Need advice - please :s

[pvcL]

Hi, so I posted in May asking about the same question, but now i have pics from today of the T and need advice.
Summary: T. vagans female, adult (don't know exact age). I used to feed her often, a super worm ever 4-5 days, which was a mistake.
Now she hasn't eaten in about 220 days. She goes away from the food and doesn't have a feeding trigger at all. I was guessing pre molt because she molted 401 days ago (a year and two months abt)
She's always in her coconut hide and very rarely comes out. Today she poked her butt out and I took some pics. The thing on her back is pretty sure residue that fell onto her abdomen months ago when I lifted her hide months ago, so I don't think that's her abdomen colour because she never really kicks hair and I don't bother her at all almost so she's not under stress. I rarely spray water so maybe humidity might be an issue? Also I stopped leaving a water dish because she never comes out and water just evapourates. Her abdomen is still a good size but she's healthy looking over all. Should I offer a superworm with head chopped off and leave or what?
As I said, im 80% sure thats some dirt on her back and not her naked abdomen.

http://imgur.com/a/BBLo7Ep

(Today, 2nd of Oct 2023)

http://imgur.com/a/ib17MUl

(May 2023)

NOTE
I don't know what's happening with her but she fully came out, which is rare. Here is a video I just took. I examined her abdomen up close and yeah turns out it is her kicking hair and that's her abdomen colour, how is it still beige after 401 days and 220 days of not eating?

The video does not exist - VEED - Online Video Editor - Video Editing Made Simple

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[Mike Withrow]

I have no idea what you are using to upload anything but I sure as hell ain't clicking nothing.
That spider looks fine . I've kept more than a few vagans still have two.
Your math is way off or something.

 

[pvcL]

I have no idea what you are using to upload anything but I sure as hell ain't clicking nothing.
That spider looks fine . I've kept more than a few vagans still have two.
Your math is way off or something.

I don't know why the links won't work for you, they all work for me :/
I've been using ExotiKeeper app since I got the T, im 100% sure my math isn't off
She hasn't eaten and has been refusing food since 20th of February 2023. She molted on the 27th of August 2022.
Im 100% sure she hasn't molted since because I do check on her frequently enough and her apperance.

 

[Mike Withrow]

I know that may seem like a really long time for an animal to go without a meal.
It's fine. You can see by it's abdomen it's totally fine.
My advice. First,put the water dish back in and do not remove. If anything always keep a water dish for it.
Two,keep offering food once a week and it will eventually eat.
Three, maybe post a picture of the enclosure so we can see if there is anything that may need to be addressed that's possibly stressing it to the max.

 

[kingshockey]

ok 1st that bald patch on her says she is kicking hairs(probably will go into pre molt soon) you shouldnt be spraying / misting anyways just always keep a full water dish in her cage you arent there to see if/when she may come out at night to drink so get that dish back in there before you kill your pet from lack of drinking water. its chunky so try offering food once a month then

 

[ladyratri]

Evaporation from the water dish is not a bad thing. Also I have a T I never see at the water dish, despite eventually obvious signs that the water dish had in fact been visited.

If you have to fill it more than like once a week, either the dish is too small or the air in your room is incredibly dry...or something is wicking the water into your substrate.

 

[TLSizzle]

Always keep a water dish. Unless you are watching her 24/7, you cannot state that she never drinks.
She's a big and pretty girl!

 

[pvcL]

Always keep a water dish. Unless you are watching her 24/7, you cannot state that she never drinks.
She's a big and pretty girl!

Evaporation from the water dish is not a bad thing. Also I have a T I never see at the water dish, despite eventually obvious signs that the water dish had in fact been visited.

If you have to fill it more than like once a week, either the dish is too small or the air in your room is incredibly dry...or something is wicking the water into your substrate.

ok 1st that bald patch on her says she is kicking hairs(probably will go into pre molt soon) you shouldnt be spraying / misting anyways just always keep a full water dish in her cage you arent there to see if/when she may come out at night to drink so get that dish back in there before you kill your pet from lack of drinking water. its chunky so try offering food once a month then

I know that may seem like a really long time for an animal to go without a meal.
It's fine. You can see by it's abdomen it's totally fine.
My advice. First,put the water dish back in and do not remove. If anything always keep a water dish for it.
Two,keep offering food once a week and it will eventually eat.
Three, maybe post a picture of the enclosure so we can see if there is anything that may need to be addressed that's possibly stressing it to the max.

