Body language?

[Venom1080]

Did i miss something? I thought she had a juvie or adult?
If it is a sling, feed as much as she will take, since everything will be used up in the molting process. And you want her to molt, to get her past the tricky sling stage as soon as possible.

Nope, looks like I missed something.
Nevermind, once a week is plenty for your Avicularia.

 

[Andrea82]

Nope, looks like I missed something.
Nevermind, once a week is plenty for your Avicularia.

Holidays friend.....holidays

 

[AmberDawnDays]

Did i miss something? I thought she had a juvie or adult?
If it is a sling, feed as much as she will take, since everything will be used up in the molting process. And you want her to molt, to get her past the tricky sling stage as soon as possible.

She was sold to me as a sling. I measured her at 2.4" but she might be a little bigger than that. I estimate she is at least 2.5" because she wasn't fully spread out when I measured her. I've been told by some people that she is a large sling or juvie. One person even said juvie / subadult.

 

[Venom1080]

She was sold to me as a sling. I measured her at 2.4" but she might be a little bigger than that. I estimate she is at least 2.5" because she wasn't fully spread out when I measured her. I've been told by some people that she is a large sling or juvie. One person even said juvie / subadult.

2.5" is a juvi.

 

[viper69]

@AmberDawnDays , few genera bring up such a variety of answers than this genus for reasons I won't get into here. PM me if you are curious as to why.

does she do this because she is happy or is she checking her surroundings?

1. Tarantulas do not have the neurological, ie brain power, ability to feel emotions. This is typical behavior seen throughout many species, I won't say all, because Mother Nature may have an exception or two hah. The spinning around is the T laying down silk.

hould I offer her food every day (I do) or twice a day (I have)... She seems to eat quite a bit.

I saw the size of your "juvi" T (sling/juvi/subadult) are all subjective terms. I disagree with everyone up here regarding feeding your T less frequently. I feed all my Ts as frequently as they will eat WHILE keeping a keen eye on the size of their abdomen- its size is an indicator of how hungry/how hydrated they are. I strongly suggest you pay attention to its size, esp for Avics, and considering this is your first T. If you don't, it's a good way to end up with a dead Avic. I STRONGLY suggest you continue doing more research on Ts on the forum, you need it as did I when I first started many moons ago.

I suggest you keep a feeding log as well. My juvi Avics eat very often, esp post-molt once their fangs are black.

Now, can you feed your T once a week, likely you can. I let my Ts determine when they are hungry and when they aren't generally speaking. I don't keep them on some Nazi concentration camp feeding program The truth is no one has published any data in a scientific paper on the frequency of T feeding. We really don't know how often they eat. All we know is that they can go a long time without food if necessary.

Make sure you have a bowl with fresh water in there. At this size, a T w/out a bowl of water will be drink EVEN when its abdomen is fat. Even slings will drink with a fat abdomen, though less so in my experience.

She didn't explore her enclosure at all until night time

They are nocturnal animals generally. There are no rules to being a T Except keep away from predators and don't fall too far.

I'm just super curious about her because this is my first T and I've only had her a few days now

I STRONGLY suggest you continue doing more research on Ts on the forum

She's only about 2.5-3.0 in legspan, so maybe she's still a big eater.

Metabolism is influenced by age and temperature.

I'm actually surprised that she's eating so soon. Usually they take a little while to acclimate before they start eating again.

This is not necessarily true @mistertim Of all the slings and juvis I've owned all but 2 or 3 ate the day I received them upon placing them into their new home.

Do you hot glue your plants up or poke them through holes?

Do whatever works for you. I put the stem into the hole and use hot glue to keep them in place. Hot glue is a crappy adhesive, but it works generally.

I disagree with others above who say daily feeding for slings is overkill. I feed many of my slings daily or at least every other day. They put pretty much all of it into growing for their next molt

I couldn't agree more, and for juvi's as well. Feed as they want it, even a lizard too

 

[mistertim]

Or maybe she isn't hungry at all and just keeps eating because I'm putting food in front of her.

Well, just remember that "hungry" for a tarantula is not the same thing as "hungry" for a mammal. As others have pointed out their metabolisms are completely different. It would take a very long time for a tarantula to die of hunger...I've heard of G. roseas fasting for up to a year and still being fine.

Your enclosure looks pretty good but one thing I would suggest (as this was a mistake I made when I first got an Avic) is to place the fake plants up high near the top as opposed to closer to the bottom. Avics by nature generally like to be as high up as they can, as long as they have somewhere high up to build a web that makes them feel secure.


@viper69 Yeah I'd agree with that about slings. I've had slings eat the same day as well. I guess I was more talking about juvies or bigger. IME they tend to wait a bit longer before eating after you get them.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

@viper69 Thanks for all the info. I've been reading and reading. Im trying to soak it all in. So far things seem to be going well, since so many people have been willing to guide me before and after bringing my avic home.

