What's going on?!?

[james may]

I posted a previous thread on my tarantula not eating for close to three months, molted in my care, a.seemenni just sits like this with its prey but never uses fangs and eats tried several different prey items dead and alive, just sits in water dish.

 

[Nightstalker47]

Looks to be feeding in the picture. Your sub is far too dry for this species, they should be kept moist even as adults...sitting in the water dish is a clear indicator thats its dehydrated and looking for water.

Post pics of your entire enclosure and moisten down the sub.

 

[james may]

Looks to be feeding in the picture. Your sub is far too dry for this species, they should be kept moist even as adults...sitting in the water dish is a clear indicator thats its dehydrated and looking for water.

Post pics of your entire enclosure.

I will sit like this for a bit and lose interest, I half moist half dry and yes tends to be on the moist side

 

[Nightstalker47]

I will sit like this for a bit and lose interest, I half moist half dry and yes tends to be on the moist side

Is it possible that your specimen is a MM? Looks quite lanky and seems to have that build. Can you post some pics of the palps?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I will sit like this for a bit and lose interest

You?

I half moist half dry and yes tends to be on the moist side

Post a complete pic of the whole enclosure/set up.

 

[james may]

I posted another thread "tarantula won't eat" with some more details, pictures are in order, last one is when I got the "female" thanks for the responses by the way

 

[james may]

You?





Post a complete pic of the whole enclosure/set up.

Ok I did, I'm new to this site so I didn't reply just posted another comment on the thread

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I see. You are using an Exo Terra enclosure, if my eyes aren't wrong. That's not the best choice at all for a terrestrial spider (those enclosures are supposed for arboreals).

Personally I would rehouse the spider into a KK or something similar, floor space is what you need. In the meantime, keep the water dish always clean, and pay attention to that 'skull' inside (if the spider should fall on that is always bad news).

Judging the last pic of post #6 the spider seems in a nice shape, Opisthosoma speaking.

 

[james may]

Yes it's 12x12x12 exo terra, I have a healthy red knee in one and seems to do fine! The last picture was before it molted, now he/she went from that brown to this blue which is cool! However has not ate since about three months and adomen is the size of a small almond. I fill it up with water daily and it always dry or low on water shortly after could be position that some escapes or humidity but it will be within a hour it's gone no way a T drinks a shot of water every hour?

 

[Nightstalker47]

I posted another thread "tarantula won't eat" with some more details, pictures are in order, last one is when I got the "female" thanks for the responses by the way

Well its not a mature male.

That enclosure wont work for this species though, theres too much height and not enough burrowing depth. If your seemanni climbs to the top and falls...it could be fatal. Needs a rehouse, anything that you can add several inches of moist sub into will work fine, drill some cross vent and your good to go.

 

[cold blood]

Completely inappropriate enclosure for a terrestrial.

 

[Ungoliant]

I posted a previous thread on my tarantula not eating for close to three months, molted in my care, a.seemenni just sits like this with its prey but never uses fangs and eats tried several different prey items dead and alive, just sits in water dish.

Try to find an enclosure that either has less vertical space or allows you to fill it up with substrate. (The front-opening doors on an Exo Terra prevent this.) The distance between the top of the substrate and the lid should be no more than 1.5 times the tarantula's diagonal leg span. (For example, if it's a 4" spider, vertical space should not exceed 6".)

Aphonopelma seemanni will appreciate extra substrate for burrowing. Keep some of the substrate slightly damp. (Spending excessive time in or near the water dish may be a sign that the substrate is too dry.)

Use something like a piece of cork bark for the hide, and bury most of it at an angle. Dig just a small entrance with your hand, and let your seemanni do the rest. (They will excavate as much space as they want.)

Here are some additional tips from Tomoran.

 

[boina]

Yes it's 12x12x12 exo terra, I have a healthy red knee in one and seems to do fine!

That only means you have a hardy tarantula and it does not mean you have a good setup.

Exo terras are arboreal enclosures. Terrestrials can survive in them - until they don't.

I half moist half dry and yes tends to be on the moist side

So the tarantula is telling you it wants more moisture the only way it can. Why don't you listen to your tarantula?

A spider that is spending a lot of time in or near its water dish and has a small abdomen and still doesn't eat, may very well be dehydrated. A dehydrated tarantula cannot eat since they need fluids for digestion. I strongly suggest you give her a lot more moist substrate to build a burrow and live in.

If water is disappearing from the water bowl clean it thoroughly, especially the rim. Water is wicking out, fine strands of silk can have that effect.