# Tarantula heat bulb? Help!



## princesspam (Sep 6, 2007)

I was given a chille rose last week by someone who was emigrating. Ive bought the spider a 30x30x30 Exo terra with a hood but there's no bulb, I have been told to put in a 15w bulb but I've no idea what's best? 
I've seen the night bulbs, light bulbs, heat bulbs and been told to get a red bulb as they can't see the red light. 
She came with a glass cube type terrarium with a heat mat stuck in the top, Id like a bulb in the exo terra which gives off some sort of light for viewing and heat too. If the light will annoy her then ill just stick to a heat bulb. 

Can anyone please help me and send a link to what I need to buy? 

Thank you!


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## Tilly g (Feb 4, 2013)

*Don't get a heat bulb!!!*

You may want a small heat mat to create some humidity but that genus don't require it that humid so I only use mine once or twice a week for a few hours. Don't get a heat bulb, it can be very harmful. If you want any kind of light to simply help you see your T then I'd get something external to its tank. I have full vented glass tanks with a small non heated strip light above them to switch on when I'm admiring them! Good on you for taking it on!


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## princesspam (Sep 6, 2007)

*Thank you!*

Ok thank you! Seems a shame to waste the exo terra hood! 
So do they not really need much heat? She just always seems to be stood right next to the mat like she's cold anywhere else! 
I want her to be happy and the terrarium to look nice. 
I'm kind of thinking now that maybe shes happy with just the little heat mat as she is apparently 18 and she's bigger than most of her breed I've seen! 

I appreciate your help! I don't often ask on here as people tend to jump down your throat and criticise instead of helping, I was half expecting to be told off for taking her on!  x


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## PeterUK (Jun 21, 2008)

princesspam said:


> I have been told to put in a 15w bulb but I've no idea what's best ?


Put in any 15w bulb in any colour that you like. 
As the exo-terra has a fully meshed top the minimal amount of heat can dissipate without bothering the spider.




princesspam said:


> . . . been told to get a red bulb as they can't see the red light.


Yes they can. I have several hundred T's in my shed and once had a red bulb for when and if I entered at night the T's definitely knew that i was there, occasional i would just sit there and then wave my hands about and some would scuttle away. They could definitely see me if I moved.




princesspam said:


> She came with a glass cube type terrarium with a heat mat stuck in the top, Id like a bulb in the exo terra which gives off some sort of light for viewing and heat too. If the light will annoy her then ill just stick to a heat bulb.



A Chile rose does NOT need any heating whatsoever however low the temperature may get in your house.




princesspam said:


> Can anyone please help me and send a link to what I need to buy?


Go to B&Q and get any 15w bulb that will fit the hood





Tilly g said:


> You may want a small heat mat to *create some humidity* but that genus don't require it that humid so I only use mine once or twice a week for a few hours.



Considering that this species comes from one of the driest places on earth why would you want to 'create some humidity' ?


princesspam. . . . All you need is dry substrate, a hide and a water bowl. 

THATS it. 
No misting or spraying. 
IGNORE anything to do with humidity

Chile rose's are well know for TWO things

1) They occasionally go on self imposed fasts where they dont eat for long periods without any harm. Going without food for 12 to 18 months is not unusual for them.

2) They can and do sit in one place for days or even weeks without moving. Therefore Chile rose AKA Pet Rock !


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## Tilly g (Feb 4, 2013)

*Congrats on being the chosen one to look after her!*

I think it's great that you have taken on a " pet" that many people would run a mile from! And great that you care enough to ask for advice. Not everyone actually cares for a tarantula, some people just collect them without having too much knowledge. I would say the heat mat will be fine, they like it quite dry so it will dry up any ground moisture. Mine likes it warm but won't sit right on the mat, think its a but too warm for her! If you want to utilise the light socket a low whatt bulb should give you enough light to see her every detail. Is she shimmery! My Blossom has a gorgeous irredesent pink tinge! Don't leave the light on alot, they like night and say if that makes sense?


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## princesspam (Sep 6, 2007)

*Great info thanks for your time...*

Thank you so much, I have a hide, water bowl and substrate. 
I think ill get a low wattage bulb and just for viewing every now and then, might leave the mat in as she's been used to that for 18 years?


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## Tilly g (Feb 4, 2013)

*Humidity*

I did say that they like it dry, but all Ts need some humidity to help them when they moult


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## Tilly g (Feb 4, 2013)

princesspam said:


> Thank you so much, I have a hide, water bowl and substrate.
> I think ill get a low wattage bulb and just for viewing every now and then, might leave the mat in as she's been used to that for 18 years?


