Worried about my Grammostola Pulchripes

Brian176

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 5, 2018
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3
I got a new G.P sling about 2 weeks ago at a half inch, and it hasn't eaten yet. I've tried different prey items, pre-killed and alive, of various sizes as well. It was very lethargic when I unboxed it and it has remained as such. It built a large burrow but covered it up and has been in there for a week straight. I can see it through the side and it's alive. Usually I'll see a bit of substrate movement but I'm really worried it hasn't eaten. I thought it might be in pre-molt but can it last this long? Any one have any advice?
P.s. I'm new to this hobby and have 3 other slings all doing very well. They've all been eating well and regularly every 3 days, I don't know what to do for my G.P.
 

Ztesch

Arachnoknight
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Aug 20, 2017
Messages
196
Well you could remove some of the dirt at the entrance of the burrow and leave A prekilled prey of your choice next to it. That way if it wants to eat it can but its most likely in premolt.
 

Nightstalker47

Arachnoking
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Jul 2, 2016
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2,612
Pre molt is pretty clear with G.pulchripes IME, check to see if the abdomen has darkened at all...these are usually great eaters.

Pics of the T and enclosure are always helpful.
 

Brian176

Arachnopeon
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Apr 5, 2018
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3
Okay, I'll try leaving it some more food and opening up the burrow a little. Wow months? I didnt know it could last so long when they are slings. And the abdomen was dark when it arrived but I haven't gotten a good look at it for about a week. I only have one pic of it before it burrowed, when it first arrived.
 

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The Grym Reaper

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Just leave it be until after it moults, it's not uncommon to get slings that are already in pre-moult, my B. smithi didn't eat for 2 months after I got it before finally moulting, my G. sp. 'Concepcion' didn't eat for a month after I got it before moulting and my T. ockerti/P. atrichomatus both ate once and then went into pre-moult (the latter for over a month).

I'd take that wet cotton ball out of there, it's not needed, just keep half of the substrate slightly moist and you're good.
 

PidderPeets

Arachnoprince
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As a sling, my G. pulchripes went on a 3 month fast and wasn't in premolt. So premolt or not, they can go quite some time without food.

Also, for future reference, it's better to leave the den sealed off, as you chance injuring the T. They usually seal off the den for a reason, namely they want to be left alone. I've heard reports of a certain OW species that has been known to starve to death because they won't open their dens even when starving, but I've never heard instances of it occurring in any other species. And it took well over 2 weeks for them to starve.
 

Little Grey Spider

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May 14, 2017
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262
I agree with @The Grym Reaper here. This just happened to me with an H. pulchripes. It didn't eat for 3 weeks after arriving. Then one day I saw a shiny new spider! And as for G. pulchripes, mine has literally been burrowed since early November. Be patient and also consider yourself lucky that you can at least see that it's alive. :happy:
 

aphono

Arachnobaron
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Mar 11, 2017
Messages
481
Personally I would never open a burrow. That is their 'do not disturb' sign. Making and then closing a burrow probably means it is not as bad off as it seemed.

One of my very first tarantulas early last year was a .5" G pulchripes and about two months later got another at the same size. The former was in(and stayed in) a condiment cup with shallow substrate. The latter came with an AMAC box- it's narrow, upright plastic box with a lot of substrate and so it had a deep substrate.

AMAC immediately made a burrow down to the bottom and this one rarely ate, sealed off the burrow for week or weeks at a time. Fed only when there was a visible hole. It was almost like this- open hole, feed, hole closed.... hole still closed.. yep still closed.. aha! open hole! feed! ahhhh closed hole again already! closed for another week or two- it has gone three solid weeks sometimes. Would have liked to see it better but took comfort in knowing this was quite normal for them.

Condiment cup never tried to burrow.. it was a very frequent feeder- every week, unless in premolt, which was very easy to tell as it was always visible. As a result it sped way ahead in size. It's well over twice the size of the other.

Both are completely fine, only difference is size.

also since then with slings of different species- I've learned to relax with not seeing slings much or if they have their burrow closed off for more than a week. My current champion is a Harpactira caferiana 3/4" sling that stayed sealed down for.. two months and a half. I won't lie, after a full month, got a little nervous and peeked at the bottom, it told me I was bothering it needlessly.. whew.