 

[viper69]

Well, just remember that "hungry" for a tarantula is not the same thing as "hungry" for a mammal. As others have pointed out their metabolisms are completely different. It would take a very long time for a tarantula to die of hunger...I've heard of G. roseas fasting for up to a year and still being fine.

Your enclosure looks pretty good but one thing I would suggest (as this was a mistake I made when I first got an Avic) is to place the fake plants up high near the top as opposed to closer to the bottom. Avics by nature generally like to be as high up as they can, as long as they have somewhere high up to build a web that makes them feel secure.


@viper69 Yeah I'd agree with that about slings. I've had slings eat the same day as well. I guess I was more talking about juvies or bigger. IME they tend to wait a bit longer before eating after you get them.

I think shipping stirs up a Ts metabolism due to stress as it can in humans. No data for it mind you, just an observation, the same for juvis (could be my experience only mind you)

 

[viper69]

Well, just remember that "hungry" for a tarantula is not the same thing as "hungry" for a mammal. As others have pointed out their metabolisms are completely different. It would take a very long time for a tarantula to die of hunger...I've heard of G. roseas fasting for up to a year and still being fine.

My young B. albo, she was about 4" and quite plump, went for 18 months w/out food.

 

[viper69]

@viper69 Thanks for all the info. I've been reading and reading. Im trying to soak it all in. So far things seem to be going well, since so many people have been willing to guide me before and after bringing my avic home.

It helps when the person asking for help isn't defensive as so many are at times. The defensive ones want vindication of their current approach, not actual help or knowledge it seems.

 

[cold blood]

When I offer her food, shouldn't she refuse it instead of eat it? She never kills to kill. I havent ever found a dead cricket in her enclosure. In fact, I can't even find a bolus anywhere and I think it's because she spends 4 or more hours rolling it into a tiny ball that's smaller than some of her pieces of substrate.

Ts are opportunistic feeders, so until they get what they need for their next molt, they tend to not waste those opportunities very often, especially when young.

You cant always just rely on an animal to stop feeding in the presence of an easy opportunity....just look at all the fantastically over weight dogs out there...lol...they aint turning down too many biscuits and table scraps and they will eat themselves to an early death if given the opportunity.

Ever go fishing and catch a hugely fat fish, with a fish hanging out of its gullet, yet it still attacked your lure? I sure have.

I overfed my porteri like crazy at first. She was in the middle of a fast when I got her, didn't eat for about a month, and then once she started eating I went nuts thinking that she would know when to stop eating, or would stop if she wasn't hungry - not the case. She ate and ate and got enormously obese, to the point where I got really scared that she was just going to burst. This was many years ago and I've since reduced my feeding, although I do like plump Ts. Plump, not obese.
Ts do not know how to regulate feeding - maybe because in the wild they don't know when/where their next meal is going to be - but overfeeding can lead to all sorts of problems (miserable Ts, ruptured abdomens if they fall, etc). So it's our responsibility to regulate their feeding for them.

Her abdomen is a good size, I wouldn't read too much into what direction she's facing indicating that she's hungry. She's gonna adventure, she's gonna explore and position herself in weird spots and she's going to do weird tarantula things. It's perfectly normal

She's not like a cat or a dog that you always have to watch to make sure it's not going to pee on the rug, or make sure it's entertained so it doesn't scratch up the couch. Don't stress it!

I think most of us who started with a "rosie" made the same mistake and had the same worries...one reason i try to urge people in a differrent direction for a first....they can be a frustrating t to learn from.

I feed mine 1 to 3 times a month now and havent had to deal with long fasting bouts since. Prior she typically fasted all winter and for periods during summer as well..her record fast was OVER a year (13.5months, i believe)...but i think back at how often and the size prey i was offerring and i just do a face palm now...lol....i was so much less educated about that spider than i am (we are) today.

I disagree with others above who say daily feeding for slings is overkill. I feed many of my slings daily or at least every other day. They put pretty much all of it into growing for their next molt, and I highly doubt they only eat a couple times a week in the wild. Once they're juvis and adults I cut back to once or twice a week. Even up to once a month for my largest, don't worry about T's starving if they don't eat for a couple days.

I do think its overkill (but not necessarily a detriment) unless you are feeding very small prey items. I get fantastic growth rates by feeding one slightly larger (and often fattier) prey item every 4-7 days. I like to give them more time between feedings to digest. I also feed more ofen just after molting, and gradually slow the feedings as time passes and the t plumps....there are indeed times though, where i will feed an especially slim post molt t a few times in like 4 or 5 days....so theres definitely not a lone set schedule for any t, even if once a week is pretty much a good ball park average amount of time. For slings though, i just wouldnt go longer than a week, and hungrier species will get twice a week until they get over an inch...unless theyre pre molt of course, then i just stop offerring.

