Acanthoscurria geniculata post-molt problems

[Aracnidaza]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to ask for advice regarding my Acanthoscurria geniculata (female about 1,5 years old) as I'm afraid that something isn't going right after the last molt.
I have many tarantulas from years and all are fine, only one of them is death two years ago... my other Acanthoscurria... seems a kind of curse for this species...

In details since the last molt (25 days ago) she does not seem attracted to food in the slightest and even distances herself from any prey
(small\medium sized Lateralis cockroach). In some cases she remains near but she doesnt do nothing, remains static.

I usually wait about ten days after the moult before giving prey and every time she preyed in a few seconds, it has never happened that he refused food for weeks.
Especially for an Acentuscuria.

In some cases she positions herself above the prey but does not eat it, she remains motionless on it and this is a behavior that I have never seen.

At the moment she is a plastic container with ventilation on two levels with temperature (26 C°) and humidity (75%) under control.
Peat substrate + vermiculite and a moist sphagnum.

Do you think I might have done something wrong?
Is there anything I can do?

I attached some pics

Thank you and sorry for my poor english.

 

[A guy]

The size of the abdomen still looks good. Maybe it's just not ready to take food yet. But as for a precaution, check its most previous molt and look if it has shed its sucking stomach

 

[Smotzer]

Not eating for a month after a molt is totally acceptable and nothing to worry about! Plus your tarantula is healthily plump post post regardless. I typically don’t even attempt to feed until after 30days for juveniles-adults or more.

Also behavior can change significantly after a molt so if it’s not as food motivated that’s also okay too.

 

[NMTs]

Generally speaking, the larger your T gets, the longer it will take for it to harden and start feeding after a molt. Unless this is a sucking stomach issue, it will start feeding eventually, so just be patient and make sure it's got access to fresh water.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Looks fine to me , this isn’t a species you gotta worry about eating. They generally have huge appetites. A month is nothing post molt.

 

[Brewser]

A. Geniculata is Looking Healthy and Well Fed imho.

 

[Aracnidaza]

Unfortunately I didn't check the exuvia and now it is with all the others that I keep in a container, I don't know which one is hers.

What surprises me most is that it often doesn't stand upright on its legs but rests directly on the ground. This is a little strange also if maybe not soo significative.

I always note the intervals of days between the moults of my tarantulas since I've had it in my possession and for her the progression seems acceptable (146, 127 and 215 days) even if the growth didn't seem significant as for my other tarantulas (Lasiodora, Theraphosa, etc...). But is also true that this may not be significant as they are different species.

I will try to give food once a week and if she does not eaten i will remove after few hours for not stress the spider.
However, humidity and temperature are always under control and a water dish available.

Thanks to all for the reassurances and advaices, We'll see how it goes in the next weeks...

 

[fcat]

We need pictures

 

[Aracnidaza]

Hi everyone , i've tried to make some better pictures.

She is very static but alive but i dont want disturb her so I will try to give her food another time in the middle of the next week.

 

[cold blood]

It looks quite damp, I would dry things out. Also, stop measuring humidity, that's completely unnecessary.....substrate dampness is the only thing that really matters to a captive t. Temps can also very wildly, anything between 68F and 95f is fine.

If the t is showing interest in food, but not taking it, this indicates its likely close, but not quite ready to eat yet, just be patient.....if its a sucking stomach issue, its good to know, but there isn't anything that can be done.

 

[Glorfindel]

Be Patient and allow A Geniculata to Rejuvenate.

 

[Dick Longfellow]

I'd let it dry out a bit. I hope all goes well beautiful T

 

[Dorifto]

It looks quite damp, I would dry things out. Also, stop measuring humidity, that's completely unnecessary.....substrate dampness is the only thing that really matters to a captive t. Temps can also very wildly, anything between 68F and 95f is fine.

If the t is showing interest in food, but not taking it, this indicates its likely close, but not quite ready to eat yet, just be patient.....if its a sucking stomach issue, its good to know, but there isn't anything that can be done.

There is no issue with measuring the humidity, but he shouldn't focus his husbandry on it. It's a helpful tool and information, it can even tell you that your ventilation can be not enough, even with drier substrates.

100% agree that he should focus more on the soil dampness, but that doesn't rest relevance to air's humidity, since both can be directly correlated.



Regarding to your T, it looks like a healthy geniculata. Showing no interest or dubitancy to take preis is quite normal. Also showing strange pose is normal too, like yoga stretching etc




PS: mods add 1/2 agree reaction icon

 

[Aracnidaza]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your suggestions.

I usually keep the substrate very humid for 50% so that the T. chooses where to stay. And I always put a little dish with fresh water, I don't know if it's useful but it doesn't hurt.

I measured the humidity because I was worried but for my others T. I almost never measure, only sometimes to confirm when the season changes.
But the others are all sub-adults, she is the only one so young.

For ventilation I always use a series of holes on both sides but at different heights in order to create recycling. This means that even with high humidity I almost never have mold problems.

I'll keep you up-to-date.

 

[Mustafa67]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to ask for advice regarding my Acanthoscurria geniculata (female about 1,5 years old) as I'm afraid that something isn't going right after the last molt.
I have many tarantulas from years and all are fine, only one of them is death two years ago... my other Acanthoscurria... seems a kind of curse for this species...

