New Keeper - Sling Question

[justin rauschenberg]

I picked up my first two tarantulas ever recently - both slings: a g. pulchra and a b. hamorii.

The GP is about 1.25" give or take and the BH is about 0.75".

I've owned them for about 12 days so far. The GP appears to be a fairly voracious eater. He's eaten 3 crickets and a meal worm in that time. The BH has refused literally everything I've offered: live small crickets, meal worms, and cricket legs (in case live prey was too much). The only thing the BH has done since I got it is dug a very shallow hole/burrow in the corner and sit there all day with his abdomen sticking up and his head in the dirt.

I don't know if I'm doing something wrong (perhaps he's stressed?) or if this is typical. I know they refuse food in pre-molt, but his abdomen didn't look swollen and dark, which I thought was the main physical sign for that. He does have a big black spot on his abdomen, but I assume that's his coloring.

Just looking for the opinions of more experienced keepers (which is pretty much everyone on this forum relative to me).

 

[Vanisher]

B harmorii is picky eaters imo. Nothing to be worried about. Could be premoult, or not? Try once a week, but if it is plump, you can wait till it moults

 

[CommanderBacon]

If you post some photos of the T and its enclosure, it might be more helpful, but like @Vanisher said it is likely in premolt. When they refuse food and look fat, I usually just offer food once every two weeks until they molt.

 

[justin rauschenberg]

B harmorii is picky eaters imo. Nothing to be worried about. Could be premoult, or not? Try once a week, but if it is plump, you can wait till it moults

Thanks. I wouldn't exactly call him plump, but he's not withering away as far as I can tell.

If you post some photos of the T and its enclosure, it might be more helpful, but like @Vanisher said it is likely in premolt. When they refuse food and look fat, I usually just offer food once every two weeks until they molt.

I will see if I can get a good photo in a bit. He's quite small so it may be hard to tell anything.

 

[Colorado Ts]

I picked up my first two tarantulas ever recently - both slings: a g. pulchra and a b. hamorii.

The GP is about 1.25" give or take and the BH is about 0.75".

I've owned them for about 12 days so far. The GP appears to be a fairly voracious eater. He's eaten 3 crickets and a meal worm in that time. The BH has refused literally everything I've offered: live small crickets, meal worms, and cricket legs (in case live prey was too much). The only thing the BH has done since I got it is dug a very shallow hole/burrow in the corner and sit there all day with his abdomen sticking up and his head in the dirt.

I don't know if I'm doing something wrong (perhaps he's stressed?) or if this is typical. I know they refuse food in pre-molt, but his abdomen didn't look swollen and dark, which I thought was the main physical sign for that. He does have a big black spot on his abdomen, but I assume that's his coloring.

Just looking for the opinions of more experienced keepers (which is pretty much everyone on this forum relative to me).

Brachypelmas, by their nature tend to be picky eaters...often going on hunger strikes.

Your Grammostola pulchra can also be picky at times, though much less often. G. pulchras are such a favorite...post images as it grows.

I keep my slings at 79 degrees and feed them twice a week...until they hit about 2” to 2.5”.

If you post some photos of the T and its enclosure, it might be more helpful, but like @Vanisher said it is likely in premolt. When they refuse food and look fat, I usually just offer food once every two weeks until they molt.

This is great advice right here. I’m playing this game right now with my little G. pulchripes.

 

[mack1855]

day with his abdomen sticking up and his head in the dirt.

….the longer you keep T,s,you will see a lot of this.Its the slings way of letting you know how it feels about you.
Don't take it personally.

 

[viper69]

I picked up my first two tarantulas ever recently - both slings: a g. pulchra and a b. hamorii.

The GP is about 1.25" give or take and the BH is about 0.75".

I've owned them for about 12 days so far. The GP appears to be a fairly voracious eater. He's eaten 3 crickets and a meal worm in that time. The BH has refused literally everything I've offered: live small crickets, meal worms, and cricket legs (in case live prey was too much). The only thing the BH has done since I got it is dug a very shallow hole/burrow in the corner and sit there all day with his abdomen sticking up and his head in the dirt.

