My Rose Hair's Enclosure

[Team Gomberg]

Hi everyone, I brought home my new tarantula on New Year's day and set her up in a glass 8x8 tank. I was told she's a sub adult. Does that sound about right when you see her size on my hand?

I lined the tank's screen top with a clear laminate sheet so she can't crawl on it upside down and fall. I added some slits for ventilation and also added locks to the lid so she can't push it up.

Is 6" of substrate enough? How damp or dry should I keep it?

She has a half log for a hide but hasn't used it yet. Does that matter? Do I keep it in there or is it a waste of space?

I have a silk plant in there for decoration. Is it better to have it up, off the ground giving her more floor space? (like in the photo) Or should it cover the ground a bit more for her to hide in?

What is the scientific name for my rose hair?

Sorry for all the questions. There is so much conflicting info on the internet it gets hard to know what exactly to do.

I love this hairy little thing and want to do right by her!

Thanks

 

[Evanthomas]

Nice new set up! I would assume her to be an adult but it's hard to tell because your hands may be smaller than mine.

For the substrate depth I base it more on how much space from the surface to the lid. If it's more than her leg span she can injure herself if she climbs and falls. My rose hair climbs occasionally and I've even found her stuck to the top and had to help her by opening the tank and tipping the lid down to the substrate. I keep the substrate bone dry except for the occasional flooding in one corner of the enclosure. Sometimes she goes and hangs there but most of the time she doesn't.

As for the hide, leave it in there and she may use it sometimes and she may not. Mine has a small cork round that she occasionally goes into for a few days but is mostly out and about.

The fake plants are probably more for your asthmatic than the tarantulas preference. Having them up off the ground just gives her something else to climb on and depending on how high up she can get she could have a bad fall.

I wouldn't use any laminate or anything on the lid because I've never had any problems with mine in the same tank for the past seven years. I would assume some ventilation to keep the humidity lower would be best. Just raise the substrate level high enough that if she falls from the lid she won't have far to fall.

I hope this helps. They're the simplest species to care for typically but some are completely random with their preferences.

 

[Evanthomas]

She was stuck this day for the first and only time that I'm aware of. It makes me want to add soil to make it deeper. She was reaching down and couldn't touch anything so she was stuck there. I opened the tank and she grabbed her front legs onto the lid for a few minutes probably to rest then dropped her legs to the substrate and I unhooked her back two toes. She hasn't done it since so I'm not too worried but I may add some substrate as she gets closer to a molt. I don't overfeed her because the big over stuffed abdomen freaks me out when she climbs around.

 

[Team Gomberg]

Thanks for the input.

I like your water dish. Where did you get it? Right now I'm using a bottle cap.

 

[Evanthomas]

Petco I think. They're usually a couple of dollars each but I caught them on sale once and grabbed a bunch haha. Otherwise I've used a peanut butter lid for her which she's since buried and is partially visible haha.

 

[Evanthomas]

I don't mess with her enclosure much because she doesn't web much (old lady?) and I don't want her to get confused cranky or upset. She randomly refuses food for months as it is so I don't want to stress her out digging the old dish out.

 

[Team Gomberg]

Do you ever handle her?

Why do they bury their water dish? I've read that a few times on here but never experienced that before.

 

[Tricocyst]

Do you ever handle her?

Why do they bury their water dish?

I never had my rose hair bury her water dish but I think thats related to I didnt submerge mine into the soil. It was a 2 to 3 inch deep dish and all I would do is lightly press it onto the soil and my rose hair used it easily without ever knocking it over or burying it.. weirdest thing I seen her do with the water dish was completely cover it with web before she started a molt.. keep in mind that the water dish was on the opposite side of her 5 gallon tank.. far away from her hide where she molted.. but I suppose she found it to be worthwhile anyways lol

 

[Evanthomas]

I don't hole mine, she's usually jumpy really jumpy and even attacks the water when I fill the dish.

 

[kormath]

we handle my son's rosea. He's only defensive when he goes into premolt, otherwise you can put your fingers on the substrate and he'll climb on. never has tried to bolt, never has kicked hairs.

He recently started flipping his water dish over and hiding it in his hide though, not sure what that's about