A.Avic won’t eat after molt

[NuigurumiOtaku]

Any advice would be super appreciated. My pink toe molted almost 2 weeks ago and won’t eat anything. He’s a male, but not yet mature and he’s super thin. I’m going to give him to a family member as a birthday present but I don’t want to give a sickly spood that won’t eat. I’ve tried crickets and worms live and prekilled and nothing.

 

[arachnidgill]

How large is the specimen? Large juveniles and adult tarantulas take longer to harden up after molting, sometimes it can take as long as a month before they decide to start eating again. It's more important they have access to water after molting, keep the water dish full and dribble some water on their webbing. You can try offering food again in a few days, they will eat when they're ready.

 

[NuigurumiOtaku]

He’s around 4”-5”. I’ll definitely keep dribbling water. It was a traumatic molt if that has anything to do with it, he molted in an awful place and slipped into his water dish as soon as he was out of the molt. I had to tear his home apart to save him as he couldn’t get out.

 

[Vanessa]

A photo always helps. People often think that their arboreal species are dangerously thin, when they are normal sized, because they compare them to overfed, large bodied terrestrial species. They should never be anywhere near that size unless gravid.

 

[Liquifin]

He’s around 4”-5”. I’ll definitely keep dribbling water. It was a traumatic molt if that has anything to do with it, he molted in an awful place and slipped into his water dish as soon as he was out of the molt. I had to tear his home apart to save him as he couldn’t get out.

Are you sure he's not mature? At 4''-5'' for an A. avic, they're usually mature for a male. Can post a picture of this male?

 

[cold blood]

Are you sure he's not mature? At 4''-5'' for an A. avic, they're usually mature for a male. Can post a picture of this male?

I agree...that would be a monster sized penultimate male...males usually mature at smaller sizes than op's spider.

 

[NuigurumiOtaku]

I agree...that would be a monster sized penultimate male...males usually mature at smaller sizes than op's spider.

I’ll try to get a good pic, but he’s very prone to stress curls whenever I move his enclosure. Perhaps I miss sexed the molt? I’ll try to resoak it and post a pic. He doesn’t have boxing glove palps though.

Are you sure he's not mature? At 4''-5'' for an A. avic, they're usually mature for a male. Can post a picture of this male?

Here he, maybe she is?? I just resoaked the molt and I think I found a flap??

 

[Vanessa]

That is a she and she is not underweight. Wait a week and try feeding again. They can often go a month, or longer, after moulting before they eat at that size.

 

[NuigurumiOtaku]

I agree...that would be a monster sized penultimate male...males usually mature at smaller sizes than op's spider.

That is a she and she is not underweight. Wait a week and try feeding again. They can often go a month, or longer, after moulting before they eat at that size.

Holy, I’m shocked that I missed the flap completely. It was rolled up and I didn’t even realize it. I’ll definitely give it some time before trying to feed again, thank you for your advice!

 

[viper69]

Any advice would be super appreciated. My pink toe molted almost 2 weeks ago and won’t eat anything. He’s a male, but not yet mature and he’s super thin. I’m going to give him to a family member as a birthday present but I don’t want to give a sickly spood that won’t eat. I’ve tried crickets and worms live and prekilled and nothing.

At that size it is normal for them not to eat.