Hi guys, thank you so much for the info. It’s late here so I just filled the dish that was sitting there for a long time not realising how messy and dirty it was. I will clean it first thing in the morning.
Enclosure wise heres a picture from the top. It just has her hide that shes in 99% of the time and she often digs inside and moves the substrate around whenever and however she likes it. Theres a fake skull and a fake plastic plant. Not much. Pretty simple. Substrate is 10cm height wise. Thank you all again.

 

[Wolfram1]

as long as the spider looks healthy, yours does, i don't think you have to worry about anything

trying to feed her once a week is way too often if it has already refused food for such a long time, id be more concerned with making sure it feels safe/undisturbed, not to mention it isn't thin

i'd try giving her a live pupae or if you can't get any something prekilled about once every 2-4 weeks.

itdoesnt seem like it has gone into premolt and chances are it won't do so anytime soon ether.

some older spiders can go several years between molts

 

[pvcL]

as long as the spider looks healthy, yours does, i don't think you have to worry about anything

trying to feed her once a week is way too often if it has already refused food for such a long time, id be more concerned with making sure it feels safe/undisturbed, not to mention it isn't thin

i'd try giving her a live pupae or if you can't get any something prekilled about once every 2-4 weeks.

itdoesnt seem like it has gone into premolt and chances are it won't do so anytime soon ether.

some older spiders can go several years between molts

Thank you so much. Before I got the T I spent a lot of time reading about them and I knew they could go months without food but I started being a little concerned after not eating for for over 220 days (over 7 months of my math is correct) and not losing weight, she’s been a big girl for months now. But now I feel better because people say its ok. Ill just try to offer her food every 2-4 weeks to see how she gets on (I even thought maybe she was constipated but her anus looks fine, theres no residue and no crust)

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Hi guys, thank you so much for the info. It’s late here so I just filled the dish that was sitting there for a long time not realising how messy and dirty it was. I will clean it first thing in the morning.
Enclosure wise heres a picture from the top. It just has her hide that shes in 99% of the time and she often digs inside and moves the substrate around whenever and however she likes it. Theres a fake skull and a fake plastic plant. Not much. Pretty simple. Substrate is 10cm height wise. Thank you all again.

Looks very Healthy I lost mine to a stuck molt 2017 and haven’t got the funds to buy a replacement. Get a picture of the tank from the side.

 

[TarantulaMan138]

Hi, so I posted in May asking about the same question, but now i have pics from today of the T and need advice.
Summary: T. vagans female, adult (don't know exact age). I used to feed her often, a super worm ever 4-5 days, which was a mistake.
Now she hasn't eaten in about 220 days. She goes away from the food and doesn't have a feeding trigger at all. I was guessing pre molt because she molted 401 days ago (a year and two months abt)
She's always in her coconut hide and very rarely comes out. Today she poked her butt out and I took some pics. The thing on her back is pretty sure residue that fell onto her abdomen months ago when I lifted her hide months ago, so I don't think that's her abdomen colour because she never really kicks hair and I don't bother her at all almost so she's not under stress. I rarely spray water so maybe humidity might be an issue? Also I stopped leaving a water dish because she never comes out and water just evapourates. Her abdomen is still a good size but she's healthy looking over all. Should I offer a superworm with head chopped off and leave or what?
As I said, im 80% sure thats some dirt on her back and not her naked abdomen.

http://imgur.com/a/BBLo7Ep

(Today, 2nd of Oct 2023)

http://imgur.com/a/ib17MUl

(May 2023)