Just keep the water dish full, overflow it occasionally to make a temporary wet spot. How big of a spot does not matter much.. 1/2 or less of the substrate is good.
 

cold blood

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Personally I would never open a burrow. That is their 'do not disturb' sign. Making and then closing a burrow probably means it is not as bad off as it seemed.

One of my very first tarantulas early last year was a .5" G pulchripes and about two months later got another at the same size. The former was in(and stayed in) a condiment cup with shallow substrate. The latter came with an AMAC box- it's narrow, upright plastic box with a lot of substrate and so it had a deep substrate.

AMAC immediately made a burrow down to the bottom and this one rarely ate, sealed off the burrow for week or weeks at a time. Fed only when there was a visible hole. It was almost like this- open hole, feed, hole closed.... hole still closed.. yep still closed.. aha! open hole! feed! ahhhh closed hole again already! closed for another week or two- it has gone three solid weeks sometimes. Would have liked to see it better but took comfort in knowing this was quite normal for them.

Condiment cup never tried to burrow.. it was a very frequent feeder- every week, unless in premolt, which was very easy to tell as it was always visible. As a result it sped way ahead in size. It's well over twice the size of the other.

Both are completely fine, only difference is size.

also since then with slings of different species- I've learned to relax with not seeing slings much or if they have their burrow closed off for more than a week. My current champion is a Harpactira caferiana 3/4" sling that stayed sealed down for.. two months and a half. I won't lie, after a full month, got a little nervous and peeked at the bottom, it told me I was bothering it needlessly.. whew.

Just keep the water dish full, overflow it occasionally to make a temporary wet spot. How big of a spot does not matter much.. 1/2 or less of the substrate is good.
ive experimented with housing like you described with nearly 200 specimens....condiment cups made for easier to monitor slings, more agressive feeding response, which led to growth rates 4-5 times faster...the differrence in growth rates across the board was astounding.
 

Paul1126

Arachnoangel
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Jun 14, 2017
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818
I opened up a burrow on a B. vagans sling, 3 weeks post moult. Dropped a pre killed mealworm and he snapped it up pretty much straight away.
I probably wouldn't open a burrow on a larger T though.
 

Brian176

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 5, 2018
Messages
3
Hey thanks everyone for all your suggestions and info. I started leaving pre-killed meal worm chunks by the burrow every few days now but it hadn't seemed to touch them. However, I checked them this morning before work and I spotted the little one chowing down. I didn't want to disturb it so I took a rather poor pic but still, it ate, a complete suprise. Thanks again, at least you all made me a bit more comfortable knowing this wasn't some huge problem.
 

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ccTroi

Arachnobaron
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Mar 27, 2017
Messages
340
Pre molt is pretty clear with G.pulchripes IME, check to see if the abdomen has darkened at all...these are usually great eaters.
It is too young to gauge a 1/2” sling’s eating tendencies. They are great eaters, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t take that much to fill the 1/2” sling of OP. If it was given a leg of a small cricket each feeding, I would assume it would take it without hesitation every time for the simple fact that it isn’t as ‘filling’ as a full cricket (pre-killed of course). I would say once they reach 1.5” is when their abdomen becomes a more reliable indicator if they are in premolt. Slings under 1” have black abdomens even right after a molt. I use a flashlight and shine it directly on them - if it’s dark brown and shiny, I suspect premolt or very soon going in to. Just my experience ;).

Heck, I have a few right now that are 1/4” that haven’t eaten in two months. I left pieces of prey each week with them, but when I discovered untouched food for four consecutive weeks, I suspect premolt and have stopped offering food.
I got a new G.P sling about 2 weeks ago at a half inch, and it hasn't eaten yet. I've tried different prey items, pre-killed and alive, of various sizes as well. It was very lethargic when I unboxed it and it has remained as such. It built a large burrow but covered it up and has been in there for a week straight. I can see it through the side and it's alive. Usually I'll see a bit of substrate movement but I'm really worried it hasn't eaten. I thought it might be in pre-molt but can it last this long? Any one have any advice?
P.s. I'm new to this hobby and have 3 other slings all doing very well. They've all been eating well and regularly every 3 days, I don't know what to do for my G.P.
I suggest you keep half of the substrate moist, fill a bottle cap with water, and/or saturate sphagnum moss for drinking.
 
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