Here are some pics of my Chile that were taken yesterday.

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Proud owner of
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2 goldfish

What a beautiful spider. We got our first Chili Rose yesterday and are just getting to know her.
We have read lots of differing opinions about how to care for them what their tanks should have and so on.

I keep mine on eco earth, bone dry with just a water bowl ( if the spider is 3" or more in size) and overfill the bowl slightly once a week. They don't like it damp underfoot at all. A hide of a half a flowerpot would be good for the spider and I feed her one cricket three times a week but Chile's are known to go off their food for weeks at at time but its nothing to worry about. Mine has'nt eaten now since the end of February. If you keep it in a room with central heating and the room is a comfy temperature for you then the spider will be comfy too. They don't take a lot of looking after and are one of the easiest to care for. I don't handle mine, she is purely for looking at. Some people like to handle them but its best for the spider not to be handled in case of falls which can kill them.

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Proud owner of
2 dogs
5 cockatiels
12 budgies
33 tarantulas
2 goldfish

OMGeek: sorry guys but thats nasty!!!

Thanks for the advice patsyking. We have had our spider 3 days now and she hasn't eaten yet. Should we take the cricket out or leave it in?

I would take the cricket out. Beings as you have only had the spider for three days it is still probably settling in to its new surroundings. Dont worry about it not eating as they can go for months without eating. Just so long as the abdomen is nice and plump. Make sure it has a water bowl though if its big enough. How big is the spider? If its under 3" then don't give it a water bowl, just mist the side walls of its home every couple of days but don't let the substrate get wet. Take the cricket out and then try again with food in a weeks time.

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Proud owner of
2 dogs
5 cockatiels
12 budgies
33 tarantulas
2 goldfish

Thanks. Her abdomen looks pretty plump. At the monet she has a water dish with a sponge in, that came with the tank when we bought her.

I noticed this morning that she has spun some web behind her log. Do you think there is a chance she is going to moult?

I would take the sponge out of the water dish, a sponge is a breeding ground for bacteria. Just put a small pebble in the water bowl. The pebble is more to stop the crickets you feed her from drowning but will also stop any water getting into her book lungs if she should spread herself right over the dish. So long as she is 3" or longer she'll be fine with that. Is there a big dark patch on the abdomen? Usually the abdomen swells right up and goes very dark before a moult. Any chance you can take a picture of the web she has made? Having had my Chile for only four months I don't know what their moulting mats will look like but if you can take a picture I can find out from someone else if it looks like a moulting mat she has spun. Chiles will spin a web on the ground to sit and eat off, though but that usually happens once they have caught the prey. I put a cricket in for mine this morning and she just raised her legs and let the cricket run under her so she is'nt going to eat again today so when I can see the cricket again ( as she was in her hide at the time) I'll take it straight out. She hasn't eaten since the end of February.

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Proud owner of
2 dogs
5 cockatiels
12 budgies
33 tarantulas
2 goldfish

thats a spider most people wouldn't want to find in their bath tub
beautiful creatures tho.
have any of you spriders ever escaped?

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No, I've had none escape...........yet.
You've got quite a collection of pets there!

__________________
Proud owner of
2 dogs
5 cockatiels
12 budgies
33 tarantulas
2 goldfish