GBB not eating and hanging from leaf

[Abiding Jedi]

Hello all. My GBB has stopped eating, I used to feed her dubias and she's since stopped with that. I haven't been able to get her to eat for about 2 months now...
She also just started hanging from a leaf in her enclosure with her abdomen dragging the substrate. I tried feeding her a cricket yesterday and she acted interested at first, but went back to hanging. All of her movements are VERY slow now. I also have not recorded a molt since September.. She's got me very concerned and I'm not too sure what too do. Any suggestions?

 

[KezyGLA]

Halt feeding. It looks well fed as it is. It may be premoult behaviour.

 

[Abiding Jedi]

Halt feeding. It looks well fed as it is. It may be premoult behaviour.

She definitely doesn't look ill. Its just been very strange that she hasn't eaten for so long before molting. Then again, we can't talk to them, so who knows what's going on inside her brain. I'll suspend feeding and provide updates. She usually rolls onto her back to molt, but perhaps wants to hang this time.

 

[KezyGLA]

I had a large juvenile GBB refuse food for 6 months then she molted.

If she continues to look healthy and the abdomen is plump then there shouldnt be a problem. Just make sure there is waterdish available.

Sometimes Ts do weird stuff aha

 

[Abiding Jedi]

I had a large juvenile GBB reguse food for 6 months then she molted.

If she continues to look healthy and the abdomen is plump then there shouldnt be a problem. Just make sure there is waterdish available.

Sometimes Ts do weird stuff aha

I'm nervous to provide a water dish as I know they can be sensitive to humidity. Her enclosure is relatively well ventilated and I lightly mist every other week. But I can give her a bottle cap of water if you think it would help.

 

[MetalMan2004]

All 7 of my gbbs have water dishes and they've never had humidity issues. I have caught maybe half of rhem drinking directly from the dish though. I'd say add it, but thats just my opinion.

 

[G. pulchra]

Every tarantula I own has access to water, no matter what species.

 

[Abiding Jedi]

Awesome advice. Great to know. I've ready so much about the dangers of over humidifying them. Good to hear from some hardened experts. I'll add a water dish right away.

 

[KezyGLA]

Yeah always keep well vented, water dish full, substrate dry, dont mist.

Thats the GBB gospel

 

[cold blood]

I'm nervous to provide a water dish as I know they can be sensitive to humidity. Her enclosure is relatively well ventilated and I lightly mist every other week. But I can give her a bottle cap of water if you think it would help.

Nice contradictory post. You don't add a dish because you are nervous about sensitivity to moisture, yet you mist it every other week...help me make sense of this.

NEVER EVER EVER mist a GBB!

ALWAYS add a water dish...regardless of the species...all ts need a water source at times.

Add a larger water dish, a bottle cap is much too small for a t of this size.

 

[Andrea82]

They like it bone-dry, but it is also a species i see drinking regularly, so yes, add a waterdish asap

 

[Devin B]

Like everyone else has said, I think you should add a water dish. I have one with my GBB and I even have a picture of him drinking from it.

 

[Abiding Jedi]

Nice contradictory post. You don't add a dish. because you are nervous about sensitivity to moisture, yet you mist it every other week...help me make sense of this.

NEVER EVER EVER mist a GBB!

ALWAYS add a water dish...regardless of the species...all ts need a water source at times.

Add a larger water dish, a bottle cap is much too small for a t of this size.

Not sure why you feel the need to insult, that doesn't make me want to even finish reading your post. But I did. Others answered without being condescending, I suggest you change your approach.

I've been told in the past to mist, and before your comment I believe I learned to suspend that and provide a water dish.

The dish I've since put in is twice the size of her abdomen. So I think that will be sufficient so long as I keep it filled.

 

[Andrea82]

Not sure why you feel the need to insult, that doesn't make me want to even finish reading your post. But I did. Others answered without being condescending, I suggest you change your approach.

I've been told in the past to mist, and before your comment I believe I learned to suspend that and provide a water dish.

The dish I've since put in is twice the size of her abdomen. So I think that will be sufficient so long as I keep it filled.

It wasn't an insult or condescending so much as just frustration. There is so much bad info on the web, and pet stores almost never give accurate advice. There has been a big influx of new keepers who have their T's set up following this advice, and it is frustrating as hell sometimes. A waterdish is a basic necessity when keepin these spiders right. You didn't mention that you stopped misting already so that was all he could go on

 

[Rob1985]

Lessons learned here....

1. Always offer a T water dish, no matter what.
2. Misting dries too quickly and is really only for 1/2 slings or smaller.
3. Don't take anything personally here and think before you post.
4. Have a great day and enjoy your T's!

 

[darkness975]

She definitely doesn't look ill. Its just been very strange that she hasn't eaten for so long before molting. Then again, we can't talk to them, so who knows what's going on inside her brain. I'll suspend feeding and provide updates. She usually rolls onto her back to molt, but perhaps wants to hang this time.

It can't molt hanging off the leaf that way. I doubt even an arboreal species could molt on that. It should relocate to a terrestrial spot when ready to molt.

Now that you are no longer misting, see if it returns to the bottom again.

Is there a lot of webbing? This species usually webs a lot.