In details since the last molt (25 days ago) she does not seem attracted to food in the slightest and even distances herself from any prey
(small\medium sized Lateralis cockroach). In some cases she remains near but she doesnt do nothing, remains static.

I usually wait about ten days after the moult before giving prey and every time she preyed in a few seconds, it has never happened that he refused food for weeks.
Especially for an Acentuscuria.

In some cases she positions herself above the prey but does not eat it, she remains motionless on it and this is a behavior that I have never seen.

At the moment she is a plastic container with ventilation on two levels with temperature (26 C°) and humidity (75%) under control.
Peat substrate + vermiculite and a moist sphagnum.

Do you think I might have done something wrong?
Is there anything I can do?

I attached some pics

Thank you and sorry for my poor english.

WAIT

I second @cold blood advice let it dry out & stop measuring humidity.

 

[Dorifto]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your suggestions.

I usually keep the substrate very humid for 50% so that the T. chooses where to stay. And I always put a little dish with fresh water, I don't know if it's useful but it doesn't hurt.

I measured the humidity because I was worried but for my others T. I almost never measure, only sometimes to confirm when the season changes.
But the others are all sub-adults, she is the only one so young.

For ventilation I always use a series of holes on both sides but at different heights in order to create recycling. This means that even with high humidity I almost never have mold problems.

I'll keep you up-to-date.

Providing them with gradients i'ts a good habit, that way they can choose where to stay based on their needs

Regarding to the moisture level, just keep it moist enough that you could feel the moisture on it, but when you pinch that substrate doesn't ooze water from it. From time to time let it dry a bit, then repeat.

I do recommend keeping their burrow area moist, and some drier areas around it.

 

[Aracnidaza]

Hi everyone,

with my great relief yesterday evening she ate, even with voracity.
This reassures me a lot.
She seems fine, sure no stomach or fangs problems.

Thank you very much for the support and suggestions.

 

[Aracnidaza]

Hi everyone,

unfortunately, this morning I found my Acanthoscurria dead.
She had started eating normally and, although she was still a little unresponsive, she seemed fine to me.
Obviously I was wrong… But there has always been something wrong with her for me…

I am now quite convinced that it is a genetic problem, it is not possible that the same specie taken from the same breeder meets the same end, in the same way, twice in a row.
Especially because all my other T. with similar needs that I have been raising for years are doing very well and have never given me any problems.

Even though I tend not to feed them too much, I still keep them all well fed and I have never been convinced by her growth. Too small to be 2.5 years old and too unresponsive to be an Acanthoscurria. For example, one of a friend of mine has almost doubled in size at the same time.
I know it doesn't make much sense to compare it with other species or others individuals but it's still a fast-growing spider, maybe not like a Theraphosa, but it's not even a 30% growth in two years. And she also eat a lot in the past.

In short, it seems like it's a real curse for Acanthoscurria for my breending, this is a little frustrating... I'm quite sad ....

I'll definitely get another one because it's a species that I really like but this time I'll wait for a fair \ exhibition and I'll certainly change breeders (maybe he can't do anything about it, but 2 out of 2 seems like a good deterrent to me...).

Tonight when I get home I'll take some pictures before burying her. Maybe it can be useful to understand what happened.

Thanks

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Hi everyone,

unfortunately, this morning I found my Acanthoscurria dead.
She had started eating normally and, although she was still a little unresponsive, she seemed fine to me.
Obviously I was wrong… But there has always been something wrong with her for me…

I am now quite convinced that it is a genetic problem, it is not possible that the same specie taken from the same breeder meets the same end, in the same way, twice in a row.
Especially because all my other T. with similar needs that I have been raising for years are doing very well and have never given me any problems.

Even though I tend not to feed them too much, I still keep them all well fed and I have never been convinced by her growth. Too small to be 2.5 years old and too unresponsive to be an Acanthoscurria. For example, one of a friend of mine has almost doubled in size at the same time.
I know it doesn't make much sense to compare it with other species or others individuals but it's still a fast-growing spider, maybe not like a Theraphosa, but it's not even a 30% growth in two years. And she also eat a lot in the past.

In short, it seems like it's a real curse for Acanthoscurria for my breending, this is a little frustrating... I'm quite sad ....

I'll definitely get another one because it's a species that I really like but this time I'll wait for a fair \ exhibition and I'll certainly change breeders (maybe he can't do anything about it, but 2 out of 2 seems like a good deterrent to me...).

Tonight when I get home I'll take some pictures before burying her. Maybe it can be useful to understand what happened.

Thanks

all you can do is take notes or pictures of your care. Some losses just happen naturally not each sling makes it . I’ve had this happen multiple times for Even juvys or adults . 🥲 I try and stick with the same thing nw terrestrials because I can keep them easier. Some people love arboreals I do also but the bolting and escapes , I can’t handle no dedicated t room. I lack space for vertical cages .

 

[TheraMygale]

It happens. It might have molted fine too.

its a learning curve for the experience.

does not mean you did anything wrong.

tarantuals can take a lot of time after a molt, the bigger they get, as was said before.

i currently have a tarantula that is not behaving at all like usual. I thought it would have molted by the time i got back, but no… this might happen to me.

One day if we get tarantula vets, we might get more insight.

i am sorry for your loss. It can and will happen to all of us.