A.Seemani Wont Eat!!Input Needed!!!

[dirtborder4life]

Ok,something's gotta give here.My sub-adult a.seemani stopped eating for about a month and a half,and then she molted,so i said ok,good it was just fasting for an upcoming molt.She then ate 4 crickets and stopped eating again.I have offered food about twice a week for about 3 months now and im starting to get worried.3 months without food can't be good.I dont think its another molt coming up,because she barely ate anything between molting and her recent fast.I think she might have a deformation from her last molt that might make her unable to eat.I've noticed one fang pointing down,and the other curled up all the time.I think they are permanently that way.Any Input Needed!!!Im worried!!!!

 

[becca81]

Any chance of getting a picture? If the fangs are deformed, then it won't be able to eat (probably). It will also most likely force a molt at some point in the near future.

 

[dirtborder4life]

Pic

Here's a pic for now,gonna try to get one of the fangs.

 

[becca81]

I can tell you one problem quickly: you need to change the substrate. A. seemani likes to burrow into substrate and can't with what you have in there.

Give it peat moss, eco-earth, or something else like that. I personally use 40/60 vermaculite / peat moss mixture.

 

[dirtborder4life]

substrate

Actually she can burrow,and does,she has a burrow.Another thing though,is that I contradicted myself.It cant be a deformation,because she ate those 4 crickets after her molt.So it must be something else. I appreciate the bit about the substrate though.

 

[ink_scorpion]

I'm gonna give the same advise, that being get rid of the pine shavings (at least thats what they look like) and put in 4 to 6 inches of peat moss or coco-fiber substrate. Your T will be a whole lot happier when it can hide.

 

[Cirith Ungol]

Can the T have struck something with her fangs after that old feeding? Can the fangs be broken?

 

[jbrd]

Well your T looks healthy enough, did he start doin this after the coffe can was put in?

 

[Jekka25]

picky seemani's

Hi,
I have a seemani full grown and I'm saying one thing...she's picky, And skittish. I had to move mine to a part of the room where she'd be less bothered by opening doors and footsteps. She is such a recluse, always appearing to be anti-social, but she comes out at night.
As long as your T is moving around on her own 8 legs, then I can't see that she's super dehydrated, (I read that a real thirsty spider becomes a total pet rock and may need water brought to it if it can't make it to the water), but i'd find a way to bring some water right up to her anyways, just in case she's thirsty beyond the norm.
Have you tried other sized crickets? maybe a mealworm meal or even a pinkie? Sometimes my t's just want variety. Is she well covered? Seemani's seem to react to too much openness negatively.
Oh, and since I put a humidifier on with fresh humidity going into her 10 gallon tank, she's been delightful and happy! maybe she's dry!...good luck!

 

[Mike H.]

IMO 3 months is really nothing to worry about, I have a female Aphonopelma hentzi that has not eaten in months...she has a water dish and a hide and all is fine, yours just like mine will eat when they are ready...make sure her water dish is full and offer food every week or 2...hope this helps..

Regards, Mike

 

[Nerri1029]

I have to agree with Mike H

I've had one seal itself up for 2 months .. only to come out and still refuse to eat for 2 more weeks..

now it's a feeding machine..

so to me it sounds quite "normal".. or at least typical

best of luck

 

[dirtborder4life]

Thanx

Thanx for all the replys.I guess she just likes to eat when she wants to,and thats it.I did try to offer a pinky last night,left it in with her over night,and no luck.Oh,well.At least i stumbled on to this great board!

 

[Pokie1]

Very common

Mine acts the same way-feast then famine. One day she is an eating machine with two or three crickets in her mouth at any given time then the next day she takes months off. I gave up trying to feed her bi-weekly. Now, once a month, I buy a few crickets and throw them in. If they are not gone withing 6 hours I know to wait another month. She is still doing just fine. It makes sense. In the wild (mine was wild-caught) they are ambush predators. taking two or three insects at a time when they appear, but then having to wait an indefinaite period of time before eating again.

Don't worry about it at this point.

Do change the substrate. I use bed a beast and the like then add natural hides like wood and stone, put in live grasses,water sources and the like, trying to keep what I figure is a natural environment for them (differing depending on species). It might help your T and it will make your enclosure nicer to look at too.

regards

Pokie1

 

[dirtborder4life]

Update on A.Seemani

I'd like to thank everyone that replied.Turns out she did need to molt,and she did a few days after i last posted.She came out of it though with a broken fang,but is feeding fine since a week after her molt,she has eaten numerous crickets and a pinky.Also,i got her a new set up.She is now on peat moss,with a clay flower pot,and has made a nice burrow under it and seems to like it,so thanx for the suggestions.Anyway,i hope to be an active member now,so thanx for all the advice.

 

[Windchaser]

I'd like to thank everyone that replied.Turns out she did need to molt,and she did a few days after i last posted.She came out of it though with a broken fang,but is feeding fine since a week after her molt,she has eaten numerous crickets and a pinky.Also,i got her a new set up.She is now on peat moss,with a clay flower pot,and has made a nice burrow under it and seems to like it,so thanx for the suggestions.Anyway,i hope to be an active member now,so thanx for all the advice.

There has been some discussion lately that too much calcium may not be good for tarantulas. It has been observed that several T. blondi and A. geniculata have been loosing fangs. It has also been noted that the tarantulas that have been loosing fangs have had a diet that regularly consisted of mice or other vertebrate prey items. Vertebrate prey items have approximately 15 times the amount of calcium that invertebrate prey does. The effects of the increased calcium levels is currently being studied. Anyway, since you have said that your T is loosing its fangs and that you have mentioned that you feed pinkies on a regular basis, I thought you might want to know about this. You may want to cut back on the pinkies and see if that helps.

 

[hike34]

Just to add to the info - I have a seemani that hasn't fed for around 6 months now. Hasn't molted in over a year.... Very picky spider. The good news is that she is nice and plump, so no real wories about her.

 

[Beccas_824]

My A. semanni has never been a very good eater. She eats maybe one adult cricket once every two weeks, if that. her abdomen is still nice and plumb and she always has a water dish. i don't think its that uncommon for this speices to have severe fasting periods.