B.smithi problems

[chid]

Hi
I have a B.smithi about 1.25" It moulted on 14 April.
It dosent seem to want/be able to eat. Everytime I feed it I will find the cricket dead but uneaten. I noticed that it did pounce on the cricket when I first started to feed it after It's moult, but now it just keeps avoiding the food.
I dont think its eaten anything since its moult and its abdomen looks quite small. I have tried various sizes of food items.

I seem to remember a thread about this and I think it was about the stomach not being shed correctly(I think). Does anybody know anything about this?
Or is there another reason for this behaviour.

I will try mealworms next week to see if it will eat one, but for now I dont know whats going on.

Chid

 

[slice9]

how long did you wait after its molt to feed it? Perhaps if you feed it too soon his fangs became disfigured and now it is having trouble eating.

 

[chid]

Originally posted by slice9
how long did you wait after its molt to feed it? Perhaps if you feed it too soon his fangs became disfigured and now it is having trouble eating.

No I dont think so, I waited long enough after it moulted before feeding. The fangs look ok.

Chid

 

[D-Man]

Strange

I feed my B. smithi slings 3 days after they molt and they pounce on their food. 12 days have passed from your sling's molt. Try a new batch of crickets or the meal worm sooner than next week. Could be something on the crickets?

 

[pelo]

should be ok

About 20 yrs ago I had a mexican redleg.Prior to molting it didn't eat for appr. 2 months.After molting it didn't eat for appr. another 3 months.Drank water but wouldn't eat.It was just fine.I ended up giving it away to a friend who had it for appr 3 yrs after.During that time he also told me of times when it would go for a month or two without eating(moreso around molting time).From what I experienced and have read it's not uncommon for T's..(quite common in brach's) to go quite some time without out eating.As long as it's active and drinking and in good physical health..I wouldn't really worry too much.My bloodleg went through a molt appr. 3 weeks ago.Since then she hasn't eaten either..drinking and active(more aboreal than the terrestrial she's supposed to be..lol..) and I'm not worried.She'll eat when she's ready.Just keep offering.Cooler temps sometimes will effect them that way also.What's your temps?If they're low,maybe boost them a couple of dgrs...peace....

 

[Joy]

I've had smithi this size go 2-3 weeks before starting to eat again, post-molt. Give it a little more time and keep trying. Chances are there's no problem, but you might also check to see if the fangs molted out properly. Deformities in this area (twisted or missing or blunted fangs) are a possible reason for a tarantula to refuse to eat post-molt, although such deformities aren't common in smithi to my knowledge.

Joy