B. Smithi Not Eating

[MKG]

My B. Smithi molted 3 weeks ago. I have offered a cricket once a week and he has not ate. Is this normal? I'm getting worried.

 

[Devin B]

How big is it? I would suggest leaving a prekilled prey item in the enclosure overnight or trying a different prey item.

 

[miss moxie]

Pictures of their enclosure and a brief summary on how you've been keeping them will help us make a better educated guess.

 

[MKG]

He's about 3 inches. Water dish and hide.

 

[MKG]

 

[MKG]

How big is it? I would suggest leaving a prekilled prey item in the enclosure overnight or trying a different prey item.

About 3 inches. He ate great pre-molt and now nothing.

 

[miss moxie]

About 3 inches. He ate great pre-molt and now nothing.

Sounds like MM behavior, but I don't think I see any hooks on him. Could you get a better focused and better lit picture of his front legs? I don't think he is an MM but better to try and rule it out.

 

[MKG]

Sounds like MM behavior, but I don't think I see any hooks on him. Could you get a better focused and better lit picture of his front legs? I don't think he is an MM but better to try and rule it out.

Yes, I'll try to get a better picture once he get out of his hide. What's MM behavior? New to this hobby.

 

[miss moxie]

Yes, I'll try to get a better picture once he get out of his hide. What's MM behavior? New to this hobby.

Well when males mature (MM = Mature Male) and are ready to find a female for breeding they begin to refuse food and eat less or not at all as well as wander around the walls out their enclosure in search of a tarantula lady.

Since you're new, was he sold to you as a male or is that just something you've been thinking? Because maybe it's not a male at all in that case. Were you able to sex the molt?

 

[sdsnybny]

First pic (post 4) is clear its not a MM. Adult and sub adult T's can take up to a month or more before its ready to eat again. Just give it a full clean water dish and try once a week for feeding as not to stress it out daily. It will eat when its ready.

 

[MKG]

Well when males mature (MM = Mature Male) and are ready to find a female for breeding they begin to refuse food and eat less or not at all as well as wander around the walls out their enclosure in search of a tarantula lady.

Since you're new, was he sold to you as a male or is that just something you've been thinking? Because maybe it's not a male at all in that case. Were you able to sex the molt?

He was sold as a very high probable male.

 

[MKG]

Well when males mature (MM = Mature Male) and are ready to find a female for breeding they begin to refuse food and eat less or not at all as well as wander around the walls out their enclosure in search of a tarantula lady.

Since you're new, was he sold to you as a male or is that just something you've been thinking? Because maybe it's not a male at all in that case. Were you able to sex the molt?

This may sound weird but since he molted he like to stand real tall, like high up. You said "hooks" I think he had 2 hooks from his front legs. I don't know if that was pre molt or post He likes the walls. I just really don't want him to die. So nervous...

 

[Olan]

He looks very healthy. He'll be fine. Just try to be patient.

Standing up tall is either stretching or trying to warm his abdomen, in my experience. How warm is the room he's in?

 

[KezyGLA]

That doesnt look like an MM IMO. I cant see the hooks where they are meant to be in the photo (Brachy hooks are fairly obvious). And Brachypelma males will mature fairly large 4+"

 

[Rittdk01]

That's nowhere near a mature male. Way too small and the first pic shows pretty clearly there are no boxing gloves.

Anyhow, tarantulas are weird before and after molting. Just offer food once a week and keep the water dish full. Nothing else you really can do.

 

[MKG]

He looks very healthy. He'll be fine. Just try to be patient.

Standing up tall is either stretching or trying to warm his abdomen, in my experience. How warm is the room he's in?

Around 70-73

 

[MKG]

I killed the cricket and left it in the enclosure and put him in a really dark room. Cricket it gone this morning. He put the brown bedding in his water dish. Completely covered it up. Balled up more bedding in his hide. He molted and went crazy. Pre molt he was a very aggressive eater of live crickets.