M.balfouri Not Eating

Efrenista

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 15, 2017
Messages
9
This is my first post.
Im gonna go straight, i have this mature female M.balfouri and as what the previous owner said it was mated once, and dropped a sac last march 2016. I got this beautiful specie last october 2016, shes a bit bulky. But as months flows, She merely touched her food, as i can recall she ate a mature dubia last december and january. After putting the dead dubia in front of her hide and moving her webs making her angry and bite the dubia and the she ate them. Then until now shea not falling for that trick again, im not looking forward to her sac, i just wanted her to eat.
 

BobBarley

Arachnoprince
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
1,486
If she hasn't molted since March of last year and if she is very fat, she could drop another sac. This species can "double clutch" -- meaning that it can lay two (I've read of an Avicularia triple clutching before) eggsacs in a row if she doesn't molt in between.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
Also, it's plenty fat. They don't have to eat so long as they have a big abdomen.

Regardless, get her in a proper enclosure. This species likes to web and burrow - you've offered no burrowing room and no anchor points. Give at least 4" of substrate and webbing anchor points in the form of chopsticks stuck into the substrate. Give a starter burrow with either a cork slab or a broken Terra Cotta pot.
 

Efrenista

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 15, 2017
Messages
9
Also, it's plenty fat. They don't have to eat so long as they have a big abdomen.

Regardless, get her in a proper enclosure. This species likes to web and burrow - you've offered no burrowing room and no anchor points. Give at least 4" of substrate and webbing anchor points in the form of chopsticks stuck into the substrate. Give a starter burrow with either a cork slab or a broken Terra Cotta pot.

Thanks for the reply, but the picture i attached was dated october 24 2016 a week after i got her, from her previous owner. As he explained that it was power feed to lessen the possibilities of eating the male and also if ever after mating that fasting was a chance for this female. And regarding the enclosure indicated it was her original enclosure where she stayed and sac for the first time.
 

Efrenista

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 15, 2017
Messages
9
But my real problem is, shes not eating anymore ever since i got her. Her abdomen is way smaller than before. And shes not taking any food. And im getting worried. I tried to feed her, once or twice but only after tempting her, while i was moving the web in the entrance of her hide she bites the dead dubia and after that she eaten it.
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
This picture is taken 2nd week of january
Can you post a picture of the whole enclosure? If she's not kept right she might not feel comforable enough to eat.
But if she hasn't molted since March, an eggsac in the making can also be the reason why she is not eating.
 

Efrenista

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 15, 2017
Messages
9
Can you post a picture of the whole enclosure? If she's not kept right she might not feel comforable enough to eat.
But if she hasn't molted since March, an eggsac in the making can also be the reason why she is not eating.
Is it possible, that the reason why shes not eating is shes gonna drop some eggs, she just dont like it. Ill post later her enclosure. Its new just a week ago. I decided to put her in a bigger and deeper enclo.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
Thanks for the reply, but the picture i attached was dated october 24 2016 a week after i got her, from her previous owner. As he explained that it was power feed to lessen the possibilities of eating the male and also if ever after mating that fasting was a chance for this female. And regarding the enclosure indicated it was her original enclosure where she stayed and sac for the first time.
Based on your picture below, she's still in a wildly inappropriate enclosure. My wager is that's she's stressed because she's being cared for improperly.

This picture is taken 2nd week of january
Again: Deep substrate, anchor points, cork slab. You're also constantly rehousing her, which is going to stress any animal. I count four rehousings in the span of a few months? No wonder she's not eating.
 

Efrenista

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 15, 2017
Messages
9
Based on your picture below, she's still in a wildly inappropriate enclosure. My wager is that's she's stressed because she's being cared for improperly.



Again: Deep substrate, anchor points, cork slab. You're also constantly rehousing her, which is going to stress any animal. I count four rehousings in the span of a few months? No wonder she's not eating.
How long should it take, for her to make herself at home.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
How long should it take, for her to make herself at home.
Burrowers can take an exceptionally long time to settle in, so it might be awhile. Nothing you can do but offer a clean water dish and a stress free environment.
 

korg

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
596
Not sure anyone is going to have concrete answers for you on how long it "should" take for a tarantula to do something. Just provide a proper habitat (as outlined above) and sit back and enjoy... this hobby plays itself out over years and years, not weeks or months, and your spider will settle in at its own pace. You've got a nice looking balfouri there and you'll be too stressed to enjoy it if you worry over every little thing it does!
 

boina

Lady of the mites
Active Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
I can only repeat what others have said before:
1. Provide more structure in her box: a hide, anchor points for webbing. They come from shrublands and are not doing well out in the open.
2. Leave. Her. Alone. M. balfouri are some of the more skittish and easily stressed Ts and they may very well react by not eating. Because of their nervous nature they may take a long time to settle or not settle at all if they don't like their environment and get disturbed all the time.
 
Top