Are my bugs just not hungry?

[Flammendehaar]

I received 10 psytalla horrida nymphs on Wednesday. I currently have them in a nursery pot with a few bits of bark for them to hang out on inside, on a heat mat set around 25. I plan to keep them there until they've all moulted to one size up so they're a bit easier to keep track of in the full size tank I intend to put them in.

They all look in good condition, and I've seen one or two eat so far. I was told by the seller they were fed before shipping so I didn't expect them to be hungry right away, but I had also seen some people say they feed nymphs every couple of days. I added some small crickets to their pot and as I said, I've caught at least one having a snack, possibly two if I didn't spot the same one twice, but a lot of the smaller nymphs don't appear to have gone for anything. The smallest crickets in the pot are probably smaller than the smallest nymphs, so I wouldn't have thought it's a size issue but I'm worrying about them as they're my first invertebrates.

Should I just chill out and let them get on with it? They'll eat when they want to, right? Or should I be trying to get some much smaller prey items for them? From what I can see they all appear to have fairly plump abdomens, and one moulted just last night.

 

[NMTs]

I've never kept assassin bugs, but as a general rule with inverts, a few days without eating isn't something to get worried about - especially with nymphs. I imagine that applies to Pysttala horrida, as well. You also mentioned that one has molted already, so it's likely the others are nearing their molts, which could be why they're not eating. I'd give them a few more days to settle in and try feeding again.

Here's a great thread about raising this species by @BoyFromLA :

BoyFromLA’s Assassin Bugs Diary

07/28/2019 From now on I will dedicate this post to continue update my Psytalla horrida colony whenever there are things to add. And for today, I rehoused my initial four nymphs to larger, and more suitable enclosure with enough ventilation holes, and with the coco fiber mat hide. Why so...

arachnoboards.com

Good luck!

 

[Flammendehaar]

I've never kept assassin bugs, but as a general rule with inverts, a few days without eating isn't something to get worried about - especially with nymphs. I imagine that applies to Pysttala horrida, as well. You also mentioned that one has molted already, so it's likely the others are nearing their molts, which could be why they're not eating. I'd give them a few more days to settle in and try feeding again.

Here's a great thread about raising this species by @BoyFromLA :

BoyFromLA’s Assassin Bugs Diary

07/28/2019 From now on I will dedicate this post to continue update my Psytalla horrida colony whenever there are things to add. And for today, I rehoused my initial four nymphs to larger, and more suitable enclosure with enough ventilation holes, and with the coco fiber mat hide. Why so...

arachnoboards.com

Good luck!

This is reassuring, thank you. I checked them again today and they all still appear plump and healthy. I think maybe a couple more crickets have been eaten but there's still plenty wandering about in there so I think they're fine for now.

 

[Smotzer]

Not eating for a few days is of no worry at all!

 

[Flammendehaar]

Not eating for a few days is of no worry at all!

So it having been 4 days at least since most of them fed is okay?

 

[BoyFromLA]

These are real assassins. They will not hesitant to down preys twice larger than them if they really want to. They will not die out of starvation, period.

 

[Flammendehaar]

These are real assassins. They will not hesitant to down preys twice larger than them if they really want to. They will not die out of starvation, period.

Thanks for the reassurance on this, you're the man. Like I said, I've never kept any invertebrates before and I'm anxious to see them thrive

 

[Smotzer]

So it having been 4 days at least since most of them fed is okay?

yes that is totally fine! Predatory insects in the wild do not eat as frequently as people think they need to in captivity. They won't starve!