dubia in P. pulcher enclosure - webbed up but still alive

[darlingi]

I can’t believe what I just saw. I last fed my pulcher 4 days ago and as usual, she grabbed the roach and dragged her down into her webbing. Just now I noticed the roach hung up at the bottom of the webbing. The scary thing is, that dubia is still alive, or at least twitching.
Does anybody have an idea on how this is even possible??? It seems like her legs just move when I touch the table the enclosure is placed on.
Also, it’d be really, really tough to get that roach out of there. The opening of the enclosure is far from that corner where the roach is and I can’t really get behind that cork bark without using my hands. Should I just wait and see if she decides to eat the roach?

 

[DomGom TheFather]

Does anybody have an idea on how this is even possible?

Spider got soft.

Should I just wait and see if she decides to eat the roach?

Chances are she won't. If she wasn't hungry four days ago and dropped it, it may die there.

 

[BoyFromLA]

I noticed the roach hung up at the bottom of the webbing. The scary thing is, that dubia is still alive, or at least twitching.

It’s just like the scene from the Aliens (1986).

 

[darlingi]

Mission completed - I got the roach out.
I should probably consider myself very lucky to have such a chill, currently lethargic pulcher.
That roach was very alive btw. I wonder how she survived the venom?

 

[DomGom TheFather]

Mission completed - I got the roach out.
I should probably consider myself very lucky to have such a chill, currently lethargic pulcher.
That roach was very alive btw. I wonder how she survived the venom?

Was it even punctured?
May have just been grabbed.

 

[darlingi]

Was it even punctured?
May have just been grabbed.

Yeah it was, I could see a hole on the underside of the dubia.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

Yeah it was, I could see a hole on the underside of the dubia.

Tough little dudes.

 

[viper69]

Mission completed - I got the roach out.
I should probably consider myself very lucky to have such a chill, currently lethargic pulcher.
That roach was very alive btw. I wonder how she survived the venom?

No proof the prey was envenomated even with holes.

Most of the damage to prey is from physical forces from T, not venom.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Yeah it was, I could see a hole on the underside of the dubia.

Most probably a dry bite, venom is rarely wasted on prey items that can be easily killed by stabbing/crushing.

 

[Tarantuland]

Most probably a dry bite, venom is rarely wasted on prey items that can be easily killed by stabbing/crushing.

This is interesting, but I never heard this. I don't doubt it, but can you link to any articles about it? I'd like to learn more

 

[The Grym Reaper]

This is interesting, but I never heard this. I don't doubt it, but can you link to any articles about it? I'd like to learn more

There's references to dry bites in the articles below (as well as in several bite reports) so we know they can control whether or not they inject venom but if you've watched anything on the bigger side (A. genic/Theraphosa) feed on smaller prey items then they often tend to just skewer their prey (the fangs just go straight in one end and out the other) and then immediately proceed to crush it between their cheliceral teeth.

Some Tarantula Bites More Harmful Than Thought

Though tarantulas are mostly harmless, some species have the capacity to cause weeks of pain and suffering.

www.livescience.com

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