I agree. Good luck and enjoy! Btw they are a tough crowd on here you're right! Now I see why you expected to get shot down lol


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## princesspam (Sep 6, 2007)

*Spider..*

Not really a pink shimmer but then I've only seen her when I've handled her in artificial light, she may look different in daylight! 
I hope she is happy with me anyway as I wasn't sure if it was ok to change anything with her being used to the sane for 18 years! It was more a selfish thing as the exo terra looks nicer! 
Her name is miss muffet


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## Tilly g (Feb 4, 2013)

*Aww*

I love her name! I'm sure she will be fine with you, I hope you get as much fun out of her as I do with mine, she's a real character. Love her to bits as I do all my Ts


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## PeterUK (Jun 21, 2008)

Tilly g said:


> I did say that they like it dry, but all Ts need some humidity to help them when they moult


What about ambient room humidity ?

Turning a heatmat on for a few hours a week will NOT create any humidity, that is just simple common sense.


As you are obviously an expert I'll let you get on with it. :notworthy:


It's the blind leading the blind . . .again. :no1:


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## Tilly g (Feb 4, 2013)

PeterUK said:


> What about ambient room humidity ?
> 
> Turning a heatmat on for a few hours a week will NOT create any humidity, that is just simple common sense.
> 
> ...


There is no need to be so rude, my chile is perfectly fine, ive had her years. If the heat mat is under the water fish for a couple of hours a day it creates a little humidity, all Ts need this to moult. Are you like 12 or something and just enjoying upsetting people while your mum lets you use the computer? Seriously, shut up!


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## pcharlton (Mar 23, 2012)

Tilly g said:


> There is no need to be so rude, my chile is perfectly fine, ive had her years. If the heat mat is under the water fish for a couple of hours a day it creates a little humidity, all Ts need this to moult. Are you like 12 or something and just enjoying upsetting people while your mum lets you use the computer? Seriously, shut up!


The bloke says how it is you cant beat that in my view. People get sick of seing stupid posts that the person should know before even getting a spider what i admit ive done:whistling2:. Instead of being on your high horse giving out insults i would take in any advice he gives because you might learn something:lol2:


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## Rosko (Apr 20, 2012)

The best way to check if the temp is ok for a Chile rose is if your comfortable, so is the T 
I don't use any heat source for them.
As already mentioned, dry substrate a hide and a water bowl and your good to go. :2thumb:
Congrats on your new T :welcome:


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## Diabolic Al (Mar 12, 2010)

Dry sub, room temperature and water dish. Thats it. 

They come from one of the driest places on earth so they are a very hardy species. 

Will eat when it wants to move when it feels like it and moult eventually.

Humidity totally not required. It will drink if it needs liquid 

Enjoy


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## Tilly g (Feb 4, 2013)

pcharlton said:


> The bloke says how it is you cant beat that in my view. People get sick of seing stupid posts that the person should know before even getting a spider what i admit ive done:whistling2:. Instead of being on your high horse giving out insults i would take in any advice he gives because you might learn something:lol2:


The "man" has been attacking me on every thread I've replied to, not just this one. And I can't be that wrong when I've had a healthy happy T for years. I get sick of people being rude, there is no need. Living spiders is something we all have in common.


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## princesspam (Sep 6, 2007)

*Here's to happy spiders!*

I think I have all the help I need now so people can stop attacking each other! 
This is why I hate this forum, no one can offer friendly advice or our forward an opinion, if someone disagrees they can't just question it, they have to belittle you. 
THIS FORUM IS FOR HELP NOT BULLYING... 

The spider I have has had a heat mat all her life and is 18 years old and HUGE compared to others of her species so I'm going to leave her as she is and fit a bulb so I can view her from time to time... 

To those who helped with your posts I teally appreciate it, to those who feel the need to use the forum to bully and belittle people due to an adverse opinion, you prob do know best as I imagine your only friends are your spiders!


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Tilly g said:


> There is no need to be so rude, my chile is perfectly fine, ive had her years. If the heat mat is under the water fish for a couple of hours a day it creates a little humidity, all Ts need this to moult. Are you like 12 or something and just enjoying upsetting people while your mum lets you use the computer? Seriously, shut up!


Ts do not need humidity just to moult at all. Read up on how they move around and generally work. I think you will find most of it is hydraulics. Im amazed your spider is still alive tbh.


