Dubia Exoskeleton Hardness

[bryverine]

After finding my P. muticus with at least one broken fang, I'm considering the possibility it was a feeder's exoskeleton.

The last feeder my T (hopefully) ate was a very plump, dark adult female dubia.

Should I be "helping out" my tarantulas when feeding these mature, harder shell dubia by maybe crunching up the top a bit? Usually the T's start on the belly side, but maybe if they get too enthusiastic, they crunch down on something their fangs can't quite handle.

Am I worrying over something that isn't an issue?

 

[basin79]

After finding my P. muticus with at least one broken fang, I'm considering the possibility it was a feeder's exoskeleton.

The last feeder my T (hopefully) ate was a very plump, dark adult female dubia.

Should I be "helping out" my tarantulas when feeding these mature, harder shell dubia by maybe crunching up the top a bit? Usually the T's start on the belly side, but maybe if they get too enthusiastic, they crunch down on something their fangs can't quite handle.

Am I worrying over something that isn't an issue?

I very much doubt a Dubia roach broke your T's fang. Do you tong feed?

 

[Walker253]

I really doubt it's the Dubia shell that caused the fang to break. They've been a major food source for years and it's not something you hear about. If it was though, I would consider it an extreme rarity. Tough spot you're in with a P muticus. When was her last known molt?

 

[bryverine]

I very much doubt a Dubia roach broke your T's fang. Do you tong feed?

Interesting, I'm curious if it was just a bad molt then.

She had more than enough time to harden (2 months). Perhaps she wasn't more eager to eat sooner because of this.

In any case, I suppose I'll just go on feeding dubia with only a crushed head and leave their shell alone.

@Walker253
Last molt: 8/17/16
Post molt feed date: 10/22/16

 

[EulersK]

Agreed, I doubt that's the problem. Especially with a large, powerful tarantula like P. muticus.

Any number of things could have lead to the lost fang. Chewing on ventilation, a bad molt, a fall, etc. No real way to ever find out unless you saw it happen.

 

[Quixtar]

I've seen a small scorpion's stinger go through a dubia exoskeleton. There's no way it broke your T's fang.

 

[bryverine]

I've seen a small scorpion's stinger go through a dubia exoskeleton. There's no way it broke your T's fang.

Through an adult mature female's exoskeleton?!
At any other stage in the dubia's life, I could believe it, but I guess it's hard for me to fathom. Then again, my scorpion experience is on a pretty basic level.