Hunt or ambush?

will

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 14, 2010
Messages
20
Good day, here I am again asking for opinions (as always hehe). Anyway, not really a big deal.

I used to house my young B.Smithi (1inch 3cm legspan) in a small delicup that has no decorations at all. It's just a plain, flat substrate. And when I offer him/her a food, he/she will always 'grab and eat' it once the food gets near to it.

I transferred my B.Smithi into a new enclosure. A bit wider (in diameter) than his/her previous enclosure, has a cocopeat tile (tilted to emulate a "bark") and a much thicker/higher substrate. B.Smithi likes it so much.

B.Smithi made a burrow near the cocopeat tile. Good. But now, B.Smithi just stays there. And when I offer it a food, and for some reason the food didn't visit the burrow, B.Smithi will not grab it.

Food remained alive and kicking for 24 hours. I pulled it out. I was thinking, what if everytime I place a food inside the enclosure, and the food doesn't always visit the burrow, will my B.Smithi just die of starvation? Or when "desperate measures" arises, B.Smithi will switch from "ambush" to "hunt" mode and will emerge from its burrow to chase, grab a food then will retreat to his/her burrow to feast on his/her prize?

Bonus Question

My B.Smithi's burrow is a bit weird. It has a very small opening. The "door" is located at the wall of his/her enclosure. Perhaps it's one reason why whenever a put a food inside, it won't even visit the burrow. It's very small. So small that I'm sure if my B.Smithi wants to get out, he/she will need to "rip" some part of it. Or maybe, I'm just paranoid. I don't have a photo of its enclosure but I have a sketch of it. Please click here to view it.

Thanks and Thanks Arachnoboards. All opinions are welcome. Good or bad, they're always remain valid. : )
 

zbrewer88

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
Messages
30
If it's not eating it's probably getting ready to molt. The tarantula will not let itself starve to death unless it has some kind of sickness. If it doesn't accept food remove it and wait a few days and try again. Keep doing this until either 1) it molts or 2) it eats. Just make sure it has enough water and make sure if it does molt that there is no food in there with it during the molt, and do not offer food for a few days as it will need it to harden.
 

blackrayne

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Messages
9
how long has it been in the new enclosure?...it will take some time for him/her to settle down and eat...it wasnt in hunt mode before, it was opportunistic (if it was hungry and food came near it would grab), and it will continue to do so...im sure it is much happier now that it has a place to hide, and has shown that by making a hide before eating lol...small t's will often make burrows, its a survival mechanism...it very well could be getting ready for a molt, or just enjoying its new house...id wait another week then offer it another meal, but make sure theres a water dish...
 
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