Mexican Red Knee not eaten for 4months

[FatherOfTheSpider]

Hi guys
I know I shouldn’t be too concerned about this as I’ve read this is normal behaviour however my 3yr old Mexican red knee hasn’t eaten since September she did her last molt in August. She probably only ate 3 times after that and hasn’t eaten since. Should I be concerned?
Thank you

 

[cold blood]

She probably only ate 3 times after that

What did it eat?

 

[FatherOfTheSpider]

What did it eat?

I feed her locusts as this is what the breeder I got her from recommended and she seem to love them have been feeding her them for a while now, but this is the longest she has gone without food. She’s still very active.
Do you recommend I try something else instead of locusts?
Thank you

 

[cold blood]

No, I was simply trying to gauge her meal sizes.....locusts tend to be a pretty good meal....I wouldn't be too concerned about her disinterest in food....but you could try other feeders if you like, there are times where this can trigger a better response....but the response tends to be pretty good from grasshoppers, or locusts as you guys call them.

 

[FatherOfTheSpider]

Thanks I will attempt to feed her again some point in the coming week.
Out of curiosity what do you call them lol?

 

[Olan]

Kangaroo bugs


No just kidding. Grasshoppers.

 

[Asgiliath]

Four months is not much at all for a healthy desert species.

I have a chalcodes that’s eaten once or twice in six months and is still quite chunky.

 

[Brachyfan]

Adult Ts can easily go long stretches without food. In fact my tiny PZB just ate for the first time since the end of august and that was a half inch sling. It literally ate for almost 24 hours straight!

I would make sure that your t has water at all times. Dehydration is way more of a problem than starvation.

 

[FatherOfTheSpider]

Thank you, yes she always has water available and I do spray her enclosure every now and again.

 

[cold blood]

I do spray her enclosure every now and again

Don't...like ever.

 

[FatherOfTheSpider]

Don't...like ever.

How come? I was told to do this occasionally?

 

[cold blood]

How come? I was told to do this occasionally?

Misting is for drinking opportunities, nothing more....you have a water dish, so no need to mist.

Its like you having a glass of water in front of you, but periodocally i offer to spray water in your mouth anyway.

 

[Feral]

Probably no need to be concerned, especially this species, but doesn't hurt to make sure. So, questions-
"3yr old" doesn't really mean much; What is her DLS (diagonal leg span) measurement? And what is her abdomen size/shape? Small, small and shriveled, healthy average, obese? She got dat juicy wagon?

(A full body pic from above would help make sure she's a good weight.)

 

[MikeofBorg]

Four months is not much at all for a healthy desert species.

I have a chalcodes that’s eaten once or twice in six months and is still quite chunky.

You are 100% right. Once my B. hamorii got bigger than 3 inches in DLS she slowed her eating way down. I also have an A. chalcodes who didn't eat for 18 months straight. They can go a long time without a meal. However keep the water dish full of fresh water. Even when my A. chalcodes was fasting she still drank regularly.

 

[FatherOfTheSpider]

Probably no need to be concerned, especially this species, but doesn't hurt to make sure. So, questions-
"3yr old" doesn't really mean much; What is her DLS (diagonal leg span) measurement? And what is her abdomen size/shape? Small, small and shriveled, healthy average, obese? She got dat juicy wagon?

(A full body pic from above would help make sure she's a good weight.)

So this is a pic of her she seems perfectly normal really round healthy abdomen, I think her dl is roughly 3inches, she last molted in July but has been refusing food I will attempt to feed her again this week.

 

[Thekla]

That T won't need any food until it moults!

But I would change the substrate. Looks really rough (which could cause serious issues for a fa... uhm, well-fed T like yours) and not at all suitable for digging or burrowing.

 

[CommanderBacon]

So this is a pic of her she seems perfectly normal really round healthy abdomen, I think her dl is roughly 3inches, she last molted in July but has been refusing food I will attempt to feed her again this week.

O dang she real big

Yeah, she's fine (as far as food goes). As stated earlier in the thread, just make sure that she has a full water bowl and maybe offer a prey item every few weeks until she molts. No need to waste them on a spider that won't eat, but sometimes if they're active they like another meal eventually.

Edit: yes please switch out that substrate. It is inappropriate for tarantulas and may cause damage to their soft booties.

 

[FatherOfTheSpider]

That T won't need any food until it moults!

But I would change the substrate. Looks really rough (which could cause serious issues for a fa... uhm, well-fed T like yours) and not at all suitable for digging or burrowing.

Thanks for the advice I’ll change the substrate this week? What would you recommend to use as this is what the breeder I got her from recommended?
Cheers

O dang she real big

Yeah, she's fine (as far as food goes). As stated earlier in the thread, just make sure that she has a full water bowl and maybe offer a prey item every few weeks until she molts. No need to waste them on a spider that won't eat, but sometimes if they're active they like another meal eventually.

Edit: yes please switch out that substrate. It is inappropriate for tarantulas and may cause damage to their soft booties.

Thanks will defo change it this week what do you suggest?
The breeder I got her from had been using this substrate, but will switch to something else.

 

[CommanderBacon]

Thanks will defo change it this week what do you suggest?
The breeder I got her from had been using this substrate, but will switch to something else.

That looks like Reptibark or something Is that what it is? Sometimes my cocofiber chunks will work their way to the top on some of my fossorial enclosures and look like that, but those chunks look too big for that to have happened.

I think substrate preferences tend to get a bit personal for people. I like a 50/50 mix of Reptisoil and coco fiber, but I am trying to find a reliable brand of topsoil to mix in. This species likes it dry, so it would probably be fine on just coco fiber if that's all you can find, but coco fiber (like EcoEarth), Creature Soil, Reptisoil, or topsoil without any additives would all work.

 

[Feral]

That looks like Reptibark or something Is that what it is? Sometimes my cocofiber chunks will work their way to the top on some of my fossorial enclosures and look like that, but those chunks look too big for that to have happened.

I think substrate preferences tend to get a bit personal for people. I like a 50/50 mix of Reptisoil and coco fiber, but I am trying to find a reliable brand of topsoil to mix in. This species likes it dry, so it would probably be fine on just coco fiber if that's all you can find, but coco fiber (like EcoEarth), Creature Soil, Reptisoil, or topsoil without any additives would all work.

Good info here, and others in the thread. Right on. Just wanted to add a bit about straight up peatmoss also being acceptable.
For me, I've used topsoil, straight cocofiber, and amended cocofiber. But it's personal preference- any of the safe, accepted substrates on the list (or any combination) is fine for your tarantula.

Please do note, though, because I made this mistake myself- topsoil is different than potting soil. If you chose to go with soil instead of the other substrates, you have to be more discerning. You would want topsoil, specifically, and make sure it is plain pure,"virgin". Not that it spends its entire life in its mom's basement playing tabletop RPGs and writing Borg fanfic, but meaning that it is just plain dirt that is unamended, free of any "cides" (insecticide, herbicide, pesticide, etc.), and free of any fertilizers (organic and synthetic), etc. Just pure dirt. And the "organic" label doesn't mean much by itself, plenty of harmful things could be organic in there but still possibly dangerous for inverts. So yeah, learn from my ignorance. lol