My T only eats pre-killed prey

[Zyranne]

So my T, who I've had for a few months only eats pre-killed mealworms. When they're live, she gets scared of them, and flinches when they get close. Because of this I've had to kill the mealworms and then put them in there. She eats when I do this.

Is there a particular reason for this? It definitely isn't due to pre-molt as she molted only a few days ago. Do you think she was brought up only eating pre-killed prey before she was in my care? Or maybe she's just a skittish T.

 

[bryverine]

So my T, who I've had for a few months only eats pre-killed mealworms. When they're live, she gets scared of them, and flinches when they get close. Because of this I've had to kill the mealworms and then put them in there. She eats when I do this.

Is there a particular reason for this? It definitely isn't due to pre-molt as she molted only a few days ago. Do you think she was brought up only eating pre-killed prey before she was in my care? Or maybe she's just a skittish T.

They may be too big?

It's actually safer to crush heads anyways, they burrow and become beetles. They can also eat molting tarantulas.

My GBB was the same way as a sling.

 

[Ellenantula]

Unless the prey items are too big, I cannot imagine this issue. Ts are meant to hunt and kill their own food. I was lucky to breed B lats and always have a supply of tiny pinheads so even my slings grew up on live food.
Is yours a sling? Is there any other issue with the T itself? I admit it -- I am lost on this one.

 

[bryverine]

Unless the prey items are too big, I cannot imagine this issue. Ts are meant to hunt and kill their own food. I was lucky to breed B lats and always have a supply of tiny pinheads so even my slings grew up on live food.
Is yours a sling? Is there any other issue with the T itself? I admit it -- I am lost on this one.

I think it's a combination of being skittish and a little big for its liking.

I fed my baby (1.5") GBB roaches the size if it's abdomen at the time and it would freak out until the roach died (or at least stopped kicking) now it eats 1/2 to 3/4 of its DLS and still acts like I'm starving it.

I guess I'm curious what size the mealworms are and what size the tarantula is.

 

[Ellenantula]

I think it's a combination of being skittish and a little big for its liking.

I fed my baby (1.5") GBB roaches the size if it's abdomen at the time and it would freak out until the roach died (or at least stopped kicking) now it eats 1/2 to 3/4 of its DLS and still acts like I'm starving it.

I guess I'm curious what size the mealworms are and what size the tarantula is.

Probably right.
I do have such good memories of my tiny slings body-hugging their pinhead meals. lol

 

[KezyGLA]

How big is your T?

If it molted only a few days ago it might not have hardened up? Meaning the fangs may still be soft.

What feeders have you tried?

 

[EulersK]

We need way more information if we're to help.
How large is your spider?
What species is it?
Has it molted under your care? If so, how long ago was the molt?
How are you keeping it? Dry, humid?

Until you answer these questions, every single answer we give will be 100% speculation. Pictures of the enclosure never hurt anyone, either.

 

[Poec54]

mealworms and superworms can intimidate tarantulas, even adult tarantulas. Some of mine won't eat them, some won't eat them unless they're starving. Your problem isn't that your spider only eats dead prey, it's what you're feeding it: mealworms. It's intimidated by them. You should be feeding it crickets on a regular basis. I've had thousands of tarantulas over the decades and everyone of them, at every age, readily ate/eats crickets. It's the universal tarantula prey.

 

[EulersK]

So... apparently it wasn't that pressing of an issue? @Zyranne, you out there?

 

[Zyranne]

We need way more information if we're to help.
How large is your spider?
What species is it?
Has it molted under your care? If so, how long ago was the molt?
How are you keeping it? Dry, humid?

Until you answer these questions, every single answer we give will be 100% speculation. Pictures of the enclosure never hurt anyone, either.

She's about 2 inches now. She's a b albopilosum and yes she has molted in my care. The molt took a few hours. I keep it partially humid. I spray the tank once a week.

 

[Zyranne]

mealworms and sup[earworms can intimidate tarantulas, even adult tarantulas. Some of mine won't eat them, some won't eat them unless they're starving. Your problem isn't that your spider only eats dead prey, it's what you're feeding it: mealworms. It's intimidated by them. You should be feeding it crickets on a regular basis. I've had thousands of tarantulas over the decades and everyone of them, at every age, readily ate/eats crickets. It's the universal tarantula prey.

Ah I see. I guess I'll try feeding her crickets. And I'll try to get the size right. I did try feeding her crickets a few months ago and she wasn't interested. I think they were too small though

 

[EulersK]

She's about 2 inches now. She's a b albopilosum and yes she has molted in my care. The molt took a few hours. I keep it partially humid. I spray the tank once a week.

How plump is she, and how long ago did she molt? Given where you live, you could very likely get away with "bone dry" substrate. Regardless, never spray/mist any species. If you need to provide humidity, do it using a syringe (any drug store sells them). Spiders hate misting, and on top of that, it's a terrible way to provide humidity as it dries out far too quickly. I do believe that you're keeping this species a bit too moist. I live in an arid environment, and I water my 2.5" B. albopilosum about once every other week.

 

[Ellenantula]

Ah. My B albo was an aggressive hunter with live prey (pinheads) from tiny tyke onward. Guess I was lucky. I do keep a sling's enclosure damper than the adult version. That said, at 2" I start backing off from moisture and rely on a water bowl. Mine had quite a collection of buried water bottle caps by 2".

 

[Ellenantula]

Re: water caps, this my actual B albo's tank with 5 caps showing (sorry, but I found it funny to get a shot with 5 visible -- but I promise there are more than that!) in there. lol) Sadly B albo is hidden in deep tunnel system.

 

[EulersK]

Re: water caps, this my actual B albo's tank with 5 caps showing (sorry, but I found it funny to get a shot with 5 visible -- but I promise there are more than that!) View attachment 215862 in there. lol) Sadly B albo is hidden in deep tunnel system.

My subadult C. fimbriatus is exactly the same way, just with webbing rather than dirt. She gets a new water dish every few weeks or so, as she's dragged the old one across the enclosure and covered it in web.

 

[Ellenantula]

My subadult C. fimbriatus is exactly the same way, just with webbing rather than dirt. She gets a new water dish every few weeks or so, as she's dragged the old one across the enclosure and covered it in web.

hehe. In my defense, those 'resurfaced' because had they been that visible at the time, I'd have retrieved them and refilled/replaced.

 

[Toxoderidae]

I have about 2 different waterdishes in my H. longipes enclosure she dragged down. I resorted to using a large seashell as a dish, she can't drag it in, but she can drink from it and topple it over.

 

[EulersK]

I have about 2 different waterdishes in my H. longipes enclosure she dragged down. I resorted to using a large seashell as a dish, she can't drag it in, but she can drink from it and topple it over.

Seashell... that's a great idea. I think I need to do that. I buy these stuffed clams from the grocer, and I've kept the shells this whole time for no particular reason. Thanks, I appreciate it!

 

[Toxoderidae]

Seashell... that's a great idea. I think I need to do that. I buy these stuffed clams from the grocer, and I've kept the shells this whole time for no particular reason. Thanks, I appreciate it!

I diligently search for perfect scallop shells at the beach. They make great dishes due to their size.

 

[Ellenantula]

I resorted to using a large seashell as a dish, she can't drag it in, but she can drink from it and topple it over.

I will add mine didn't really move her dishes - she excavated and bulldozed her dirt upwards and dishes were dirt-filled and built over while she tunneled underneath. There is also a small hide down in there somewhere in the back.