B. smithi not eating~

[ItsukinoKira]

Hello everyone!

My B. smithi sling Momo hasn't eaten since last month (september 14th) but I've read that this is quite normal.

I've been offering dead crickets since it doesn't show any interest on living prey but she hasn't accepted neither of those... Although, I see it walking around, hiding, on top of the water and climbing the walls so I suppose she's fine but wanted to ask you since you're more experienced than me .

Thank you!

 

[Combat Advantage]

Mine just molted and was like that the past few weeks. She avoided all food until today.
Something I found helpful are mini feeding "tongs". They are probably made for soldering since I was given them from my Dad when I was a kid. He worked on electronics. They are long skinny tweezers. I can offer live bugs and if they aren't eating, they won't take it from the tongs. That way, I can put the food away for later and it won't spoil and go to waste.

The other thing I would check is temperature. Its that time of year so the chili nights might be slowing metabolism. Check temp and increase as necessary.

 

[Eadaein]

The tongs are found in soldering, also regular 'scaping tongs are great too. I have all the types since I solder and do planted aquariums and vivariums.
I'm not an expert either, nor play one on tv, but in my experience I've heard of T's ignoring food for up to a month before molting.
It could be normal
It could be her having issues molting, sometimes if it's too dry that happens (note, I live in southern Arizona, that's a thing out here, when I lived in Hawaii not so much, so that's just random info to add to your puzzling)

I do know I'm going to need more adorable...err... Investigatively useful, photos... For research... Not for my own enjoyment of staring at everyone's T's

 

[m0lsx]

Yes, not eating for several moths is perfectly normal behaviour for a T & some can go for many months. So do not let it worry too much.

Brachypelma are a very slow growing, so they do not need to eat as much as some other species & certainly fast more than some other species.

I assume you are leaving the food available for 24 hours? If so try to feed it small crickets & feed in the evening, as T's are more likely to feed overnight. And try leaving it for 36 hours. 2 nights is what it takes for a couple of my T's & one of my wifes adult pokies is terrified of anything too big, but will happily eat small crickets.

With my T's, even the desert species, I always make sure they have a small area with some slightly damp substrate, so I move the water bowl every few weeks & overflow it. This stops mold being an issue & gives my T's some humidity & the choice of some moist substrate if the want it. But if anything too wet substrate will make a desert species unhappy & stop eating. But some moisture does help.

 

[Aracnoenthusiast]

Fasting is normal for tarantulas, as long as the abdomen is plump you're good. Keep water available. What kind of substrate is it on?

 

[Arachnoclown]

Spiders don't use tongs to eat in the wild....

 

[ilovebrachys]

Spiders don't use tongs to eat in the wild....

Oh yes they do.. Actually they use a knife and fork and they drink from a wine glass up in the trees lol
Seriously though it just sounds like the T doesn't want to eat it all sounds pretty normal to me

 

[Arachnoclown]

Oh yes they do.. Actually they use a knife and fork and they drink from a wine glass up in the trees lol
Seriously though it just sounds like the T doesn't want to eat it all sounds pretty normal to me

Until people have to nurse a spider for 10-12 months with no fangs they will still think tong feeding is cool.
Every spider should have a wine glass though...

 

[Combat Advantage]

Until people have to nurse a spider for 10-12 months with no fangs they will still think tong feeding is cool.
Every spider should have a wine glass though...

I never had one lose a tooth, although it could happen I suppose. Have you done that and had to nurse your spider back to health one year?

 

[Combat Advantage]

BTW, I don't usually use them, because 9 times out of 10 the feeders are eaten ASAP.
But once in a while I use them for removal so the Ts aren't stressed. When they rarely go off feed, I use the long tweezers, aka "feeding tongs" aka foreceps, just to check. A good way to approach is directly rather than horizontally. That prevents the fangs from clashing with them. I have hemostats and one invention that my Dad designed for me as a gift. I call it a feeder stick. It is best for shy feeders or dangerous ones like centapedes, arborials and venomous juvy snakes.

 

[Arachnoclown]

I never had one lose a tooth, although it could happen I suppose. Have you done that and had to nurse your spider back to health one year?

A tooth???....its called a fang. And Yes it does happen. Ive rescued a couple tarantulas that were missing fangs due to tong damage. Its a horrible thing to have to go through.

Rescued them because its too much for the average keeper to handle. Its no fun having to pinch grab and feed a pist off spider.

 

[Combat Advantage]

No kidding? You mean that spider teeth are called "fangs"???

I just thought I'd use a non technical term that you could relate to.
Now go back and read my last post.

