My B.Smithi hasn't eaten in ages! [Help!]

[xLoydx]

Hi All,

I need help here. My Mexican Red Knee B.Smithi has not eaten at all since i have got him/her. i've had her for around 5-6 months This is my First T and i love it to bits but its worrying me how its not eating i have offerd it plenty of food crickets of all sizes and same with Wax worms and it knows the food is there but is not interested at all.

I don't handle the spider a lot probally not at all like a 2 times a month or less i never handle it hardly but always watching it. The spider is in one of my spare rooms and it is really quiet in there so its not being disturbed.

The spider kicks hairs like crazy really bad everytime..

I've left the food in there and removed it for a few days then put it in there again for a day or 2 and it hasn't touched it. I see my T on the spider bowl sometimes but never caught it drinking.

I spoke with a guy at the local pet shop and he said he has a lot of T's and gave me some wax worms so ive been trying these a lot but its still not interested at all..

Can you give me some advice on what to do? The humid is around 60-70 and the Temp is around 25-30C the floor is not too damp and is quite dry.

Can you also tell me how old the T is by looking at it? This is my First T and i know nothing about them but i think i am doing everything right.

Can you give me some advice please!

This is my T

Appreciate everyones help! :worship:

 

[Fran]

Hi!
she looks well fed, so you shouldnt worry at all. It is quite normall for smithis to go on and off feeding for long periods of time.

She looks like a juvie, so you have a very young t there . They grow slow in general terms, so your spider could be 1 1/2 - 2 years old.(They live quite long ).

she will probably molt soon, so dont worry

 

[smallara98]

That looks like a HEALTHY spider! And the butt on that thing is HUGE! I dont think you have much of a problem, as if it didn't eat, it would have all that stuff in the abdomen as back up!

 

[xLoydx]

Hi!
she looks well fed, so you shouldnt worry at all. It is quite normall for smithis to go on and off feeding for long periods of time.

She looks like a juvie, so you have a very young t there . They grow slow in general terms, so your spider could be 1 1/2 - 2 years old.(They live quite long ).

she will probably molt soon, so dont worry

Hi Fran,

Thanks for the reply man!

Great. After its molted then what should i do? Should i continue to offer it food as i am now or just compleatly stop? How long do you think before it will molt at looking at it then? And the last question after its molted when should i remove the old skin and offer it food?

i'm new to T's and need info Thanks all for your help!

Edit:

So its a good spider then healthy etc..? Fantastic

 

[smallara98]

Hi Fran,

Thanks for the reply man!

Great. After its molted then what should i do? Should i continue to offer it food as i am now or just compleatly stop? How long do you think before it will molt at looking at it then? And the last question after its molted when should i remove the old skin and offer it food?

i'm new to T's and need info Thanks all for your help!

Well, I learned by myself without help.. Go onto the INTERNET! Learn about your t, then you wont have problems!

 

[Fran]

If she is not eating, you should remove all prey items and watch the skin
on her bald abdomen. As soon as It gets really dark, she will molt any moment.

When it molts, you must not bother her at all. Wait about a week after the molt, and she should be ready to eat again .

You can remove the old skin after she has harden up. (about a week for that size)

 

[smallara98]

I mean, it LOOKS like she is ready to molt!

 

[xLoydx]

If she is not eating, you should remove all prey items and watch the skin
on her bald abdomen. As soon as It gets really dark, she will molt any moment.

When it molts, you must not bother her at all. Wait about a week after the molt, and she should be ready to eat again .

You can remove the old skin after she has harden up. (about a week for that size)

Thanks for the info man

Well, I learned by myself without help.. Go onto the INTERNET! Learn about your t, then you wont have problems!

Because some questions i have asked the answers are not always on the internet. but yes i have read about my T already but whats the hurt in asking people on a forum also? That's what its there for. :? and yes hopefully it will molt soon.

Thanks all for the info.

 

[NikiP]

Looks like you still have a bit of time to go since the abdomen isn't dark yet

Tarantulas are made to eat a lot when possible, then they can just sit & not have to eat again for a very long time, should food become scarce. Once a rump gets to a size like yours, i'd stop offering it food for a while. You don't want it to fall & hurt itself, a large butt can rupture.

