G. Pulchra underground for a month

[Ardothewan]

Hi all. I have a G.pulchra sling (1.5" ish) that dug itself a hole under the clay pot I put for him as a hide. Luckily it is on the side of the KK so I can see him. He has been down there for a month and I've never seen him come up. I did some forum searches and it seems like he is perhaps molting but he has been down there for so long without eating that I've been getting worried.
Should I leave him be still or should I at least try to get move some dirt and get a worm down to him? He has closed off any entrances so he is essentially live in a cavern down there with no openings.
Thanks

 

[OlBoyT]

Leave it be, its getting ready to molt. I wouldnt feed it either intill about a week or 2 (suppose to be 2) after the molt. Gratz.

Im w8ing for my Nhandu Chromatus sling to molt, should be any day.

 

[Upjohn252]

I had the same problem with G. Pulchra slings In got in January, I put each sling in an enclosure too big, and they buried themselves, andd coulldnt be seen. After a week I got them out carefully and put them in a small deli container (actually it is the small KFC containers used for mashed potatoes, and cole slaw) and they are doing just fine

 

[Formerphobe]

I got my G. pulchra last August at ~2 inches. It just had its second molt in the cavern it created two weeks after acquisition. I've seen evidence that it comes out periodically when no one is around, then packs everything back in again. It does eat about every 3 - 4 weeks.

 

[killy]

I named my Pulchra "Caveman." That oughta tell you everything you need to know about him - that was back in his upper-sling days, and luckily I had a starter burrow dug against the front surface of the critter-keeper I had him in with a piece of cork-bark for a roof. Caveman took to it like a duck to water, pretty much stayed there for most of his early life, and the "burrow-with-a-view" arrangement enabled me to keep an eye on him in his reclusive glory at all times.

 

[Ardothewan]

how were you guys feeding it then? I have it in the smallest kritter keeper. i tried the worm in a bottle cap but usually the worm escapes that lol. he does move the dirt around a bit but ive never seen him out (unless he goes out while im at work)

 

[killy]

how were you guys feeding it then?

I was hoping that the introduction of crickets would lure him out, which they did, pop-goes-the-weasel-style - he would wait for his prey to approach the opening of the burrow then whammo - Caveman only had to exit the burrow long enough to grab the cricket and then go underground again.

The point is that your pulchra is a very patient critter - he'll wait for his food to come to him, and for you that can be a waiting game as tedious as watching mud crack.

And yes, Ts are notorious for waiting until no one is looking to do such things as eat, drink, molt, re-arrange furniture - in short: they like messin' with us! So go ahead and feed your T, and if the food item is still there 24 hours later, remove it - it could be the sign of an impending molt.

 

[Ardothewan]

Just want to update in case anyone else runs into this situation:
My G. pulchra never actually molted. I moved her into a dark cabinet, seemed to like that better and opened up her burrow. Now i can actually drop food down in there. She has been eating like a beast after not eating at all the first 1.5-2 months i had her. she still generally speaking stays down there but sometimes when i open the cabinet door i see her peeking her head out but she always runs back down.