Pokie sling not eating

[Lenita]

I bought a pokie sling two months ago. He/she is full of life and has access to water etc but hasn’t eaten at all! I’ve tried live micro crickets, freshly dead micro crickets, flightless fruit flies, small wax worm..... nothing. He/she runs away terrified or is totally dis-interested. I’ve left the food in there for a several hours but don’t leave overnight because I get the feeling a molt is due soon and don’t want to cause any stress.

I know pre-molt spoods reject their food. But two months for a sling?!

 

[Tenebrarius]

that is a weird cork bark, it look very pink and fleshy...I must not know of the brand...because obviously you handling the poor creature is not even something I would consider as hanging ESPECIALLY A POKIE is extremely wrong and gross.

leave your fellow to settle in for a bit, it is probably trying to get ready for a molt. If it didn't feed the first time I wouldn't have tried to waste more feeders for at least a week. also I dont see how you are surprised of a two month interval for a molt? especially for a sling that is when you'l see shorter intervals. Also if you are claiming it hasn't eaten for two month I also would not be surprised or amazed, I have had my B smithi sling demolish such records with almost 4 months.

show me the enclosure too, bad care will also often result in failure to eat...and bad care seems almost implied.

 

[jrh3]

The legs look premolt to me. Do you have a picture of the enclosure? This would really help to see if the husbandry is on point and help finding a solution.

 

[Lenita]

that is a weird cork bark, it look very pink and fleshy...I must not know of the brand...because obviously you handling the poor creature is not even something I would consider as hanging ESPECIALLY A POKIE is extremely wrong and gross.

Gross? how so?

The careful handling a P. Metallica sling while transporting to an alternative enclosure is hardly going to cause excessive trauma to either the creature or myself.

The legs look premolt to me. Do you have a picture of the enclosure?

Ah ok, I haven't experienced a sling moult before. He/she can sit with legs (all 7 of them!) splayed or curled... mood dependent! Will post a picture when I get home. Thanks for your advice, I think you are right though, a moult is imminent,

 

[Derivative]

Gross? how so?

The careful handling a P. Metallica sling while transporting to an alternative enclosure is hardly going to cause excessive trauma to either the creature or myself.



Ah ok, I haven't experienced a sling moult before. He/she can sit with legs (all 7 of them!) splayed or curled... mood dependent! Will post a picture when I get home. Thanks for your advice, I think you are right though, a moult is imminent,

It may not cause any trauma to you or the P. Mettalica but the tarantula gains no enjoyment out of it and all it does is create potentially bad situations such as it bolting out of your hand and getting lost in your living room. You are also creating bad habits by handling her because handling is not the way to transfer tarantulas even docile ones!!! Also Poecilotheria have some of the most potent tarantula venom around that is capable of causing fever, nausea, vomiting, and very severe muscle cramps that can sometimes occur off and on for up to a year. Although I do respect the fact that you stood your ground. If that was my tarantula I would set it up in a small vertical enclosure with good cross ventilation a tall cork bark slab, a bottle cap waterdish, and 3-4 inches of substrate because they aren't that arboreal as slings.

 

[Teal]

My P. met slings have fasted for that long. Your sling has a plump abdomen... it is fine. Just make sure it has access to water.

And don't handle it. They can be QUICK when they want to be, resulting in either a lost sling or a sling accidentally hurt.

Also, the prey you're offering is way too small for that sling. So once it molts, offer decent sized pre-killed prey (the size of the spider minus the legs). I don't even use pinheads or FFFs for microscopic dwarf slings.

 

[Dman]

that is a weird cork bark, it look very pink and fleshy...I must not know of the brand...because obviously you handling the poor creature is not even something I would consider as hanging ESPECIALLY A POKIE is extremely wrong and gross.

leave your fellow to settle in for a bit, it is probably trying to get ready for a molt. If it didn't feed the first time I wouldn't have tried to waste more feeders for at least a week. also I dont see how you are surprised of a two month interval for a molt? especially for a sling that is when you'l see shorter intervals. Also if you are claiming it hasn't eaten for two month I also would not be surprised or amazed, I have had my B smithi sling demolish such records with almost 4 months.

show me the enclosure too, bad care will also often result in failure to eat...and bad care seems almost implied.

People ask questions looking for help because they are do not know the answers. Everyone starts out new and uninformed. Perhaps responses to questions with less abrasiveness and more assistance would be valued and truly help those in need.

 

[Dman]

I bought a pokie sling two months ago. He/she is full of life and has access to water etc but hasn’t eaten at all! I’ve tried live micro crickets, freshly dead micro crickets, flightless fruit flies, small wax worm..... nothing. He/she runs away terrified or is totally dis-interested. I’ve left the food in there for a several hours but don’t leave overnight because I get the feeling a molt is due soon and don’t want to cause any stress.