Which leads me to my next point, with a rump like that, you may want to consider putting it on a soft substrate like peat moss (organic, no chemicals) or a product like eco earth/coco fiber. Plus you'll want to fill up the tank so it has little room to fall in. Right now it could fall off that branch & hit the rocks below.

Well, I learned by myself without help.. Go onto the INTERNET! Learn about your t, then you wont have problems!

It's certainly not like you've never asked a question on here for a very basic issue or freaked out over a tarantula not eating....

 

[smallara98]

Ive never freaked out because a tarantula hasn't eaten? But yes, I have asked questions

 

[AmbushArachnids]

OP: Welcome to the hobby! Your T looks perfectly normal. She can live 25 years or more! The dark spots on the abdomen are the new exo growing in. The lack of hairs on the bum is from the spider flicking off "urticating hairs" at a disturbance.
Thats most likely why its not eating. Pick up a copy of "the tarantula keepers guide 3rd edition" This along with these forums should keep you busy for a while.

Hi!
she looks well fed, so you shouldnt worry at all. It is quite normall for smithis to go on and off feeding for long periods of time.

She looks like a juvie, so you have a very young t there . They grow slow in general terms, so your spider could be 1 1/2 - 2 years old.(They live quite long ).

she will probably molt soon, so dont worry

Not really a slow grower..

That spider could be anywhere from 6-8 months if it was raised by me.
I raised my B. smithi from 1" to 3.75" from 4/1/2010 to 11/1/10
my Aphonopelma went from .25" to 3.5" in a year!
Just saying there are slower growing Ts such as Aphonopelma. I would call brachypelma a medium grower.

To the point: That T could of been on a dealers list for years and fed sparingly.. Any guesses of age by size are rediculous unless you know the conditions is kept in..

 

[Fran]

Douglass;

No offense but I HIGHLY doubt it.
A smithi 6-8 months old, from the moment she was an egg with legs...It could be a bit over an inch.

The problem comes at that stage. To get her from an egg with legs to 1" 1.5" that
is what takes longer .
Thats why I said that t could be 1 or 2 years old.

In general they are slow growers compared to other terrestrial Nw t's.

A Theraphosa can go from egg to 5" in 8 or 9 months.

 

[AmbushArachnids]

Douglass;

No offense but I HIGHLY doubt it.
A smithi 6-8 months old, from the moment she was an egg with legs...It could be a bit over an inch.

The problem comes at that stage. To get her from an egg with legs to 1" 1.5" that
is what takes longer .
Thats why I said that t could be 1 or 2 years old.

In general they are slow growers compared to other terrestrial Nw t's.

A Theraphosa can go from egg to 5" in 8 or 9 months.

Fran have you ever seen the but on a .25" brachy fill its self on an over sized prey item? They double in size or more with each molt! Slings molt every 3-6 weeks in my care. Do the math. Brachys are pigs!

Are you saying what i have stated above about my spiders isnt true? If so have i just been called a liar or just a poor record keeper? Most my slings molt every 3-6 weeks like clock work. My records are accurate. I have pictures along w/ online reciepts ect if you dont believe me. Temp and food do alot!

 

[Fran]

No, im not calling you a liar.

Im just saying that...whats the age on a t for you?
For me the t is "born" the moment the eggs are laid and they start developing.
That said,i highly doubt that a Brachy smithi from the moment she is an egg, after 6-8 months it would be 3.75" or whatever the size you suggested . Highly doubt it.

They take over a month and a half to be 1st instar. Thats over a month and a half.
From 1st to second instar could take another 3 weeks to a month.
Thats over 2 months to be 2nd instar, from the moment they are laid.

Again, I doubt it.

 

[AmbushArachnids]

No, im not calling you a liar.

Im just saying that...whats the age on a t for you?
fo me is since the moment the eggs are laid and they start developing.
That said,i highly doubt that a Brachy smithi from the moment she is an egg, after 6-8 months would be the size of the one from the OP.

Highly doubt it.

