Hi everyone, I am new here and will be posting in the introduction area shortly, but I wanted to get this question out there in hopes of getting some advice sooner. I just brought home a G. rosea (looks to be an adult) about a week ago. I have kept this species in the past but it has been about 12 years, so I am just getting involved with them again. The female we brought home has seemed to be settling in nicely, took a cricket on her second night home and ate another about three days later. Don't worry, I am aware that they do not need to be fed nearly so frequently, I offered it because I am not sure what conditions she was in before or what feeding schedule she was on. Her abdomen looks slightly smaller than I would expect at her size, but proportionate. It does not look shrunken. The store she came from had just gotten her in from a different store the day before I got her, so they did not have any history to speak of. She will be fed once a week maximum as far as a regular feeding schedule goes, possibly less frequently depending on her growth.
Anyway, I just came home to find her sitting out in the open (which is common) but she appeared to have a few legs slightly pointed inward, and one leg so far under her that the back of her "foot" was touching the ground. It almost looked as thought she had been cleaning herself and fell asleep, but also somewhat like a death curl. She did not respond to blowing gently next to her, which is usually enough to make her move. Concerned that she may be dead, I opened the tank and gently brushed her leg. She whirled right around like lightning and charged right into her water dish, which she proceeded to walk into, drink from for about ten seconds and then calmly walked back into her hide where she remains.
My question is, I can't imagine dehydration is the cause here since she has had two feeders recently and has fresh water accessible at all times in the tank. It also seems odd that if weakness were the cause she would take up being so active immediately after. Can anyone shed some light on what may be going on here? I don't want to worry over a spider being a spider, but it has been ages and I don't know what to make of this. Is it possible for them to sleep in strange positions? Thank you so much for any input, I hope I am just being a worried new keeper.
Anyway, I just came home to find her sitting out in the open (which is common) but she appeared to have a few legs slightly pointed inward, and one leg so far under her that the back of her "foot" was touching the ground. It almost looked as thought she had been cleaning herself and fell asleep, but also somewhat like a death curl. She did not respond to blowing gently next to her, which is usually enough to make her move. Concerned that she may be dead, I opened the tank and gently brushed her leg. She whirled right around like lightning and charged right into her water dish, which she proceeded to walk into, drink from for about ten seconds and then calmly walked back into her hide where she remains.
My question is, I can't imagine dehydration is the cause here since she has had two feeders recently and has fresh water accessible at all times in the tank. It also seems odd that if weakness were the cause she would take up being so active immediately after. Can anyone shed some light on what may be going on here? I don't want to worry over a spider being a spider, but it has been ages and I don't know what to make of this. Is it possible for them to sleep in strange positions? Thank you so much for any input, I hope I am just being a worried new keeper.