Avic sling not eating

[spidersprite]

Hello. New here to both the forums and tarantula care. We got our avic avic about a month ago and have had success giving it a cricket once every 5 days or so. About 3 or 4 days ago on feeding day, it refused to feed for the first time. We tried again a few days after and same thing. I know refusing to eat is typical before a molt and it is a sling.

Question is, how often should we keep offering food? When should we just kinda leave it alone?

Also I keep saying "it" bc its a sling and we don't know the sex yet.

Also also, we've tried our best to leave it be. No handling and only open the enclosure to feed so that box should be checked as far as stress is concerned. Still in the enclosure we got it in at the pet store.

 

[Brewser]

Welcome & Congats,
Not Hungry, remove uneaten Prey Items.
Provide Water
Post A Pic or Two
Best Regards to You n Pink Toe

 

[ladyratri]

Please share a photo of the whole enclosure -- sometimes the pet store enclosures are not adequate for long-term keeping, and while the behavior you describe is often completely normal, there could also be inadequate air cycling leading to the sling slowly suffocating over the span of a few months. Avics in particular are more sensitive to needing a cycle of fresh air through their enclosure generated by having some ventilation holes at the top and some at the bottom, right near the dirt.

Also let us know how big the tarantula is in legspan, measured diagonally (tip of one front leg to the tip of the opposite back leg). Can be your best guess or a ruler against the side of the enclosure when it stands on a wall. And a photo of it where we can see the size of the carapace vs the size of the abdomen.

 

[cold blood]

Slings don't require a whole lot of food to plump....once they plump they no longer require food until after they molt.....regardless of how long they fast.

 

[viper69]

Hello. New here to both the forums and tarantula care. We got our avic avic about a month ago and have had success giving it a cricket once every 5 days or so. About 3 or 4 days ago on feeding day, it refused to feed for the first time. We tried again a few days after and same thing. I know refusing to eat is typical before a molt and it is a sling.

Question is, how often should we keep offering food? When should we just kinda leave it alone?

.

Also I keep saying "it" bc its a sling and we don't know the sex yet.

Also also, we've tried our best to leave it be. No handling and only open the enclosure to feed so that box should be checked as far as stress is concerned. Still in the enclosure we got it in at the pet store.

Do you eat all the time? Is your metabolism like a hummingbird? Maybe you’re just full!

You feed when it’s hungry, NOT on a schedule