1.5" P. metallica sling hasn't ate for 40 days.

[stevoblue]

I have a 1.5" P. metallica sling that is not eating. It has been 40 days.

I wanted to get a feel about how long other people's metallica slings have gone before eating.

It's abdomen is not shrivled but it isn't really big either. I've tried live and pre-killed 1/4 inch dubias and the smallest crickets available.
The sling was afraid of the live prey especially the cricket.

It is in a well ventilated small amex box with a small cork slab and a full water bottle cap. I do not mist the enclosure.

I heard that they don't like to eat with wet substrate so I have let it dry out completely. I will put a couple of drops of water on the cork every so often.

Any Ideas?

 

[Oroborus]

Interesting issue. I only have two species of Poecilotheria so others would be much more qualified to provide advice; however, in my experience they prefer higher humidity and an ambient temperature of 26 - 28C (78 - 82F). I've never run into a sling fasting that long, but like I said my experience is relatively limited. I tried small wax worms with my more shy slings with success. Good luck.

 

[cold blood]

It should have a water dish (which it does), and like most Asians, they like moist substrate, the substrate moisture content will have no bearing on its appetite (curious where you heard that one). That said, poecs are much more tolerant of dry conditions than most other Asian ts. But, if its pre-molt as I suspect, its going to be better off with some moisture in the sub IME. I've had poecs that size go 2 months without eating while awaiting molt (vitatta/striata).

Its probably, almost certainly, just pre-molt. Arboreals never get that big fat butt that terrestrials do, so until you've had poecs for a while, it can be difficult to determine when it is pre-molt.

I keep my room warm, about the temps the previous post mentioned, and they do quite well, but I also notice that whenever the temps drop, they're all hunting, so I think as long as they're kept at 70, they will be just fine.

 

[Tomoran]

What temperature range is it being kept at? Out of the Poecilotheria species I keep, my P. metallica seems to slow down the most during the slightly cooler and drier winter months. I just checked some old notes I had, and mine didn't eat for about six weeks during the winter a couple years ago. It was nice and fat, though, and the molt came eventually. If you suspect an impending molt, keep the water dish full and perhaps moisten a corner of the substrate a bit. Don't mist, just pour a bit of water in.

 

[KcFerry]

My P. metallica has always been a fussy eater too! Most of my poeci's eat on a regular schedule, but the P. met has gone months refusing food. Even as a sling I would just leave the roach in with her and she would eventually hunt it down and eat it. They're very secretive spiders. As long as it doesn't look dehydrated or terribly thin, I wouldn't worry. It'll eat when it's ready. @ 1.5" I wouldn't offer pre-kill. I think they prefer to hunt at even half that size.

 

[stevoblue]

Thanks for the replies. The room temp is kept in the low 70's diring the day and drops down to 65/66 during sleeping hours. I thought about pre molt but I haven't seen any physical changes. I do know you can't really tell when they are that small. It is reassuring that some of you have had them go long periods before molts.
As for the dry substrate thing i heard it from another forum. I have tried it and it hasn't worked for me.
I'll wet the corner under the water cap and try a wax worm in a few days.
I'll update if anything changes.

 

[micheldied]

I've had several other Poecilotheria species in the past, and now I have two P. metallica slings.
I've found that most were very good eaters, until now. My P. metallica are definitely not. Both stopped eating for over 40 days before molting, and right now they're actually both refusing to eat again. One's had two large meals since molting, the other hasn't fattened up quite that much but is also not eating.
I'm keeping them at 70-80 now, and they were at 65-70 before. Didn't make a difference in their appetite.

 

[Tomoran]

Thanks for the replies. The room temp is kept in the low 70's diring the day and drops down to 65/66 during sleeping hours. I thought about pre molt but I haven't seen any physical changes. I do know you can't really tell when they are that small. It is reassuring that some of you have had them go long periods before molts.
As for the dry substrate thing i heard it from another forum. I have tried it and it hasn't worked for me.
I'll wet the corner under the water cap and try a wax worm in a few days.
I'll update if anything changes.

I will say that mine slowed down eating quite a bit during the winter when temps dipped to 68 at times. That last two summers, it ate much better and molted with a shorter duration in between. I'll be curious to hear if you noticed any difference once the temperatures heat back up. Best of luck!

 

[gypsy cola]

I have similar issues with my sling. I noticed these species are incredibly skittish. Try keeping your T in a darker area until it grows a little big bigger. I had to pretend mine didn't even exist

 

[Casey K]

I have a 1.5" P. metallica sling that is not eating. It has been 40 days.

I wanted to get a feel about how long other people's metallica slings have gone before eating.

It's abdomen is not shrivled but it isn't really big either. I've tried live and pre-killed 1/4 inch dubias and the smallest crickets available.
The sling was afraid of the live prey especially the cricket.

It is in a well ventilated small amex box with a small cork slab and a full water bottle cap. I do not mist the enclosure.

I heard that they don't like to eat with wet substrate so I have let it dry out completely. I will put a couple of drops of water on the cork every so often.

Any Ideas?

Let's try something a bit different than temperature, humidity, and the conditions of the substrate. Have you checked the Tarantula for nematodes. There are a lot of underlying conditions that can cause the issue, as well. When a Tarantula has nematodes, it can't eat. Look under the Tarantula, near its mouth/fangs and see if it appears "wet" or has a white liquid looking substance in or around the mouth. If so, it is very (highly) possible/probable that it has nematodes. Not trying to scare you but it is potentially fatal to Tarantulas and is very easily transmittable. Not making a diagnosis on your T but its just something I would suggest looking for. Please let us know what/if you find anything.

