P.metallica sling behavior question.

[stnick80]

I have a little 1 inch P.metallica sling. I have a question about its behavior. I was doing my normal feeding today and I noticed that when I put crickets into the little metallicas vial that it would tap its legs over and over at the cricket. She (hopeful) would even chase them for a little bit tapping the whole way. She would even tap them if they got to close. My only guess could be pre-molt. I have over 50 other tarantulas but I've never seen another behave like that during pre-molt. She is big n' fat and I think she is due for a molt. All the rest of my T slings just run away when they are in pre-molt. Has anybody else observed this behavior? Thanks

 

[Kriegan]

Yes, i also have a sling and it only did that with pinheads the first week in my care it would eat fruit flies but not pinheads it would chase them and tap them... so i thought maybe they were too big and then it molted and i started offering pinheads again and it quickly devoured them, and it does eat them even 2 days before it molts so pre-molt in slings lasts for 2 or 3 days IME. Hmm it's either the pinheads are too big, it's taking its' time to settle in it's new home, or it should molt one of these days.

 

[sick4x4]

sounds correct, it might be going into a molt soon so that could explain the tapping..its almost like shewing them away...lol i would just make sure you add moisture and sit and wait

 

[brandi]

Mine has done the same thing when its in pre-molt. Just make sure there's plenty of moisture and let her do her thing.

 

[swade655]

metallicas

I have 4 of these guys..... at first they wouldn't take anything, then I e-mailed the dealer and he informed me that they were given only mealworms........ so my dubias and pinheads were new to them.... there was a lot of prey tapping, but give it time, they will adjust.

 

[Alice]

my p. regalis do the same thing when in pre-molt or prey too big. i don't think you have to worry.

uh, i sooo much hope to get a metallica this weekend :drool:, but my dealer has not yet confirmed that he got them :wall:. plus, my boyfriend's cat hurt herself bad and as he's not here at the moment i had to pay about 400 $ for all the trips to the vet!!! so we'll have to see about this...

at least the cat made it and is doing fine again.

 

[NixHexDude]

Maybe this goes without saying, but if your T is indeed in premolt you should really remove any crickets from the vial, so they won't snack on your helpless Avic. This behavior isn't uncommon. I only have 6 T's, and I have observed this multiple times.

 

[davidmmx]

Yes, my avics kick prey out of her web, while my smithis run away, maybe because the avics have a nest to defend, but the smithis don't.

 

[stnick80]

Maybe this goes without saying, but if your T is indeed in premolt you should really remove any crickets from the vial, so they won't snack on your helpless Avic. This behavior isn't uncommon. I only have 6 T's, and I have observed this multiple times.

I always remove crickets from my Ts who show no interest. It's the lack of interest for food with the species that have a less obvious pre-molt that usually tells me that they are in fact, in pre-molt. I knew this spider was probably in pre-molt judging by the amount of food it has ate, the size of it's opisthoma and the fact it has not yet molted in my care. I was just questioning whether this was a common behavior with either the genus or the particular species. I have 6 Avicularia and I haven't yet observed this behavior in them yet. It must be a pokie thing. Perhaps an aboreal thing but I have yet to observe this in any other genera I keep.

 

[syndicate]

the p.metallica slings i have i interesting little guys.fierce predators

 

[funnylori]

My Avic. versicolor sling does the same tapping thing with roaches just before molting and a for a couple of days post-molt, patience is key. When she is ready she comes out of her nest and snatches up the roaches no problem. dont worry, your T is normal.

 

[Ryan Reynolds]

Do P. metallica slings usually make webs? I have two, one sits at the top of the enclosure, and the other hides in a crack in the bark.

 

[OliverWhatever]

Do P. metallica slings usually make webs? I have two, one sits at the top of the enclosure, and the other hides in a crack in the bark.

My P. met was never a heavy webber, he mostly webbed the entrance to his bark tube, and sometimes a bit heavier webbing if he was in premolt. I wouldn't worry too much if they don't web, as long as they have a hide to retreat to.

 

[Toxoderidae]

man this thread is almost my age.