Help pink toe tarantula butt shrinking.. only molted once

[Danicleares]

I need help! I have a one and a half year-old pink toed tarantula. She’s only melt molted once. She was overweight now she’s under weight. I’m trying to just figure out what to do. Most of the time she stays in her little bark in this little weblike nest that she made today was the first time she came out that I’ve seen saw that her butt got smaller. A lot smaller.. a little smaller than her body

 

[vounti]

Wait for fangs to be black before trying to feed. Then feed on a normal schedule, about once every 2 weeks

Is the tarantula on the substrate ? It should have a lot more vertical space than ground surface. This is an arboreal animal, it lives in trees. It would help if you could post a picture of the entire enclosure

Read viper69's message on this link:

Avicularia Husbandry?

Hi! I'm new to the forum and am unsure if this is the right place for this, but I was wondering if there's anything I should know in advance before purchasing an Avicularia genus? (specifically, I have my eye on some a. metallica slings) I've done some reading, but being that I've only ever had...

arachnoboards.com

I am not experienced with Avicularia. It makes me think of a MM.

Waiting for experts (@viper69) for moreinformation

 

[NMTs]

It looks fine to me. Avics aren't really built to have huge abdomens like most of the terrestrial types - they're generally more lean and agile because of their arboreal nature. I don't see bulbs/emboli, but those aren't the best pics. Doesn't look as leggy as a mature male should be, though. Please add pics of the entire enclosure and we can let you know if there's anything that needs to be addressed.

 

[vancwa]

Abdomens shrink after molt. Wait until fangs turn black before feeding. Make sure fresh water is available.

 

[curtisgiganteus]

Are you sure it’s a female?

 

[darkness975]

It looks like an aging mature male and it looks like it's on the ground? Can you take some more pictures?

 

[viper69]

MM is my guess

 

[MGHamlin]

It's hard to tell from the pics, but I'm not sure that's a MM. It looks like it still has a pink "toe" on its pedipalp, and my MM avic avic lost his pink toes on the pedipalps when he picked up his emboli.

I'm also a little confused about the timing of the molt. Did it just recently molt? How recently? Or did it molt several months ago and then disappear? If it's been several months since the molt, has it taken any food since? Do you have a water dish available, and have you tried putting a drop or two on the webbing near your T to see if it will drink?

 

[Smotzer]

It’s abdomen is not abnormally small for an Aviculariinae, tarantulas don’t actually need to look like they are busting at the seams. If it just molted give it at least 2-3weeks to harden up before feeding. Make sure it has access to a water dish. I often see my Avics getting a long drink post molt.

also can you post a photo of the entire enclosure it looks like it had more length than height and they are arboreal.

 

[The Spider House]

Seems to have MM features to me, even though can't see under front pair of legs or palps.

The chelicerae are small in comparison to carapace too. An indicator of male with the absence of any vent/palp/hook/spermathecae pics.

 

[Danicleares]

They told me my T was a female but maybe I just put her in a new home

It's hard to tell from the pics, but I'm not sure that's a MM. It looks like it still has a pink "toe" on its pedipalp, and my MM avic avic lost his pink toes on the pedipalps when he picked up his emboli.

I'm also a little confused about the timing of the molt. Did it just recently molt? How recently? Or did it molt several months ago and then disappear? If it's been several months since the molt, has it taken any food since? Do you have a water dish available, and have you tried putting a drop or two on the webbing near your T to see if it will drink?

My t molted about 8 maybe even 9 months ago.. hasn’t molted since first Molt

My t will drink and I think it eats most of the time.. the butt was a lot bigger, but it was bigger than the body so I lessened the feeding to only 2 crickets every 5 days

 

[lukasrood]

My t will drink and I think it eats most of the time.. the butt was a lot bigger, but it was bigger than the body so I lessened the feeding to only 2 crickets every 5 days

That set up looks way better for her. Nice.
Is it possible she molted and you didn’t notice? How many Ts do you have?

 

[Danicleares]

That set up looks way better for her. Nice.
Is it possible she molted and you didn’t notice? How many Ts do you have?

Yeah no sadly she only molted once unless the pet store lied to me she’s about 1 year and 6 months old and only one. Thank you btw

 

[NMTs]

Yeah no sadly she only molted once unless the pet store lied to me she’s about 1 year and 6 months old and only one. Thank you btw

It is definitely a female, but it seems considerably older than 18 months - it's likely wild caught, so there's no way anyone could say for certain how old it is. Maybe it's just in bad shape from being imported and kept at a pet store, though. The new setup looks good. All you can do now keep offering it food once a week or every other week, and make sure it has water to drink. Hopefully it'll start settling in and eating more consistently for you.

 

[Danicleares]

Hopefully thank you

Seems to have MM features to me, even though can't see under front pair of legs or palps.

The chelicerae are small in comparison to carapace too. An indicator of male with the absence of any vent/palp/hook/spermathecae pics.

It's hard to tell from the pics, but I'm not sure that's a MM. It looks like it still has a pink "toe" on its pedipalp, and my MM avic avic lost his pink toes on the pedipalps when he picked up his emboli.

I'm also a little confused about the timing of the molt. Did it just recently molt? How recently? Or did it molt several months ago and then disappear? If it's been several months since the molt, has it taken any food since? Do you have a water dish available, and have you tried putting a drop or two on the webbing near your T to see if it will drink?

I posted some more pictures below

Are you sure it’s a female?

Yes and she molted 8 months ago

 

[The Spider House]

Yes and she molted 8 months ago

No palpal bulbs so we can rule out Mature Male.

Could just be a really old female. They can lose condition like that. I have an Avic metallica (M6) that was an impressive 5 inch plus chunky female who moulted recently and she looks very raggidy now and for all intent and purposes, has the build and the look of a mature male. It's like she shrunk into an old granny in her last moult.