Animal Stories - People Talking About Tarantulas



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Latest Animal Stories on Tarantulas (560)

Isaiah - 2010-10-08
I have had lots tarantulas and I like the Oklahoma brown best!

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JC - 2010-11-02
+1 to Isaiah. Same here.
Christina - 2011-07-11
I do too, but so far that is all I have had, since I live in Oklahoma :)
My husband and kids found one at the baseball field. She went right up on to my hubbys hand and she has been with us ever since! We found a small male, and put him with her. Well after a day, he is gone, and she is fatter lol... It's funny to see people get all scared of her!

Genny Floyed - 2009-08-14
I have had my baby (ok so she's 5) for quite a while. Yes when I first got her she was bratty but can you blame her? Now 5 years later she is a cuddler! Loves to be held.
I disagree with those who say it would be a bad first pet tarantula. If you read up on the breed you will know how to handle them and when to give them their space. Just like all pets sometimes they don't want to be bothered. But if treated properly the rose hair is a wonderful tarantula to have. It takes patience to get the spider acclimated to you handling it. You can't expect to get it home and immediately start handling it. It took Kiwi a good year to fully be ok with being outside her home and being handled.
I do however do not recommend any tarantula for children. Most lack the patience it takes to get the spider comfortable being held.
Also .... I have NEVER been bitten... :-)

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Gabrielle Coulter - 2010-12-20
Well I'm 12 an I just got my tarantula yesterday and she is very sweet and it likes to be held by her owner but she goes crazy when someone else tries to hold her. I'm a little worried that she might bite someone :P...
Cristina Rodriguez - 2011-07-07
I got my husbands his (Tilly) for Valentines Day :) She doesn't mind being handled, even walks all over my five yr old boy! Best pet ever.

Brandon - 2010-11-08
I have had my rose hair for 3 days and it's very docile but doesn't seem to want to eat. If you have anything you might think would help plz tell me.

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Ricky - 2011-06-28
Give it sometime to get used to its surroundings.

Donna - 2010-11-17
My son was recently given a rose haired tarantula. He lives with his father who isn't always as responsible as I would like. My son told me last Friday that he was out of crickets for his tarantula. He fed her on Thursday. She seemed a little lethargic too, although maybe it's normal for them to not move much in their habitat. I asked his father and new wife if they needed money for crickets. She said "No. He didn't tell us he was out. We will take care of it." Now (on Wednesday), I called and he still doesn't have crickets. The spider hasn't eaten for a week.
I'm trying to help him the best I can from afar. He was told to feed the spider every other day. She (spider) is not full grown- she looks about 1/2 the size of most of the pictures and videos I have seen. How often does she need to eat, and is it ok for him to catch bugs sometimes to feed her? I told him maybe he could turn on the light near a window at night and wait for bugs to come to the window, and then catch one or a few and give to her. Are moths ok? Are most ordinary bugs ok? About what percentage of bugs -other than crickets- can she eat and still be healthy?

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Ricky - 2011-06-28
They can go months without eating and yes he can catch bugs for it. Just avoid feeding it ants and absolutly no bees.

christian - 2010-11-17
I have had a rose hair for a while and I only handled her a couple times. Now every time I try she bites at me. Someone give me info on why this happens.

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Ricky - 2011-06-28
There may be something stressing her out. They often get defensive when they are about to molt. Just be patient with him/her.

