Stressed about my juvenile

[Gizalba]

Hi, I posted not long ago and was advised to re-house my curly hair juvenile into a smaller enclosure. I have got a smaller enclosure now but I am having a few problems:

- I haven't seen her for around 2 days. She is due to be fed today (a week after she arrived here), however when I try to put the cricket near her hide/hole opening she doesn't come to get it. I let the cricket run round the enclosure for a bit but I am worried to leave the cricket in there in case she is molting?

- The feeding may get easier once she is in the smaller enclosure, but how do I move her into there without hurting her?

Here is a photo of the hole where I think she is hiding:

 

[Mundo exotico]

Hello. I would start digging slowly around her hole with a spoon. Really carefull. It takes time because you need to do it really slow and carefully. Untill you find it. Or if you are too scared leave it. I personally also think your enclosure is too big for a sling of that size judging by the size of the hole. About not eating thats not a problem albopilosum are quite good eaters. If she is not eating is because didnt get used to enclosure ot is in premolt. Usually before moult they close the hole. Its up to you. But she will survive. A sling of that size should be housed int a enclosure like in the photo

 

[octanejunkie]

If it's in premolt, leave it be and rehouse at least a week after it molts. Don't did your spider out to rehouse it if it's burrowed.

If it's hungry it will let you know. How plump was it's abdomen last time you saw it?

 

[Jim_in_PA]

I would be housing a sling in a condiment cup. When you house a sling in an oversized enclosure, here are the problems you have :

1. You will never see your sling
2. You will never be able to observe it eating
3. You will never know if it needs your help because you cannot observe it daily.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Woops, just re-read your post and you say you have a juvenile. How big is it ?

 

[T-Baby]

Crush the crickets head and place it close by the entrance, if she’s hungry she’ll come out.
After a few days just remove the cricket if it’s uneaten

 

[Gizalba]

Thanks so much for the replies and advice.

I am going to leave her for now then, and if I see her out again will re-house then.

octanejunkie -
I couldn't see her all that well even when she was out (was keeping the lighting dim as it was evening), so not sure about the abdomen. The shop where I got her have long-term specialised in spiders though; she arrived very safely packaged so I assume she was fed adequately before she got here, and has only been here a week. I have emailed them and they said not to worry too much.

Jim_in_PA -
She is 2 inches big. I am not sure at what point they are big enough to be classed as juvenile but when I ordered her she was listed as such.

Picture of her when last seen:

 

[octanejunkie]

2" is juvenile, she looks normal, not ready to pop

If she doesn't respond to a thrashing feeder at the mouth of her burrow she is either not hungry or not hungry lol

Stay the course

 

[Nunua]

Tarantulas don't really need an exact feeding schedule - They are opportunistic feeders so they often eat when food is around. This is because in the wild they may need to go for long periods without food. The instinct is built into them so it's easy to kinda overfeed your T, because they don't know that a human, who is usually used to dogs, cats or any other pet with regular feeding rhythm, is tossing in food with regular basis

Your juvenile has a burrow in which it feels safe. Don't dig it out from there, it just stresses the T
Two days it nothing, to be honest. Even small slings might be in their burrows for weeks or months. They usually come out at night when there is no disturbance around.

So truly, nothing to worry about! This is also one reason why people get more tarantulas. To have something to watch at when others are hiding

 

[Gizalba]

Tarantulas don't really need an exact feeding schedule - They are opportunistic feeders so they often eat when food is around. This is because in the wild they may need to go for long periods without food. The instinct is built into them so it's easy to kinda overfeed your T, because they don't know that a human, who is usually used to dogs, cats or any other pet with regular feeding rhythm, is tossing in food with regular basis

Your juvenile has a burrow in which it feels safe. Don't dig it out from there, it just stresses the T
Two days it nothing, to be honest. Even small slings might be in their burrows for weeks or months. They usually come out at night when there is no disturbance around.

So truly, nothing to worry about! This is also one reason why people get more tarantulas. To have something to watch at when others are hiding

Thanks so much for the reassurance haha. Yesterday morning I witnessed her eat I am a bit worried the first cricket that went in is hiding/dead somewhere, but I can't see it. As she ate the second one in front of me I am hoping she ate the other previously.