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## SamWest (Sep 11, 2012)

princesspam said:


> The spider I have has had a heat mat all her life and is 18 years old and HUGE compared to others of her species so I'm going to leave her as she is and fit a bulb so I can view her from time to time...


if anything, she's only supposedly bigger because you've sped up her metabolism, making it grow up quicker and therefore die quicker
i wouldn't have thought many tarantulas _need_ any extra heat since they're all either hiding away in the shade, burrowed under soil and half way up a tree in a forest


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## SamWest (Sep 11, 2012)

Side note: look at a few people who are now no longer on this forum. They come on it thinking they know everything, when really they know nothing. They argue for the sake of arguing and they don't listen to anybody.
They lose out on the chance to be on this good site and there's no way of coming back, even though they may now have realised that the whole know it all attitude doesn't work.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

SamWest said:


> if anything, she's only supposedly bigger because you've sped up her metabolism, making it grow up quicker and therefore die quicker
> i wouldn't have thought many tarantulas _need_ any extra heat since they're all either hiding away in the shade, burrowed under soil and half way up a tree in a forest


I think the main thing is to keep them as similar in temps to where they come from. Eventhough they may tolerate lower temps it cant be good for them to sustain this. However some Grammostola have actually been found under a few foot of snow with the key to breeding them being a cooling period and then a gradual warm up


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

I personally think new visitors make more of the "stop abusing me" line than is warranted. The problem, whether it be new or old, is that they believe what they are doing is correct, and then when faced with information that contradicts that they suggest its abuse.
IMO that's exactly what has happened here, but lets put a little perspective on this...

Tarantula are very adaptable, they can live in captivity in an environment that is completely different to their natural habitat without issue.
Tarantula are attracted to heat, but they don't have a gauge to determine whether they are too hot. It's for this reason we make sure our heatmats disperse the heat, afterall there are plenty of stories of tarantula burning themselves on heatmats in the same manner as snakes.

The Chile Rose tarantula comes from the outskirts of the Atacama desert, one of the driest places on earth, where it hasn't rained for over 10 years! However they do receive moisture from the clouds that trail this mountainous region.
The temperatures it will experience are at the the highest of 72F and dropping to 50F, so that's a hell of a lot colder than the UK. They also experience frost and its at this time that the Chile Rose is conditioned to go into an almost dormant state. Strange as it may seem providing a heatmat is definitely surplus to requirements. Of course you can check these details by looking at the weather reports for Chile.

The reason I mention this, is because we do our research, we share our information and experience, we take on the advice of others and we learn from them. We don't all agree. We don't all get it right. And we may have completely different husbandry for the same species, and both (or all of them) will work.

Such is the adaptable tarantula! now lets try and be adaptable like them


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Poxicator said:


> I personally think new visitors make more of the "stop abusing me" line than is warranted. The problem, whether it be new or old, is that they believe what they are doing is correct, and then when faced with information that contradicts that they suggest its abuse.
> IMO that's exactly what has happened here, but lets put a little perspective on this...
> 
> Tarantula are very adaptable, they can live in captivity in an environment that is completely different to their natural habitat without issue.
> ...


Adaptable just like you Pete :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

Ive certainly adapted how I keep tarantula over the years


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## markaveli (Feb 19, 2011)

I only had 1 tarantula this time last year, now i have 11. If it wasn't for the valuable advice on this forum from pete, poxicator and many others i wouldn't have any. All free advice is worth listening too and is down to you whether you act on it. I heard once that "the quest for knowledge is eternal" and these guys certainly know their stuff.:2thumb:


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

markaveli said:


> I only had 1 tarantula this time last year, now i have 11. If it wasn't for the valuable advice on this forum from pete, poxicator and many others i wouldn't have any. All free advice is worth listening too and is down to you whether you act on it. I heard once that "the quest for knowledge is eternal" and these guys certainly know their stuff.:2thumb:


Pete actually helped me when i 1st started up. I now know how to take a L.violaceopes to the face in style XD


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

LOL Selina, that story goes down in the history books, and like a good joke it always makes me laugh. Crazy thing!


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## Tarantulaguy01 (Mar 31, 2012)

Tilly g said:


> There is no need to be so rude, my chile is perfectly fine, ive had her years. If the heat mat is under the water fish for a couple of hours a day it creates a little humidity, all Ts need this to moult. Are you like 12 or something and just enjoying upsetting people while your mum lets you use the computer? Seriously, shut up!


he is not being rude just pointing out a fact.
don't ask for advice if your not going to take said advice. may i suggest YOU stop being rude going by you reply above.


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