Dom greenfield - 2011-06-28
Hi this is Dom again my tarantula (toes) has been my pet for about 6 months now and was a year old when I got her but I've never seen her eat anything and I always find the dead crickets or mealworks in her tank. I dont know if shes sick or getting ready to molt or what. My mom says shes pobably getting ready to molt but I'm not sure. thanks for the help! -Dom

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Charlie Roche - 2011-06-28
It is not uncommon for a pink toed tarantula to not eat for a few months - some have said even up to a year. This usually happens before molting. Does you little gal have what she believes is a safe place? Many times if the pink toed doesn't feel they have a safe hiding place, they feel stress and will not eat. You should remove any old food or food particles from her enclosure each day. Mom is probably right and she is going to molt but just check and see if you feel (from her perspective) if she has a safe place to hide where she feels secure and unafraid.
Charlie Roche - 2011-06-28
I understand why you feel she has safe places with the plants and shady areas. However, if you can see her, then she can see you and to her, that is not safe. So just make sure she has some sort of secluded area that is dark that she can retreat to. She is probably molting though.
Dom - 2011-06-28
She has lots of shady places and plants she likes to hide under so I'd say she's pretty comfy in there.
Dom - 2011-06-28
She has lots of shady places and plants she likes to hide under so I'd say shes pretty comfy in there.

Leticia Caldwell-Costello - 2011-06-27
I am going on vacation in August for 11 days. How should I care for my pink toed tarantula while I am gone? Thanks.

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Charlie Roche - 2011-06-28
If you feed your Tarantulas well before going on your vacation, no one should need to come over daily and feed them for you. It would be nice if someone could come over but tarantulas can skip meals for a couple weeks, if well fed ahead of time. They will need water during this fasting period but make sure you don't just leave water in a bowl where it can possibly drown. Fill a low bowl with rocks or marbles to maintain humidity and make sure your little guy has water.

Teitan Kussman - 2011-06-25
I bought a goliath and all it has done is sat in its water dish for 2 weeks. I bought a mister for her for humidity and now her rear end has shriveled up and she is curled up packing the soil I have in there for her under her body is she getting ready to molt?

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Charlie Roche - 2011-06-28
Not positive but sounds like she is getting ready to molt.

John - 2011-06-23
I know what you're saying about the chilean rose hair. My rose hair, Mike, maybe 3 years old, keeps forgetting that my hand is not made of cricket meat and will flip in the air just to face it whenever I reach in his tank. If it wasn't for a two handed side scoop move I learned from a spiderwise person, I'd never be able to pick him up.
Cheecky little devil....

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Charlie Roche - 2011-06-24
Please explain for us novices what the two handed side scoop move is --- thank you.

Kelzey - 2011-04-29
I have had my rose hair for about 11 years and now I am worried. For about 5 days it has been in the corner of its cage and hasn't moved. I don't think it is dead. I am pretty sure it isn't molting. Anyone else experience this? I have read that when they are dead their legs curl under and he has his legs up more.

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Charlie Roche - 2011-04-30
The life span for a female rose haired is 15 - 20 years and yours is only 11, so hopefully that is in your favor. Based on what I have read in the attached article from Animal World, it does sound like morlting. Realize that some molting years can be worse than others. Read the article and see what you think. If if doesn't sound like it is molting, please give us more information, if possible and we will try and find out. OK? Did the temperature decrease rapidly at all?
Anonymous - 2011-05-03
Thank you for your reply. She went through molting less than 2 years ago and the time before that was much longer so I am not sure. She is also not on her back (yet anyway) When I checked on her yesterday she had moved about an inch and looks the same now. Looking at her. she looks like she is half the size she used to be. I never thought I would be this upset about something happening to her.
Todd - 2011-05-16
I'm sure you're good in terms of caring for her (after 11 years), but make certain she is well-hydrated. If need be, place her on a wet paper towel- don't get any free water in the book lungs (on the underside), but if she thrusts her face into the towel and "drinks" then she's dehydrated.

That's the first thing that comes to mind, anyway. Good luck.
Heather - 2011-05-26
Mine is doing the same thing but I've only had her for about 5 years. She's bunched up in the middle of her cage and wont move or anything. I gave her water and everything and yesterday she was trying to walk a little but she was shaking really bad and now shes just in a little ball barely moving. She molted about 6 or 7 months ago and I'm all tore up so I know how ya feel.
Kelzey - 2011-06-05
Thank you everyone. Sad to say but Tobey went to spider heaven :(

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