My G. Rosea is fasting again.

[sezra]

I know its common for rosea's to fast, she did the same thing last year. Last summer her fast lasted for 5 months and so far this year its been 2 months since she last ate. However this time she seems to be playing with her food. She doenst seem to be in pre-molt, shes just fasting again.

I still offer a super worm once a week just in case she wants it, but she follows it around the enclosure pawing at it with her pedipalps. I watched her for a good 20 mins earlier and she was definitely interested, but she didnt actually take it. She just followed it, gently tapping it with her pedipalps, digging it out of the substrate every time it tried to dig down.

After 20mins i removed it because it was clear she wasnt going to eat it. It makes me wonder why do they fast? she was clearly interested but refused to actually take it.

 

[Kodi]

In their natural habitat food and water may not always be easily accessible during the summer. If they were to eat whatever came about they would eventually be forced to molt. A freshly molted spider with no water or food is in serious trouble.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I swear I have a little sling (not even 2 cm) always hungry... looks like a ball, ready to molt, but no... keeps eating ah ah

 

[cold blood]

Offer it a cricket...rose hairs are picky, especially with worms.

 

[KezyGLA]

Offer it a cricket...rose hairs are picky, especially with worms.

My old gals the same

 

[sdsnybny]

I have a G. rosea that wont eat anything but crickets even after 2 months the roaches were still roommates. Both red runners and dubia, but as soon as I dropped crickets in she stepped over the roaches for a mouthful of crickets.

 

[TarantulasWorld]

I noticed Grammostola sp are a headache to feed. Mine refuse to eat anything but crickets. Switch its food see if it helps

 

[sezra]

Offer it a cricket...rose hairs are picky, especially with worms.

I noticed Grammostola sp are a headache to feed. Mine refuse to eat anything but crickets. Switch its food see if it helps

she normally takes worms absolutely fine, when she isnt fasting that is... its just funny how she follows it around tapping at it with her pedipalps.

 

[cold blood]

she normally takes worms absolutely fine, when she isnt fasting that is... its just funny how she follows it around tapping at it with her pedipalps.

If I try to feed mine worms of any kind, that's the exact response I get....if it shows that much interest IMO, its not fasting, it just doesn't want that particular food item.

 

[Kymura]

I totally agree. Their tastes change. Just try a different food item. Nothing to lose trying it
My little rosea will only take small dubia nymphs and large crickets.
My AF porteri (my baby luv this gal) will starve rather then take a dubia. Literally slaps and runs from them, stopped using her hide because one crawled in there. Drop her a cricket though and it's game on. So, I keep wax & mealworms, dubia and crickets for my crew.
(before anyone says anything;
No they are not fat or spoiled and NO I am not going to let them get desperately hungry to force them to eat what they don't like or want /its their job to be spiders. I keep them in a cage and tell them it's their whole world, so it's MY job to keep them fed and comfortable.)