How to feed Avic?

[LauraS]

Hi!

I got an Avicularia multicolor two weeks ago. She had just molted a couple days before I purchased her so I have not tried to feed her yet. She spends all her time in a tube web she has made. I'd like to tong feed her but as soon as i open the lid she pulls way back in her web. How do you all feed Ts like this? Thanks and sorry for being a noob, lol.

-------------------------------

On an unrelated note my husband brought home an LP this morning he picked up off Facebook. In the past three or four months our tarantula collection has grown from one to six. This is getting crazy, lol.

 

[Stevoblue]

For my A. vesicolor sling I will place the roach right into its tube. If i miss with the tongs i nudge it in with a small paintbrush. It will usually grab it in a few minutes.
I don't know how big yours is but wait until its fangs are black plus a couple days before feeding after a molt.

 

[Therasoid]

2 weeks post molt, its hungry and needs fed.
I don't tong feed any of mine, never have, avoiding the chance of doing any damage to the fangs.
To feed post molt: slings I give 3-5 days, older (juvie/adult) 5-7 days. Dependent on coloration of fangs, if visible and all black, its ok to feed.
Slings are scavengers and readily eat pre killed on the substrate surface, even arboreal species. Size of prey is dependent on the size of the tarantula's carapace, IMO.
A. Versicolor are awesome looking once they have adult coloration. Congratulations!
The LP will be an eating machine, a "big" favorite amongst the large specie lovers. Lol!
Hopefully this helps.

 

[LauraS]

She's not a sling so I was waiting a little longer. I thought the wait for an adult was a few weeks (like I said, noob. What is the average amount of time to wait for her?). I can't see her fangs as she is hiding all the time. I was waiting to see her hunting so I would know she was hungry and ready to eat but she doesn't come out. So I should place a dubia on her web and see what she does (on or in the tube?). I'd rather not lose the roach in the enclosure but, you know, it happens.

Here is a picture of her the day I got her. Unfortunately I'm at work so I don't have any updated pictures to show the webbing.

Thanks.

 

[Stevoblue]

I put my roaches in the tube.

 

[micheldied]

I've waited up to over 2 weeks with 8 inch Pokies before I started feeding again, because it took that long for the fangs to turn black. One to two weeks is usually good for adults, but it doesn't really hurt to wait a few days longer. As long as it isn't crazy skinny I wouldn't worry.

You can just drop a prey item and leave it in there to see if she'll grab it over the course of a day or two. The enclosure isn't that big, she'll probably find it if she's hungry. Just don't use burrowing prey like mealworms or superworms.

By the way; it's Avicularia versicolor.

 

[LauraS]

I've waited up to over 2 weeks with 8 inch Pokies before I started feeding again, because it took that long for the fangs to turn black. One to two weeks is usually good for adults, but it doesn't really hurt to wait a few days longer. As long as it isn't crazy skinny I wouldn't worry.

You can just drop a prey item and leave it in there to see if she'll grab it over the course of a day or two. The enclosure isn't that big, she'll probably find it if she's hungry. Just don't use burrowing prey like mealworms or superworms.

By the way; it's Avicularia versicolor.

I'm like, what did I call it? *Doh*

Ok. I'll try just dropping food in there. I was planning to feed her dubia roaches. They do burrow though... I suppose I can pinch the head but I really hate doing that. I feel bad for the roach. Or I can drop a cricket or two in I guess.

 

[micheldied]

I'm like, what did I call it? *Doh*

Ok. I'll try just dropping food in there. I was planning to feed her dubia roaches. They do burrow though... I suppose I can pinch the head but I really hate doing that. I feel bad for the roach. Or I can drop a cricket or two in I guess.

They don't burrow that bad, and they usually resurface, unlike mealworms or superworms that disappear until they turn into hungry beetles.

 

[LauraS]

I fed her last night. I opened her lid and for the first time she didn't pull back into her web. I offered her the roach and she gently took it off the tongs. So cute.