will be changing her name to Rosie anyhow, since it just has a better ring to it :)

My first T was also named "Rosy" ;)

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:)

I have been watching youtube videos, and learning more and more today. I am learning that these are more watch-and-look pets, and less handle-able than I thought before. This is fine for me; I like the analogy in the caresheet. "you don't handle your aquarium fish.." I have had many pets such as frogs and newts that were for viewing and not holding, and am fine with this.

I have also seen the signs of defensiveness in some videos, and learned about flicking hair behavior. It really seems like the people who almost got bitten were sometimes asking for it. I really like this spider a lot. It is very entertaining to look in and see what she is doing; where she's put webbing, etc. As it is now, I can definitely see myself getting another T in the future, too; I love the colorations on some (or all!) of them!

They are very addicting.
A. They don't take up a lot of space
B. Buying or raising a food source is silly for just one T
C. It's hard to choose between an arboreal, heavy webber, burrower etc.

They are more of a look but don't touch animal. The only time I really "Handle" a tarantula is when I'm cleaning or rehousing. Some of them I hope I never touch :p
The more docile species still have fangs and venom. It helps to learn how to read their body language. A good way to test their mood is to use a paintbrush to touch a leg.
I have had my G. pulchripes and G. rosea turn around and tag the brush. Glad it wasn't my finger :o

Also helps to understand how they hunt and feel the world around them. Eyesight isn't very good so they feel with their "hairs".

I have had Ts almost catch a roach before it even hits the ground. They are pretty aware of what's going on around them.

The Urticating hairs can still get you even when they aren't kicking. When cleaning or playing with a web or off a water bowl.
I'm sure you have read that a good pair of long tweezers is a good tool to have.

I'll stop rambling now :o