I know pre-molt spoods reject their food. But two months for a sling?!

I have three slings currently that I have not had luck with feeding. The H. Pulchripes I saw eat two weeks ago but not since. My P. Metallica has not eaten in 3 weeks and my D. diamantinensis has not eaten in two weeks (very small sling) I would not worry as long as the abdomens stay plump should be fine. Try once a week to feed them. They will come around. Tempurature can play a part. I am in the San Diego area so we are mild here but at night my house dips down to about 64 degrees. This makes the metabolism slow down.

 

[Teal]

.

Do you work your Mal?

 

[Dman]

Do you work your Mal?

I should because he is insane. He is intensely focused on any task at hand and learns anything new quickly. He is 2 now and not slowing down. My family has been in German shepards my whole life and he is my first Malingator. Way different than any shepard

 

[jrh3]

People ask questions looking for help because they are do not know the answers. Everyone starts out new and uninformed. Perhaps responses to questions with less abrasiveness and more assistance would be valued and truly help those in need.

I agree, I dont pay the kid no mind, he is always trying to stir something up everytime he comes around. Maybe he should change his name to Taz.

 

[Venom1080]

Prey size should be bigger. Aim for at least body size for prekilled. Live should only be about the size of the body.

Yeah, wouldn't really play with it. They're very fast and skittish and do jump.

Pics of the cage wouldn't hurt.

 

[Tenebrarius]

People ask questions looking for help because they are do not know the answers. Everyone starts out new and uninformed. Perhaps responses to questions with less abrasiveness and more assistance would be valued and truly help those in need.

hey I informed them at least.

 

[Dman]

hey I informed them at least.

Yes you did. Haha

 

[Tenebrarius]

Yes you did. Haha

maybe I'll be more polite from now on, I think I get annoyed because I think about it through my eyes.

 

[Dman]

Sometimes it is hard to see something so wrong and not point out the obvious. Someday even the noobs become experts.

 

[Teal]

I should because he is insane. He is intensely focused on any task at hand and learns anything new quickly. He is 2 now and not slowing down. My family has been in German shepards my whole life and he is my first Malingator. Way different than any shepard

That is how I ended up with my Mal... a longtime GSD pet owner got him and he was like a tornado in their peaceful little house. He is my favourite "off breed" (I have one main breed I focus on)... We have so much crazy fun together!

I'll warn you now - at 2 years old, your boy is just getting started. Now is the time to buckle down with training or you'll regret it haha You're in So Cal, where there are some GREAT Mal folk. To avoid derailing this thread any further, you can PM me if you want

 

[Python Patrol Exotics]

I bought a pokie sling two months ago. He/she is full of life and has access to water etc but hasn’t eaten at all! I’ve tried live micro crickets, freshly dead micro crickets, flightless fruit flies, small wax worm..... nothing. He/she runs away terrified or is totally dis-interested. I’ve left the food in there for a several hours but don’t leave overnight because I get the feeling a molt is due soon and don’t want to cause any stress.

I know pre-molt spoods reject their food. But two months for a sling?!

I got this Phormictopus Sp South Hispaniola about a month and a half ago. I got it from Palp Friction. I have a 5 other Phormictopus slings, all of them are savage eaters. And most that I've noticed with mine is that their premolt is like 2 to 3 weeks, and they dont stop eating until their abdomen is super swollen. So since I've never gotten this guy to eat(at all). And its not swollen and bald, I don't know when to start worrying.

 

[Dman]

I got this Phormictopus Sp South Hispaniola about a month and a half ago. I got it from Palp Friction. I have a 5 other Phormictopus slings, all of them are savage eaters. And most that I've noticed with mine is that their premolt is like 2 to 3 weeks, and they dont stop eating until their abdomen is super swollen. So since I've never gotten this guy to eat(at all). And its not swollen and bald, I don't know when to start worrying.
View attachment 303472 View attachment 303473

Not much to do. Make sure to have water available and try to feed once per week. Maybe try different feeders. Cut a meal worm in half and leave the tail side in with it overnight. Sometimes slings will scavenge dead feeders. Try not to disturb them often and leave them be. They will eventually get hungry.

 

[Python Patrol Exotics]

Not much to do. Make sure to have water available and try to feed once per week. Maybe try different feeders. Cut a meal worm in half and leave the tail side in with it overnight. Sometimes slings will scavenge dead feeders. Try not to disturb them often and leave them be. They will eventually get hungry.

Yea, I've LITERALLY tried every feeder available. I've offered both prekilled and live. So I'm just waiting to see what happens.