Got a threat pose from my tiny sling!

[greensleeves]

Yes, you read that right, Bungee gave me a wee mini threat pose last night. To be fair it wasn't a total one, he just kind of half-heartedly lifted his first set of legs up, but it wasn't a full display with the pedipalps, the open mouth and the bared fangs, but still, it was somewhat surprising/amusing since he was doing it while sitting on my hand. Needless to say, though he is only a 3/4" sling, I let him sit there until he relaxed again, which didn't take too long. I called my hubby in to show him and Bungee got self-conscious and stopped. LOL

The unpardonable crime I was committing? Putting his delicup in front of him whenever he tried to walk off my hand.

He's been in FOOD ICU since I got home yesterday because I can't be sure he's eaten anything this weekend. I gave him a slightly larger cricket after finding out that was what he was used to. (Damn, they're butt-ugly once they get past the pinhead stage!) I removed the jumping legs thanks to a trick suggested by TheDon, and then, somewhat intimidated by its size in relation to Bungee, I crushed its head off as well. It was still moving around somewhat, despite being headless, when I tossed it in.

Poor Bungee spazzed, and galloped around his delicup like a maniac whenever the headless cricket blundered near. Eventually he calmed down and watched the cricket from a safe distance, perched on the side of the delicup.

When it was time to go to bed he hadn't chowed down yet, and the dead cricket was still wandering, so I decided to bash it into submission and leave it overnight for Bungee to scavenge.

I opened the container and Bungee oh so casually pranced out so I let him walk on me for awhile because he seems to like stretching his legs and he's so pretty when he walks. But boy, he really hates consorting with food.

I don't think he's pre-moult, but I hope he'll have a good one soon and develop more of a killer instinct.

Greensleeves

 

[Code Monkey]

Didn't eat over the weekend and you're heading for the "food ICU"?

I think you need to calm down a bit, you're practically trying to force feed that guy from the sound of it. If I'm not in the mood to feed, I'll let even the tiniest of slings go a couple of weeks without food - they've got stores for a few months, even the tiniest of them.

 

[greensleeves]

Originally posted by Code Monkey
Didn't eat over the weekend and you're heading for the "food ICU"?

I think you need to calm down a bit, you're practically trying to force feed that guy from the sound of it. If I'm not in the mood to feed, I'll let even the tiniest of slings go a couple of weeks without food - they've got stores for a few months, even the tiniest of them.

I guess I'm a little paranoid, this being my first one and all. Maybe when I become more experienced I will learn to trust the spider's instincts more.

I just don't want to lose him.

Greensleeves

 

[Code Monkey]

Originally posted by greensleeves
I just don't want to lose him.

The danger is that too much care is what will stress and kill a tarantula. Even slings are very much like a cactus or most orchids - give them the bare minimum care and they thrive, baby them too much and they die.

The thing to keep in mind is that a T without other severe problems will never starve itself to death. If it's reasonably plump and not eating and you have no reason to suspect other problems, leave it alone, it simply doesn't want to eat whether that means a moult is coming up or it's just full. Or it could even be something as bizarre as how WC specimens often don't eat during the winter - their instincts tell them food isn't available so they don't eat even when it's right there in front of them (obviously not applying to your issue, just some general info)

If you've been offering food and its not eating AND it's losing weight, that's when you might want to get concerned and try something like the food ICU. Plus, with the smaller slings, what can you reasonably do? With a larger T that's not eating because it's lost/damaged its fangs you can always syringe feed cricket past directly into the oral groove, or attempt an antibiotic/anti-fungal regimen if you've discovered symptoms of disease. But, for a small sling, there's just not anything you can do except make sure they've got food and water and wait on them to grow larger.

 

[greensleeves]

Originally posted by Code Monkey
The danger is that too much care is what will stress and kill a tarantula. Even slings are very much like a cactus or most orchids - give them the bare minimum care and they thrive, baby them too much and they die.

I'll keep reminding myself of that. The thing is I seem to be a master of neglecting even things that like neglect just enough that I go beyond the acceptable threshold. I did a lot of research before getting this baby, and a part of me feels confident I can do this right, yet at the same time I'm afraid I might forget about him, even though I know I won't.

I think I understand now why people have so many Ts - by having lots and giving each one the bare minimum care you feel like you're actually doing something instead of feeling like you aren't doing enough for just one and fussing over it too much.

Greensleeves