C. Versicolor Feeding Question

Hilabeanz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 23, 2019
Messages
11
I rehoused my fairly new versi and gave her a great new cork tube to make herself at home. She is my first arboreal T, and first to build a somewhat significant web. I love that she feels nestled and comfortable, but I’m now a little perplexed by feeding.

I’ve been holding her Dubia just outside the top of her webbed up tube and she’ll come up to the edge, but won’t break her seal to get it. She has opened her tube top (lol!) to come out wondering, but usually only briefly before diving back in and webbing her tube closed again. Just curious how I should feed her? Open her web and see if I can get her to strike her food? Keep her web closed and shadow-puppet her roach just outside? Wait until her tube is opened by her and then offer?

Also, for those of you with a tube dweller, how do you know if and when they are molting? I mounted her tube with hot glue to the background to keep it secure, but now I have no idea how to clear out a molt if it happens in there. Did I make a rookie mistake?
 

Attachments

Mini8leggedfreak

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 21, 2017
Messages
270
I’ve never had an arboreal web itself off unless it wasn’t interested in food, bc of a molt.

Usually the abdomen will darken up before the spider will molt.
If it’s a good size spider, like a little chunky I wouldn’t mess with it.
if you’re getting a response from the T maybe just leave the roach in overnight.
 

Vanisher

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
2,533
Yes. Sometimes they close the tube even if not in premoult. I often used a paintbrush to simulate prey outside tube. (Good trick! )If the tarantula is coming trough it means it is hungry, if not, wait! Write notes when spider moults. This is an overall good tip! You can by this almost predict when premoults is imminent! I was always writing those kinds of notes in depth!
 

Tenebrarius

Arachnoangel
Joined
Sep 8, 2018
Messages
912
but now I have no idea how to clear out a molt if it happens in there.
long forceps.

also it could be premolt, not taking food is not a big deal, wait a week and if it still doesn't show food responses then just wait til it molts.
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
Drop in a few crickets....its that simple.

Because it will molt in a tube, at an elevated position, roaming crickets are no danger....just let it hunt at its leisure.

I hate those cork tubes....they are a recipe for never seeing your t.
 

Hilabeanz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 23, 2019
Messages
11
long forceps.

also it could be premolt, not taking food is not a big deal, wait a week and if it still doesn't show food responses then just wait til it molts.
But how do I know if she’s molting/molted? I can’t see down her tube. I guess I’ll just wait to see if she all of a sudden appears bigger. There’s no top opening to her enclosure sadly, so I don’t think I can maneuver long forceps down there. Ugh...I didn’t think of all this when I put it together.

Drop in a few crickets....its that simple.

Because it will molt in a tube, at an elevated position, roaming crickets are no danger....just let it hunt at its leisure.

I hate those cork tubes....they are a recipe for never seeing your t.
Yeah, I’m realizing that now. I read that they loved them so I wanted to be sure she had one. But now I have a pet tube instead of a beautiful versicolor. Dang it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Tenebrarius

Arachnoangel
Joined
Sep 8, 2018
Messages
912
But how do I know if she’s molting/molted? I can’t see down her tube. I guess I’ll just wait to see if she all of a sudden appears bigger. There’s no top opening to her enclosure sadly, so I don’t think I can maneuver long forceps down there. Ugh...I didn’t think of all this when I put it together.
I guess that is an oopsie when it comes to convenience.

Ts will tend to kick away their molts anyways...sometime they are lazy about it. But not eating is usually a good indicator for premolt, and being bigger is usually a good indicator of a freshly molted T.

Yeah, I’m realizing that now. I read that they loved them so I wanted to be sure she had one. But now I have a pet tube instead of a beautiful versicolor. Dang it.
well at least your spider has a happy home.

but using a flat is better when it comes to visual cause you can at least see the back through the clear wall.
 
Top