They take over a month and a half to be 1st instar. Thats over a month and a half.
From 1st to second instar could take another 3 weeks to a month.
Thats over 2 months to be 2nd instar.

Again, I doubt it.

Your right. I was thinking more from 2nd instar when they are feeding. Not from "birth" or laying the egg.

BTW: There is only one "s" in "Douglas"

 

[xLoydx]

Thanks guys for all the replys and help and information.

Right great. The log piece is now removed i had removed that around a month ago and replaced it with the Green leaf tree as you can see in the picture above ^.

So should i not feed it now then but as you say it's not ready to molt yet as its not dark enough how long do you think before it molts? And the spider is 1-2 years old is that correct? Do any of you know weather its a female or male?

And whats the difference major difference between a juvi and a normal spider? I'll be sure to see that guide and pick up a copy and read on the forums, It is a my first T and im learning

If i attempt to feed it what would you recommend? Wax worms or Crickets.. The spider seems to always watching close on the food every now and then but has not touched it as i have night vision camera in the cage so i can see the record backs.

i'll change the soil to something else then what would you recommend thats best for it? I'll probally get some off eBay as there is a few on there. Would this be OK.. Click here!

Thanks! :razz:

This is the Cage at the moment it is pretty big for it i know but its just the one i bought at the time i didn't know which to get. My other question is the water bowl OK? for it or not? the water is really low it isn't high.. but there is only 3 rocks in there should i add more stones or.. i wasn't too sure?

This equitment cage and bowl and soil etc.. was purchased before i got the T i didn't realize the T was going to be that small.. or i would of bought smaller things.

 

[AmbushArachnids]

You need to raise the substrate at least 1.5 times the leg span from the top of the screen. You dont want him climbing and falling down and getting hurt do you? I get my peat moss from lowes or home depot. 10lbs is 10$ and will last you a long time with one T! But i am sure youll be getting more soon.

As far as feeding goes.. If they refuse food, stop feeding and wait for a molt. Most all my Ts under 2" only stop eating if they are in premolt.

Some smaller faster growing Ts have been known to eat the same day they molt.. My theory for this is they havent fed them enough between molts.

You will want to wait at least a week before offering food. Tarantulas shed thier lungs, genitals, throat and pumping stomach. It will need time for all of these to harden along with the fangs.

If it doesnt take food 7 days after the molt try again in a couple days.

 

[smallara98]

You need to raise the substrate at least 1.5 times the leg span from the top of the screen. You dont want him climbing and falling down and getting hurt do you? I get my peat moss from lowes or home depot. 10lbs is 10$ and will last you a long time with one T! But i am sure youll be getting more soon.

Pshhh. I got a HUGE bag of peat moss, and with 7 tarantulas, I have only used like 1/8 of it! haha! And it is like, not even a pound? So light

 

[AmbushArachnids]

Pshhh. I got a HUGE bag of peat moss, and with 7 tarantulas, I have only used like 1/8 of it! haha! And it is like, not even a pound? So light

The great thing about peat (in my experience) is the PH is high. This retards most fungus growth. I have a few deli cups of coco fiber and it didnt last a week without a hardcore mold/fungus growth. I have had mushrooms grow in my tanks from coco fiber.. It should say on the eco earth package "Just add water and watch it grow.. mold"
Peat also has the benefit of springtails if you dont sterilize it. These spring tails will keep mites at bay by cleaning up microscopic left overs that mites ussually eat. Having a sterile cage (cocofiber) is an invitation for mites.

 

[smallara98]

The great thing about peat (in my experience) is the PH is high. This retards most fungus growth. I have a few deli cups of coco fiber and it didnt last a week without a hardcore mold/fungus growth. I have had mushrooms grow in my tanks from coco fiber.. It should say on the eco earth package "Just add water and watch it grow.. mold"
Peat also has the benefit of springtails if you dont sterilize it. These spring tails will keep mites at bay by cleaning up microscopic left overs that mites ussually eat. Having a sterile cage (cocofiber) is an invitation for mites.

For real. When I used Coco Fiber, mold grew all over the ground. I hate it :wall: