Both Fangs Gone.

athlete96

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Tonight I was able to confirm my ~2.5" B. albo lost both fangs during its last moult.

I dropped a cricket in tonight and it jumped on the cricket immediately, but as it attempted to "fang" the cricket I could clearly see 0 fangs. Essentially it was just gumming the cricket. Judging by the exoskeleton of the last moult I should be able to see those fangs :shifty:

Last moult was November 25th.. it last ate on November 14th. Water bowl has been kept full as well as some minor substrate soaking to raise the humidity a tad. Surprisingly, only a small amount of weight has been lost. May try some "cricket soup" within the next few days. I may also try some cut up superworm - its eaten that before and the innards will be easy to access.

I'm bummed that the fangs are gone though. Hoping for a moult most likely end of Feb, but I'll keep this thread updated (if only for myself).
 

cold blood

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Use a feeder without any hard parts. Hornworms or (what I prefer) wax worms, can both be sliced and scored in a manner that will allow them to be eaten.
I had an issue with a P. cancerides that constantly snapped her fangs off....waxies got her through every time.
 

athlete96

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Use a feeder without any hard parts. Hornworms or (what I prefer) wax worms, can both be sliced and scored in a manner that will allow them to be eaten.
I had an issue with a P. cancerides that constantly snapped her fangs off....waxies got her through every time.
Omg can you imagine the splurt coming from a slicing a hornworm?! :rofl: If I can find waxworms I'll use those, but out of the 3 petstores local to me they're just not available.
 

cold blood

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Omg can you imagine the splurt coming from a slicing a hornworm?! :rofl: If I can find waxworms I'll use those, but out of the 3 petstores local to me they're just not available.
online.....


Here you can find them at bait shops for fishing...not sure what your shops stock though...here they're a common bait for ice fishing...people tip jigs with them.
 

athlete96

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online.....


Here you can find them at bait shops for fishing...not sure what your shops stock though...here they're a common bait for ice fishing...people tip jigs with them.
Oh I know a dealer who will ship. But it's -10 celsius right now. So, hornworms it is!

Update: Annnnd now we've sealed off our little burrow. Maybe moult? If it is, I expect it to moult in about a week or so based on previous moults.
 

viper69

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Good luck. I had an AF T die when both fangs were lost in a molt. Some Ts are more hard wired for moving prey than others. Definitely keep more water in there to keep its blood pressure up too.
 

athlete96

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Good luck. I had an AF T die when both fangs were lost in a molt. Some Ts are more hard wired for moving prey than others. Definitely keep more water in there to keep its blood pressure up too.
With another moult this guy will just hit being a juvenile, so I wasn't too worried when I suspected that it had lost at least one fang about 4 weeks ago. This was the first time it actually showed interested in food and I actually got to watch his behaviour.

Honestly, it's lost almost no conditioning since its last moult. Abdomen is at a decent size (like if it had a large cricket it would be a very fat abdomen), and I have seen it drink water. It could go either way.
 

athlete96

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Update.

The blocked burrow was a false alarm. Sat outside of his burrow displaying its pretty self this morning.

Smooshed a hornworm and dropped it in.. currently, T is on top and I believe trying to eat. I'm not 100% sure because the hornworm and T went into the burrow and I can't see much :shifty:
 

BoyFromLA

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Hope your tarantula will have both sharp pointy shiny fangs back after a molt or two.
 

athlete96

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Hope your tarantula will have both sharp pointy shiny fangs back after a molt or two.
It looks like I'm going to have to wait for a moult.. hornworm was a no go. I tried cutting up into smaller pieces and leaving it on a little tray of sorts so the juice would sit on top of that. If that doesn't work, dunno where I can go from here. Waxies just aren't possible in this cold, unless I find some at a shop up north.
 

Arachnoclown

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I've read some BTS articles that people used lean ground beef. Maybe worth a shot for short term till you can get some waxworms???
 

athlete96

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Hornworm = eaten :hungry: I left it overnight... checked this morning and it was sucking on a hornworm body part. I'll keep chopping up hornworms until the next moult.

I've read some BTS articles that people used lean ground beef. Maybe worth a shot for short term till you can get some waxworms???
If it goes off hornworms, I may try that. I'm sure my BF's mom would have some.. god I hope it doesn't come to that.
 

cold blood

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I'd stay on the worms...beef would be my last ditch effort.
I would stick with worms also...earthworms would be another choice.

I would use fresh bits of fish before beef...its softer (even than ground beef) and has a higher moisture content. Also, I have gotten ts to eat fish and chicken, but never beef.... My snapping turtles were the same way.
 

Arachnoclown

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I would stick with worms also...earthworms would be another choice.

I would use fresh bits of fish before beef...its softer (even than ground beef) and has a higher moisture content. Also, I have gotten ts to eat fish and chicken, but never beef.... My snapping turtles were the same way.
I've never used beef either...just read some articles that suggested it. Back in the late 80s (aging myself) my pet shop supplier had a shortage of crickets for 3-4 weeks. This was long before just jumping on the internet and ordering (for you younger folks) some feeders. I bought some gold fish for my Hammori's and Goliaths. They ate them with no problems. My seemanni didnt care for it and just fasted. My Avics refused as well.
 

athlete96

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I've never used beef either...just read some articles that suggested it. Back in the late 80s (aging myself) my pet shop supplier had a shortage of crickets for 3-4 weeks. This was long before just jumping on the internet and ordering (for you younger folks) some feeders. I bought some gold fish for my Hammori's and Goliaths. They ate them with no problems. My seemanni didnt care for it and just fasted. My Avics refused as well.
Fish is a good idea, but I wouldn't use goldfish.

Thanks for the suggestions @cold blood and @Arachnoclown, I really appreciate it.
 

athlete96

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I was talking more bits of fish...not a whole one....a fangless t would have no chance against a scaled skin. Like if you happened to be cooking or cleaning fish.
Oh, no I got that! I meant I wouldn’t be chopping up goldie’s cause they’re usually ridden with bacterial infections and nasty stuff I wouldn’t want to bring into my own home, let alone feed to animals or put my utensils on. They might be 10 cents a piece, but they’re gross.
 

athlete96

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Update: Tried another hornworm, and it seems to be eating it (or at least a few pieces). I leave about 3-4 diced pieces in front of an entrance to the burrow, and after a few hours the T will come and grab it.

Abdomen is a tiny bit fatter. I'll take the hornworm as a success. I'll be going to another petstore tomorrow that is 3 hours from me to find the evasive waxies :pompous:
 

athlete96

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Been a while since I've updated on this little scenerio. I tried the waxworms. I never thought I'd see a threat pose from a B. albo. That was a big fat no.

One thing I've noticed is water bowl sitting. It's now ditched the burrow and corkbark in its enclosure, and now resides in the water bowl. Its odd. I've diced up some hornworm tonight, and in a few hours I suspect it will attempt eating.

No body condition has been lost. I hope to god it moults soon..
 
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