Now I know of someone who had this problem with the use of foreceps.
The right tool used the right way normally has right results in my experiences. However, like I said, I rarely use them. When I do, mine work with no issues.

I've had all kinds of rescues and had to rehab and forcefeed lots of toothy critters, but never the fanggie ones..... except Ituri forest Bitis nasicornis. Yup, it's no fun.

 

[ItsukinoKira]

Mine just molted and was like that the past few weeks. She avoided all food until today.
Something I found helpful are mini feeding "tongs". They are probably made for soldering since I was given them from my Dad when I was a kid. He worked on electronics. They are long skinny tweezers. I can offer live bugs and if they aren't eating, they won't take it from the tongs. That way, I can put the food away for later and it won't spoil and go to waste.

The other thing I would check is temperature. Its that time of year so the chili nights might be slowing metabolism. Check temp and increase as necessary.

Probably the weather is also making its thing since it's getting chillier but I try to keep the entire room a little bit warmer

 

[ItsukinoKira]

The tongs are found in soldering, also regular 'scaping tongs are great too. I have all the types since I solder and do planted aquariums and vivariums.
I'm not an expert either, nor play one on tv, but in my experience I've heard of T's ignoring food for up to a month before molting.
It could be normal
It could be her having issues molting, sometimes if it's too dry that happens (note, I live in southern Arizona, that's a thing out here, when I lived in Hawaii not so much, so that's just random info to add to your puzzling)

I do know I'm going to need more adorable...err... Investigatively useful, photos... For research... Not for my own enjoyment of staring at everyone's T's

Just a picture of today :3 enjoying the high spot.

 

[ItsukinoKira]

Yes, not eating for several moths is perfectly normal behaviour for a T & some can go for many months. So do not let it worry too much.

Brachypelma are a very slow growing, so they do not need to eat as much as some other species & certainly fast more than some other species.

I assume you are leaving the food available for 24 hours? If so try to feed it small crickets & feed in the evening, as T's are more likely to feed overnight. And try leaving it for 36 hours. 2 nights is what it takes for a couple of my T's & one of my wifes adult pokies is terrified of anything too big, but will happily eat small crickets.

With my T's, even the desert species, I always make sure they have a small area with some slightly damp substrate, so I move the water bowl every few weeks & overflow it. This stops mold being an issue & gives my T's some humidity & the choice of some moist substrate if the want it. But if anything too wet substrate will make a desert species unhappy & stop eating. But some moisture does help.

Recently I've been leaving food for around 48 hrs but I've read too that Brachys are kinda slow, that's why I thought it could be normal ! I'll keep offering food in the night, maybe it will be more comfortable with that.

Thank you very much for your suggestion!

 

[ItsukinoKira]

Fasting is normal for tarantulas, as long as the abdomen is plump you're good. Keep water available. What kind of substrate is it on?

I suppose it looks normal, not super fat but round.

The substrate is a mix of coco fiber and fine tree bark (?).

 

[Aracnoenthusiast]

I suppose it looks normal, not super fat but round.

The substrate is a mix of coco fiber and fine tree bark (?).

The t may not like being on the tree bark. Might not hurt to just go with straight coco or organic top soil

 

[ItsukinoKira]

The t may not like being on the tree bark. Might not hurt to just go with straight coco or organic top soil

Ok I'll bring more coco fiber and change it.

Thank you!

 

[Combat Advantage]

Hello everyone!

My B. smithi sling Momo hasn't eaten since last month (september 14th) but I've read that this is quite normal.

I've been offering dead crickets since it doesn't show any interest on living prey but she hasn't accepted neither of those... Although, I see it walking around, hiding, on top of the water and climbing the walls so I suppose she's fine but wanted to ask you since you're more experienced than me .

Thank you!

You got a lot of good recommendations.
One last thing that I didn't see covered as a potential issue. I am assuming that the size of cricket is the same as it's used to eating?
When I raised B. s. Slings, they got intimidated by crickets that were too large. I found sources for small crickets that they accepted. It might not be Momo's reason, but something to keep in mind just in case.

 

[Combat Advantage]

A tooth???....its called a fang. And Yes it does happen. Ive rescued a couple tarantulas that were missing fangs due to tong damage. Its a horrible thing to have to go through.

Rescued them because its too much for the average keeper to handle. Its no fun having to pinch grab and feed a pist off spider.

No worries. I like to hear of others experiences and learn from their mistakes rather than make my own. "Ounce of prevention" prevents the pound of cure Maxim. Besides, if the Ts hunt instinct is exercised, maybe it helps keep them from boredom.....my theory. However, in perhaps special circumstances, you use tongs too?
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