As for wild, i think the way we keep them typically, that is in smaller containers, gets an abnormally strong feeding response and boldness as the sling feels more secure slmost all the time.

I think the reaction you get from a sling in an over sized enclosure is more in line with what you would see on the wild...that is, a sling that hides A LOT more and as a result, comes out to feed a WHOLE lot less, which leads to a much much slower growth rates....part of why recruitment numbers are sooooo low in the wild....something our precise care completely reverses in captivity.

So im a firm believer that wild slings eat less often and grow much slower than their captive counterparts.

Or maybe she isn't hungry at all and just keeps eating because I'm putting food in front of her.

Opportunistic feeders taking advantage of an easy opportunity.

As said, feeding more, even daily wont ultimately be detrimental to the t, but it can frustrate owners when a t seals its self in a tube for a month or 5.

Slower feeding schedules result in a more consistent and more prolonged feeding response. I would definitly dial back the food if it were my t.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

She has been hiding all day. I havent fed her today. I restrained myself. I'll wait until tomorrow.

 

[Jeff23]

On the feeding I think it comes down to the size of the meal. If you are buying your crickets at Pet Smart for instance, mine has two sizes and even their large crickets aren't very large from my experience with a local store. My local Petco has three different sizes and their large ones are much closer to a full sized cricket. I think the rule is that a full meal would be something the size of your T's abdomen. If you are feeding your T something smaller than this you will want to feed it more often or give it multiple crickets in one meal. Most people enjoy the feeding process so feeding it more often may provide more enjoyment if the meals aren't very big.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

On the feeding I think it comes down to the size of the meal. If you are buying your crickets at Pet Smart for instance, even their large crickets aren't very large from my experience with a local store. My local Petco has three different sizes and their large ones are much closer to a full sized cricket. I think the rule is that a full meal would be something the size of your T's abdomen. If you are feeding your T something smaller than this you will want to feed it more often or give it multiple crickets in one meal. Most people enjoy the feeding process so feeding it more often may provide more enjoyment if the meals aren't very big.

I bought the small sized crickets from pet supplies plus and they were very small. That's what she has been eating. On Saturday I bought "large" crickets and fed her one for the 1st time yesterday. The large crickets are maybe half the size of her abdomen.

 

[Jeff23]

I bought the small sized crickets from pet supplies plus and they were very small. That's what she has been eating. On Saturday I bought "large" crickets and fed her one for the 1st time yesterday. The large crickets are maybe half the size of her abdomen.

If you were feeding it the small crickets that will explain why it was appearing to stay hungry. Most of my T's are still slings so I am feeding them often as possible to get them to juvenile level. But on my Versi Female juvenile I am giving her at least 6 large size crickets per month and vary it a little based on whether I think her abdomen could be a little fuller or not.

EDIT* I think mine is probably about 2.5" if we are using the straight measurement method.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

If you were feeding it the small crickets that will explain why it was appearing to stay hungry. Most of my T's are still slings so I am feeding them often as possible to get them to juvenile level. But on my Versi Female juvenile I am giving her at least 6 large size crickets per month and vary it a little based on whether I think her abdomen could be a little fuller or not.

This is good to know because I swear she was hungry. She never stalked her food or thought about it. As soon as I put a cricket in her enclosure she would lunge for it with 100% accuracy. She has only refused food 1 day and that was Thursday.

This has been her schedule so far:
Tues. Dec 20th: brought her home & did not offer her food
Wed: she ate 2 small crickets
Thurs: offered food and she didn't take it, so a few hours later I took out the cricket
Fri: 2 small crickets
Sat: 1 small cricket
Sun: 1 large cricket
Mon. (Today): Did not offer food

 

[Andrea82]

View attachment 227786
She has been hiding all day. I havent fed her today. I restrained myself. I'll wait until tomorrow.

Hiding is good. An Avicularia constantly roaming can be a sign of stress/not settling in. If she found a spot to hide, she'll set up shop there, and start webbing her tubes and hammocks

 

[viper69]

I bought the small sized crickets from pet supplies plus and they were very small. That's what she has been eating. On Saturday I bought "large" crickets and fed her one for the 1st time yesterday. The large crickets are maybe half the size of her abdomen.

Small and other subjective words are not helpful for obvious reasons.

What size are the crickets, better yet, what age are they? Many cricket vendors (that sell to petshops) sell by their size which corresponds to their age generally.

 

[Paiige]

Small and other subjective words are not helpful for obvious reasons.

What size are the crickets, better yet, what age are they? Many cricket vendors (that sell to petshops) sell by their size which corresponds to their age generally.

IME the "small" Petco crickets are 1/2" tops (body size), generally 1/3" or less - and I stop feeding them to my slings when they hit 1.5" DLS.
I doubt a Petco employee would know how old their crickets are but next time I go in to waste money on cat toys, I will ask. For science.

 

[viper69]

For science.

Love it!