I don't know if I'm doing something wrong (perhaps he's stressed?) or if this is typical. I know they refuse food in pre-molt, but his abdomen didn't look swollen and dark, which I thought was the main physical sign for that. He does have a big black spot on his abdomen, but I assume that's his coloring.

Just looking for the opinions of more experienced keepers (which is pretty much everyone on this forum relative to me).

Pictures!

 

[Drizzliz]

The swollen and dark abdomen often comes when the molt is imminent. The premolt / fasting period can start much earlier.

I've had a Brachypelma sling (1/2 inch) go 200 days without food; at a certain point they just dont want any more until they molt.

As mentioned, pictures would be good to ensure care is correct.

 

[justin rauschenberg]

I finally got a good picture. Last time I tried to feed him, he ran under his hide so this was perfect as I just pulled it up.

I think over wet the substrate when I initially got it so it's still quite damp. Using cocobark as the substrate and a tiny Lego for a water dish.

I'd appreciate any and all thoughts on the little guy.

 

[FrDoc]

Your little spider looks fine. However, “quite damp” is an understatement about that substrate. You need to let that dry out, and I see no side ventilation holes in that picture angle. You need to fix that immediately, if you don’t, it will not remain looking fine.

 

[justin rauschenberg]

Your little spider looks fine. However, “quite damp” is an understatement about that substrate. You need to let that dry out, and I see no side ventilation holes in that picture angle. You need to fix that immediately.

The ventilation is on the top. It's a sling enclosure from Jaime's Tarantulas. Given that this is a trusted vendor I assume the ventilation is adequate.

I plan on ordering a couple more enclosures from Jaime's so I can switch him into a drier one. Everything I read about slings emphasized how easily they can dry out, esp when not eating, so I may have been overzealous.

 

[FrDoc]

The ventilation is on the top. It's a sling enclosure from Jaime's Tarantulas. Given that this is a trusted vendor I assume the ventilation is adequate.

I plan on ordering a couple more enclosures from Jaime's so I can switch him into a drier one. Everything I read about slings emphasized how easily they can dry out, esp when not eating, so I may have been overzealous.

I use some of Jamie’s stuff too, but there needs to be side vents to dry that substrate, or you can change it out.

 

[Brachyfan]

I picked up my first two tarantulas ever recently - both slings: a g. pulchra and a b. hamorii.

The GP is about 1.25" give or take and the BH is about 0.75".

I've owned them for about 12 days so far. The GP appears to be a fairly voracious eater. He's eaten 3 crickets and a meal worm in that time. The BH has refused literally everything I've offered: live small crickets, meal worms, and cricket legs (in case live prey was too much). The only thing the BH has done since I got it is dug a very shallow hole/burrow in the corner and sit there all day with his abdomen sticking up and his head in the dirt.

I don't know if I'm doing something wrong (perhaps he's stressed?) or if this is typical. I know they refuse food in pre-molt, but his abdomen didn't look swollen and dark, which I thought was the main physical sign for that. He does have a big black spot on his abdomen, but I assume that's his coloring.

Just looking for the opinions of more experienced keepers (which is pretty much everyone on this forum relative to me).

That all sounds like typical sling behavior to me. My Brachypelma slings do that shallow burrow at the side of the enclosure thing too. Eventually my hamorii dug to the bottom and sealed itself off. That is a big sign that it will molt soon.

Looking at your t I would guess it is starting it's premolt / fasting stage. You will know when the molt is going to happen when that black spot in your pic covers the whole abdomen.

Good luck and welcome to the hobby

 

[justin rauschenberg]

That all sounds like typical sling behavior to me. My Brachypelma slings do that shallow burrow at the side of the enclosure thing too. Eventually my hamorii dug to the bottom and sealed itself off. That is a big sign that it will molt soon.

Looking at your t I would guess it is starting it's premolt / fasting stage. You will know when the molt is going to happen when that black spot in your pic covers the whole abdomen.

Good luck and welcome to the hobby

Thanks for the reassurance!

 

[Goopyguy56]

My B Hamorii didn't like live food at that size. I usually had more success with prekilled stuff

 

[Kitara]

My B Hamorii didn't like live food at that size. I usually had more success with prekilled stuff

Depends on the spider. Mine takes B. lats with no trouble and it is only 1/2" if that.