Getting my FIRST Spider..Chilean Rose!

Ok i am getting my first spider in a few weeks and i want to know a few things first....
How much should i feed it and how do i know what size cricket to give?
What substrate?How deep must it be?
How often should i clean it's faunarium? And if it makes a web should i take it out or leave it where it is?
Can i handle it?....

Joe well done, been dying to get one for years but haven't. Raymond (Moloch Gibbon) & John (snakeboyadam) both keep spids and I'm sure they could help you out advice wise.

Thanks Tanpira :)
You should get one too!!!! They are scary but also fascinating at thesame time!!

It's not the scary part, its the shed, I have a fear or should I say a loating of dead insects & spids, I cannot get enough of them while they are alive and keep some inverts myself but I don't think I could handle a spider shedding as it looks like a dead spid and makes my skin crawl, I know it's totally stupid but there you go. My pedes, roches and mantids are about the only things that don't bother me much when they moult.

Oh god i forgot about the moulting.....ewwww...lol i think i'll just cover it up and throw it up on the top shelf till it's finished lol

BUMP!

Send Raymond or John a PM

Tanpira wrote:Send Raymond or John a PM

Forgot about that thanks :)

PM'ed them :)

Good man

JoeR wrote:Ok i am getting my first spider in a few weeks and i want to know a few things first....
How much should i feed it and how do i know what size cricket to give?
What substrate?How deep must it be?
How often should i clean it's faunarium? And if it makes a web should i take it out or leave it where it is?
Can i handle it?....

Hi JoeR
We keep most of our spids in the large flat funariums with about 2" of peat in the bottom, we also give the spid a half plastic flower pot as a hide or better still a piece of cork bark, you can also add some of the moss you can buy but this is really cosmetic.
You will find that the spids are really clean and will only deposit some white liquid on the wall of the viv, this can be spot cleaned when necessary so there is really no need for a regular cleanout. In addition the spid will probably do all sorts of webbing which you should leave especially when its going to moult when more than likely it will retreat into its hide and web itself in for a week or two.

As far as feeding is concerned we generally offer a cricket or locust once a week, if its not eaten by the next day we usually take it out. Size wise we usually give a cricket or locust with the same body length as the spids abdomen.
If its a Chilean rose then you should be able to handle it ok but each animal has its own individual characterastics so you should proceed carefully and watch out for the spids body language (rearing up on
its back legs is a threat and you should leave it alone for a while, similarly flicking hairs is warning you off and again it should be left to settle down)
I hope this is helpful and if you have any other queries let me know
Good luck
John

Thanks a million man!!! I think you and Raymond have answered all of my questions!!!

lol i may be getting my first a red rump of peachy

wow arent they pure nutters?? I am starting off with the babies of the spider world and maybe ending there too lol