Assassin Bug not eating

[SoulSpiegel12]

No matter what I feed my assassin bug it will not eat. I have tried superworms, roaches and crickets. It refuses all food. It is not plump at all either and is getting rather flat. What can I do to help it? Thanks! Also it is a white spotted assassin bug.

 

[basin79]

No matter what I feed my assassin bug it will not eat. I have tried superworms, roaches and crickets. It refuses all food. It is not plump at all either and is getting rather flat. What can I do to help it? Thanks! Also it is a white spotted assassin bug.

Any pics of the assassin and enclosure? How old is the assassin? How are you keeping him/her? If you bought an adult he/she just might be old and slowing down.

Assassins are usually very forward when it comes to feeding.

 

[KaroKoenig]

How long did you have the feeder insect in there? I have 3 Psytalla horrida, and I observed that they do not always pounce food right away. I recently had a medium locust in there for almost 3 days. Watched them interact several times, moving slightly out of the way when the locust climbed right past them. Early morning of day 3, I woke up to see one of them HAD pounced overnight and was having breakfast.

 

[SoulSpiegel12]

Any pics of the assassin and enclosure? How old is the assassin? How are you keeping him/her? If you bought an adult he/she just might be old and slowing down.

Assassins are usually very forward when it comes to feeding.

 

[ignithium]

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I agree with basin most likely culprit is age.....these insects don't live very long and are otherwise always very aggressive feeders, and bigutattus in particular is a hardy species that is not prone to illness or sulking, and you are keeping it correctly.

 

[basin79]

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From the pic yours isn't an adult yet so could be in premoult. If in premoult that would explain not feeding. How long have you had the bug?

Also whilst they do need something to hang off to moult they're not arboreal. You want to have some cork bark flat on the bottom too so you provide a hiding place on the ground.

I'd break that piece of cork bark up into several pieces. 1 or 2 long thin pieces lent up on an angle and a large curved piece or a few stacked to create space and gaps.

 

[SoulSpiegel12]

From the pic yours isn't an adult yet so could be in premoult. If in premoult that would explain not feeding. How long have you had the bug?

Also whilst they do need something to hang off to moult they're not arboreal. You want to have some cork bark flat on the bottom too so you provide a hiding place on the ground.

I'd break that piece of cork bark up into several pieces. 1 or 2 long thin pieces lent up on an angle and a large curved piece or a few stacked to create space and gaps.

Thanks for tip I went ahead and broke it apart!

 

[basin79]

Thanks for tip I went ahead and broke it apart!

If your bug still just hangs around on the vertical piece it's likely a moult will be coming.

 

[KaroKoenig]

It's quite the large enclosure for a single bug. One question: did you tong-feed? My Psytallas get quite spooked by tongs and only react to the prey items when they walk/climb near them. Worms and roaches don't tend to climb very much. So if the superworm or roach is on the ground and your bug that high up, it might not bother.

Also - premolt. As basin79 already said.

 

[SoulSpiegel12]

It's quite the large enclosure for a single bug. One question: did you tong-feed? My Psytallas get quite spooked by tongs and only react to the prey items when they walk/climb near them. Worms and roaches don't tend to climb very much. So if the superworm or roach is on the ground and your bug that high up, it might not bother.

Also - premolt. As basin79 already said.

Originallh tried tong feeding but lately I dropped a cricket in. Hasn't gone after it in the 3 days so far the cricket has been in there.