 

[stevoblue]

Let's try something a bit different than temperature, humidity, and the conditions of the substrate. Have you checked the Tarantula for nematodes. There are a lot of underlying conditions that can cause the issue, as well. When a Tarantula has nematodes, it can't eat. Look under the Tarantula, near its mouth/fangs and see if it appears "wet" or has a white liquid looking substance in or around the mouth. If so, it is very (highly) possible/probable that it has nematodes. Not trying to scare you but it is potentially fatal to Tarantulas and is very easily transmittable. Not making a diagnosis on your T but its just something I would suggest looking for. Please let us know what/if you find anything.

As far as I can see there is nothing white or wet around the fangs. It is real hard to see as he/she is small and doesn't rest on the side of the enclosure.
If it was is there any treatment? Ways to prevent nematodes?

 

[Casey K]

As far as I can see there is nothing white or wet around the fangs. It is real hard to see as he/she is small and doesn't rest on the side of the enclosure.
If it was is there any treatment? Ways to prevent nematodes?

To be honest, I'm unsure about treatment/cures. I have heard of some type of "mixture" that gets rid of them when a qtip is inserted in it and then the qtip is put to their mouth. If I'm not mistaken, its some type of "pesticide". Now, that sounds a bit scary because to our Tarantulas, it can make them sick or be fatal but if they have nematodes, you pretty much have nothing to lose as they are potentially fatal, anyway. Now, if you find nematodes, I suggest soaking a qtip in warm water (not hot) and gently try to brush away the " white" stuff from their mouth as much as you can. Keep the area clean. Tarantulas die from nematodes because they prevent them from eating. Keeping their mouth free and clear of the pest may help them so they can eat again. Perhaps someone that has had this issue can put their two cents in. I've never experienced it but I have researched. On a note: if it is nematodes I cannot stress how important it is to isolate the infected Tarantula(s) from the rest of your collection. Clean the cage to help get rid of the pests, put the infected Tarantulas in a disposable container long enough to clean the terrariums. Sanitize any instruments used near the T (tongs, tweezers (sexing), etc...).....doing this will help prevent the spreading of nematodes to other specimens in your collection. I hope this helps.

 

[Angel Minkov]

I had the same issue with my first P. metallica sling. It refused absolutely every type of food I gave it. Then I dried up the substrate and kept a full water bowl whilst offering cricket "thighs" to it. I needed to wiggle it in front of it, but very, very gently or else it got startled. After 2 and a half months of going without food (with me, it may be longer as I don't know if it had eaten or not before I got it) it started eating. Took it 1-2 molts to start eating live prey and its still growing incredibly slow even to this day and not the best eater either. Its only barely 2 inches and a year and 2 months have passed since I got it.

 

[Reid0210]

Mine is doing the same thing. Hasn't eaten at all in about 4 weeks. Behavior is the same so I'm not really worried. T's do strange things like fasting forever. My chaco hasn't eaten in months but is still active and nice and fat and my rosea will do the same. Irritating but not uncommon.

 

[stevoblue]

It's been at 51 days now. Since my last post I've tried a live and pre-killed wax worm with no luck. I offer a new .25" dubia with a crushed head every few days. I'm not stressing about it anymore. I'll post again when it eats or molts.

 

[Pociemon]

It's been at 51 days now. Since my last post I've tried a live and pre-killed wax worm with no luck. I offer a new .25" dubia with a crushed head every few days. I'm not stressing about it anymore. I'll post again when it eats or molts.

I would not worry. It is very likely time for a molt. Dont let it go dry, they need humidity. Maybe turn up the heat from your low 70´s to around 80f it could speed up the molting proces. Metallica does not eat as much as the big poecilotherias as ornata/regalis, but i dont think they are bad eaters at all, i find them pretty hardy and easy to bring up to adulthood. They just need good venitlation, warm and humidity and they thrive. This waterbowl thing you can drop, maybe 0.05% of poecs will use it, instead mist in there 2 times a week and they drink from the walls.

 

[cold blood]

They will drink from the walls, but not from a water dish? Denmark is weird, here in the US my poecs have never had an issue drinking from the dish. Just playin' of course, they are just two methods ultimately yielding the same results. I completely agree with the rest of your statement though.

 

[Pociemon]

They will drink from the walls, but not from a water dish? Denmark is weird, here in the US my poecs have never had an issue drinking from the dish. Just playin' of course, they are just two methods ultimately yielding the same results. I completely agree with the rest of your statement though.

Maybe it is because we have a very different climate here than your place, i cant say for sure, but if kept alike they should be behaving the same of course.
But i have only seen a very few poecilotheria use waterbowls, and that is only if you really have neglected to mist in there for some time. And even if you have i have veeeery rarely seen them drink from a waterbowl. I have for 5 years not used waterbowls for any of my T´s, that includes my haplopelmas. I dont think not using one for haplos is a good idea for a newbie though.
I have many poecs and have had many for many years now, and i have yet to see the advantage in using waterbowls for poecs in any size. Only time i use it is when i have cooling/dry periods for them because of breeding purposes. Then they are there if they need water, but i dont see them use it much still.

 

[stevoblue]

At 58 days the sling has died. Last night I tried to feed a horn worm. It batted at it a couple of times and then retreated. This morning it was in a death curl and 99% sure it had died. I put it in an ICU just in case but nothing.
Thanks everyone for your input.

 

[mistertim]

I'm sorry to hear that. Could it have been some sort of parasite or something? Really odd that it would just voluntarily refuse food until it died.