How soon to feed a new spider?
By Foxfire1875
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
December 23, 2008 7:18am CST
I've just got a chilean rose and have left her/him to settle in the tank. I got black crickets and a cricket keeping tank so that they will last longer. The spider is normally fed on Wednesdays but should I do the same or will it be better to wait another day or so.
I don't know much about keeping spiders but have read a lot about them. I didn't put water in the tank as I thought they didn't drink that much but I'm not sure.
1 response
@weirdchylde (2)
• Canada
25 Dec 08
You need to give them water, or they will become dehydrated!! A pop bottle top filled with water is a great idea, or a non-cotton or fibrous sponge is good, too. Make sure they can't get tangled or caught in the fibres of the sponge.
They will take a few days to settle before they will eat, from my experience. I'm worried about my small one, though, it hasn't eaten in the two weeks I've had it :(. It might be molting though, which is what I'm hoping for.
I hope you got a female, because if you have a male, you were ripped off. Males only live for a few years after becoming adults while females can live up to 15 years after maturing. I've got two babies right now, and I'm sure one is female, while the other is too small to tell yet. Crossing my fingers!
1 person likes this
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
•
27 Dec 08
I gave him/her water on a sponge and she didn't get caught up in it. The base of the tank has a peat flooring so that has moisture in it as well. I fed her the next day and was worried that I hadn't dropped a cricket in but I checked a short time later and he/she was sitting with half of it out her/his mouth 
looking very smug.
The young ones do moult more frequently so fingers crossed that's what your little one is doing. My one is too small to tell if it's male or female yet. What are your spiders?
looking very smug.
The young ones do moult more frequently so fingers crossed that's what your little one is doing. My one is too small to tell if it's male or female yet. What are your spiders?1 person likes this
@weirdchylde (2)
• Canada
15 Jan 09
My little one's eating. Probably what I said before, about being nervous after coming home. Sluuuurp, it's gross but fascinating ;D
Mine are both Chilean Rose as well. Both grey. I hope mine turn out colourful, but I will still take care of them all the same even if they stay the drab grey.
1 person likes this
@Foxfire1875 (2010)
•
15 Jan 09
I took the sponge out because I read it can get full of bacteria so didn't want to take a chance. I've replaced it with a shallow dish but I don't think spiders need much water anyway.
Mine has is a beautiful auburn colour and stripy legs. In fact here she/he is guarding the sponge before I managed to get it out.
