My tarantula hasn't eaten in almost a month, should I be worried?

[Zyranne]

I've had my tarantula (a Honduran curly hair) for almost a month now. Since I've had her, I haven't seen her eat, and it's worrying me a lot. I used to place mealworms in front of her, and she'd just scurry away or hide herself.

Recently I've bought crickets, and tried with them. She doesn't go for them either. Maybe it's possible she's eating them when I'm away? or she's in premolt? even though she isn't showing any signs of being in premolt, apart from the not eating.

Any advice you can give on this? I don't want my tarantula to starve to death.

Also, an update. The substrate has been changed, and she is now living on cocofibre instead of wood chips.

 

[darkness975]

1. Use scientific names (Brachypelma albopilosum in your case).
2. What is the size of the spider?
3. Post pictures of the spider and the enclosure.
4. It is probably in pre-molt or just not hungry.
5. "Should you be worried" - unless the abdomen is shriveled or the spider is death curling ... No.

It is virtually impossible to starve a healthy tarantula. They can go a long time without food. A month is nothing. I have had some go 6 months or more without a care in the world. I had a P. imperator that fasted for nearly 15 months.

 

[Zyranne]

1. Use scientific names (Brachypelma albopilosum in your case).
2. What is the size of the spider?
3. Post pictures of the spider and the enclosure.
4. It is probably in pre-molt or just not hungry.
5. "Should you be worried" - unless the abdomen is shriveled or the spider is death curling ... No.

She's about 2 inches, so I'm guessing she's a juvenile?

She doesn't have a shriveled abdomen, luckily. If anything, it's quite plump. Grape-like. No death curling either, though she does cover her face quite a lot, as if she's stressed out.

 

[darkness975]

She's about 2 inches, so I'm guessing she's a juvenile?

She doesn't have a shriveled abdomen, luckily. If anything, it's quite plump. Grape-like. No death curling either, though she does cover her face quite a lot, as if she's stressed out.

Is that the substrate in your avatar picture? See question #3 as that is very concerning if that is the substrate you are using.

 

[EulersK]

These are usually pretty good eaters, and if you're saying that she's "grape like", then my guess is premolt. Like many brachys, this isn't a particularly fast grower. Premolt can last for months.

 

[Zyranne]

Is that the substrate in your avatar picture? See question #3 as that is very concerning if that is the substrate you are using.

No that was the original substrate. I changed it to cocofibre

 

[darkness975]

No that was the original substrate. I changed it to cocofibre

I remember you now from your other thread. Assuming you are talking about the same B. albopilosum as your other thread its abdomen is quite large. You should not be in the least bit concerned. Let it chill until molt day. My B. smithi molted a couple days ago and it did not eat at all in my care up to that point. After molting make sure you do not try to feed it for a week and a half or so to allow the new exoskeleton to harden sufficiently. Otherwise she will break her fangs or get chewed on by her intended prey.
Keep the water dish full with clean water and that is it.
Assuming it has a hide it will likely seal it off in there at some point to molt. Do not disturb it if it seals itself off.

 

[Zyranne]

I remember you now from your other thread. Assuming you are talking about the same B. albopilosum as your other thread its abdomen is quite large. You should not be in the least bit concerned. Let it chill until molt day. My B. smithi molted a couple days ago and it did not eat at all in my care up to that point. After molting make sure you do not try to feed it for a week and a half or so to allow the new exoskeleton to harden sufficiently. Otherwise she will break her fangs or get chewed on by her intended prey.
Keep the water dish full with clean water and that is it.
Assuming it has a hide it will likely seal it off in there at some point to molt. Do not disturb it if it seals itself off.

Yep, it's the same tarantula. Should I just stop feeding her until she molts? I'd be worried in doing that, but it's reassuring to know she will be able to fast a few months and she won't be harmed. Thanks for the info, very reassuring.

 

[darkness975]

Yep, it's the same tarantula. Should I just stop feeding her until she molts? I'd be worried in doing that, but it's reassuring to know she will be able to fast a few months and she won't be harmed. Thanks for the info, very reassuring.

With an abdomen the size of the one it has I would not attempt feeding until 1.5 weeks after molting (minimum). Your spider has demonstrated it is unwilling to eat and that is a tell-tale sign. Yours has a bald spot from kicking in the picture I saw of it. The advantage is you can see the new exoskeleton forming underneath and it will get darker the closer to molting it is.

Look at the pics of my B. smithi to get an idea of how they look when they get darker towards molting.

But the short answer is yes, stop trying to feed it. Keep the water dish full of clean water and that is all you have to do. Molting takes a lot out of them and it will need to replenish fluids post molt.