A. chalcodes won't eat

[Editorialsalmon]

I have a small, about half inch a. chalcodes sling, that I bought at a repticon show in Maryland, September 2012. It is my first tarantula. Since that time, I have only ever had it eat about half of a mealworm, and it has never molted, or I have not seen any signs of molting or barely any growth at all. What
should I do? Or is there even anything wrong with it at all? Any advice is greatly
appreciated. Thank you.

 

[philge]

What
should I do? .

You should continue to offer it prey occasionally. If it doesn't take the prey, remove it and try again in another week or two. It's nothing to worry about, because spiders will often go long periods without eating. As long as you continue to offer it food, it will eat when it's ready.

 

[telepatella]

I've had a few of these, wild caught and captive bred - they grow about as slow as a tarantula can. I bought one in December and it's eaten once. Get another tarantula that grows a bit faster so you can get a little more satisfaction from your husbandry, unless you're vary patient... Your spider is probably fine.

 

[xkris]

This situation must be very frustrating for you, I can relate to that. Getting another (few of them maybe?) slings or juvies would be nice. They take minimal space, not to much maintenance.
That way you'll always have one spider that does something interesting. Try to take a bit more active, fast growing ones and your good.

 

[Poec54]

This situation must be very frustrating for you, I can relate to that. Getting another (few of them maybe?) slings or juvies would be nice. They take minimal space, not to much maintenance.
That way you'll always have one spider that does something interesting. Try to take a bit more active, fast growing ones and your good.

+1. There's more going on when you have several spiders (or more), and somebody's always hungry so food doesn't get wasted. Try some terrestrials that are known for having big appetites.

 

[Editorialsalmon]

Thanks for all of the help. I was thinking of getting another sling or possibly an adult later this month at Repticon. What kind should I get? What species are docile, easy, and are very active, and good eaters as slings?

 

[telepatella]

The GBB is very pretty and easy, grows fast - with changes in each molt, they're out all the time, great eaters and someone's always breeding them so they have good value.

 

[Poec54]

Thanks for all of the help. I was thinking of getting another sling or possibly an adult later this month at Repticon. What kind should I get? What species are docile, easy, and are very active, and good eaters as slings?

Brachypelma albopilsoum and vagans, & Lasiodora parahybana are a few reliable eating machines.

 

[xkris]

I'll second GBB and Lasiadora Parahybana.
My Gbb never hides, she made her own hang-out place out of webs and is always out and about doing something and webbing. She is a good eater and has good feeding reflex. She was a first T that showed me how a T pounces prey Because of the webs she hunts in some interesting ways. You can't go wrong with Gbb. Give her a semi-arboreal enclosure so she has some surfaces to climb and anchor her webs.

Also LP always wants to eat. Mine is active and inquisitive. When I do stuff in my room she walks around her tank so she can see better what is happening. When I just got her I wasn't used to such out-going spider and it unnerved me how she sometimes likes to sit in corner closest to me and look at me. She grows fast and will grow up huge.