Arizona Blonde won't eat and Im worried she's dehydrated.

Jessesgirl

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Sep 21, 2020
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IMG_20200921_181304764.jpg My Marilyn will not eat and I'm afraid she is dehydrated. I put her by her water but don't know if she is drinking it. My Marilyn is out but spends a lot of time in her hide. Can somebody please help me and look at her pick and tell me if she looks dehydrated. Thank you
 

EtienneN

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She doesn't look dehydrated but I don't see a water dish in the photo. Just make sure her water is topped off and she'll drink when she wants to. :) Welcome to Arachnoboards.
 

Poonjab

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Deff not dehydrated. They can fast for months on end. However, I’d argue that the enclosure isn’t up to par. I’d say it’s more stressed than anything.
 

viper69

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View attachment 360670 My Marilyn will not eat and I'm afraid she is dehydrated. I put her by her water but don't know if she is drinking it. My Marilyn is out but spends a lot of time in her hide. Can somebody please help me and look at her pick and tell me if she looks dehydrated. Thank you
Your T is “fat” not surprised it won’t eat.

Even “fat” Ts may drink though- Provide water bowl, that’s all you can do.

I had a T with a bigger abdomen and it drank water!
 

Rigor Mortis

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Nov 7, 2018
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I see a teeeeeny bit of darkening on that abdomen so she’s probably just in pre moult. And she might not drink water right away when you fill up her dish, I’ve seen my own chalcodes drink maybe 6 or 7 times in the two years I’ve had her.
 

Coradams

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Mar 28, 2018
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I don't think anything looks wrong. If you compare the size of her abdomen to her prosoma, she is quite, um.... fat. (A badly dehydrated t looks kinda deflated. Your girl is the opposite. lol) I think Rigor Mortis may be on to something. Lack of apatite, bald patch, and darkening can be sign of premolt. Just make sure she has a full water dish and a place to hide if she wants it and let her do what she does. Be patient though. It can take a while. Tarantulas do these things in their own time. Oh, and don't worry if you don't see her drinking. It's not often that you do. ;)
 
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View attachment 360670 My Marilyn will not eat and I'm afraid she is dehydrated. I put her by her water but don't know if she is drinking it. My Marilyn is out but spends a lot of time in her hide. Can somebody please help me and look at her pick and tell me if she looks dehydrated. Thank you
Hi
your T looks chunky as others have said.
Keep waterdish full and be ready for a long wait.Mine was chunky as yours when I bought it and refusing food for nearly an year before she moulted .You can offer once every 3-4 weeks for your peace of mind. lol
Regards Konstantin
 

moricollins

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Overweight Tarantula + lots of space to climb (and subsequently fall) could = dead tarantula. You need to add a LOT more substrate to this enclosure.
 

Smotzer

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This enclosure is not set up properly at all. Please correct it and add at least substrate halfway full in the tank, and add a hide and a water dish.
 

Matt Man

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Jul 4, 2017
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that is a healthy A Chalcodes, and in that condition (I own 2) they won't eat for months and months. Bald Spot still pink so not pre molt, it just has a ton of calories (chubby) and is in its seasonal fast. Don't worry, it is fine, just keep water in the dish. This is Lennox, the hide she is on top of used to be all the way to the far left and rotated 90 degrees, It was also completely buried in substrate. She removed all the dirt, and then somehow moved it to its present position. All while being on, I think, month 4 of her fast
ChonkDozer.jpg

this is fumbles, she/he is on a similar fast. He/She is about half the size of Lennox
Fumbles2.jpg
 

Jessesgirl

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Sep 21, 2020
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She doesn't look dehydrated but I don't see a water dish in the photo. Just make sure her water is topped off and she'll drink when she wants to. :) Welcome to Arachnoboards.
Thank you for your reply, here is a photo of my Marilyn's enclosure as you see she has a water source that I have in the right corner which is buried so it's even with the ground and all. Your reply and photos have put my mind at ease about her not eating.
 

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Jessesgirl

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Sep 21, 2020
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Thank you all for the replys they have put my mind at ease about my Marilyn being dehydrated and not eating. Some of you were concerned about me having no water source and her enclosure being unsafe and all but I assure you it is and as the photo shows there is a water source in the right corner of her enclosure that I have buried in the floor of her enclosure so it's even with the floor and so she is able to drink from it easy. Thank you all for your replys. IMG_20200922_204526875.jpg
 

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justanotherTkeeper

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Feb 26, 2020
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That enclosure is huge...

To us humans, more space usually feels luxurious. But for tarantulas, too much space can sometimes cause them stress
 

Jessesgirl

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Sep 21, 2020
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That enclosure is huge...

To us humans, more space usually feels luxurious. But for tarantulas, too much space can sometimes cause them stress
I understand that it looks big/huge in the picture but it really isn't big at all for her size and the things inside such as her hide a climbing log water dish and plants. The tank is only like 3 gallons if that.
 

ColeopteraC

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Mar 8, 2020
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Is that a mesh/screen lid, the T could easily get its tarsi stuck in there and injure itself/fall. If so these are easy to replace, just remove the screen, get a cheap sheet of perforated plexiglass that fits the lid and replace/stick it under the screen.
 

CommanderBacon

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May 21, 2018
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That enclosure is huge...

To us humans, more space usually feels luxurious. But for tarantulas, too much space can sometimes cause them stress
What's your source on this? I only hear this associated with reptiles, not tarantulas.

I think that enclosure is fine, although I'd probably offer more depth. OP just needed assurance that they may not see their tarantula drink, but as long as water is available, it'll be fine.

That T is a heckin' chonker and will probably not eat until their next molt. I'd back off on offering food to once every 2 or 3 weeks and remove it immediately if the T shows no interest.
 
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