So I have heard of and seen videos that people have posted of their tarantulas not eating for upwards of a year for some reason sometimes tarantula seem to take a very long time to molt and have fasted for over a year before molting so I would recommend continuing to leave water because your T. Is more than likely drinking water at night when you are asleep or just away and haven't noticed it. Tarantulas can go a very long time without eating but they have to drink water every so often I've heard of them not drinking water even for upwards of a week so I would recommend definitely continuing to leave a water dish so that they have plenty of hydration but it is more than likely that you are just experiencing a tarantula that is fasting before it's next molt so I wouldn't worry too much but please for your tarantula sake lol definitely leave water for hydration. I have a there are force of blondie who didn't eat for about 110 days before she molted and didn't eat for about three weeks after that so imagine total time of 131 days of not eating but was drinking water and I definitely fattened her up before she molted by giving mice so anyhow I hope this helps and I wouldn't be too worried of your tarantula not eating especially if it is still hydrated and still moves around the terrarium and oftentimes when they are getting ready to molt they will be very reclusive and not be as active. Just in case it puts your mind at ease or in hopes that it would look up videos about tarantulas not eating for almost a year and I'm sure you will find a few where they didn't eat for about a year and still ended up molting and then going back to the regular eating routine they can be very weird that way. Best of luck.

 

[viper69]

Your T is fat- no eat

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Your T is fat- no eat

A real Jabba the hut 🛖!!’

 

[Smotzer]

(don't know exact age)

By the way this doesn't make a difference, and there would be no way to tell unless you raised it from a sling.

I used to feed her often, a super worm ever 4-5 days,

^^This.....

Now she hasn't eaten in about 220 days

Leads to this!!

A tarantula that is plump simply doesn't need anymore food and will stop eating when it has enough as your has done!! It will molt when its ready to, likely not before that. Until then wait!!

 

[DonLouchese]

There is so many cases where tarantulas don't eat for long periods of time.

The only factor u should be watching is her abdomen. If she is plump she is gonna be fine. If its not then it can be a different cause of her not eating.

Have an adult GBB female she molted about October 2022. She ate not joking - 3-5 worms and then stopped for 300 days until she molted again about 3 weeks ago.

Also had in collection multiple spiders that did not eat 350-450 days. Brachypelmas or Grammostolas especially.

Then on the other hand you can have the heaviest N. tripepii and they will eat until the day of molt. Even if its an adult.

Also when you can have siblings Psalmopeus cambridgei when most of them molts on cca 60-80 days rate meanwhile there is a specific one that eats like a pampho and hasn't molted in 200 days.

Unexpected stuff that you can not predic, but thats what makes tarantula keeping fun and enjoyable.

Lastly there are occasions where tarantula doesnt eat and its not plump. There is always a reason.

Example is my B. Auratum juvenile male.
I knew i had a dubia in his terrarium that he just didn't catch. I was 100% hell get it. For 100 days he refused food he moved all the time and didn't show signs of premolt.

Because he was so skinny i had to investigate and found a 3x larger dubia inside his enclosure at the bottom of the substrate.

I removed the dubia and he ate the very next day then about 2-3 times and molted within next 20 days.

So yeah always abdomen is the right source to check on ur spider.

Best regards,
Don

 

[pvcL]

I lost mine to a stuck molt 2017

Im sorry to hear that :/

By the way this doesn't make a difference, and there would be no way to tell unless you raised it from a sling.

^^This.....

Leads to this!!

A tarantula that is plump simply doesn't need anymore food and will stop eating when it has enough as your has done!! It will molt when its ready to, likely not before that. Until then wait!!

So I have heard of and seen videos that people have posted of their tarantulas not eating for upwards of a year for some reason sometimes tarantula seem to take a very long time to molt and have fasted for over a year before molting so I would recommend continuing to leave water because your T. Is more than likely drinking water at night when you are asleep or just away and haven't noticed it. Tarantulas can go a very long time without eating but they have to drink water every so often I've heard of them not drinking water even for upwards of a week so I would recommend definitely continuing to leave a water dish so that they have plenty of hydration but it is more than likely that you are just experiencing a tarantula that is fasting before it's next molt so I wouldn't worry too much but please for your tarantula sake lol definitely leave water for hydration. I have a there are force of blondie who didn't eat for about 110 days before she molted and didn't eat for about three weeks after that so imagine total time of 131 days of not eating but was drinking water and I definitely fattened her up before she molted by giving mice so anyhow I hope this helps and I wouldn't be too worried of your tarantula not eating especially if it is still hydrated and still moves around the terrarium and oftentimes when they are getting ready to molt they will be very reclusive and not be as active. Just in case it puts your mind at ease or in hopes that it would look up videos about tarantulas not eating for almost a year and I'm sure you will find a few where they didn't eat for about a year and still ended up molting and then going back to the regular eating routine they can be very weird that way. Best of luck.

There is so many cases where tarantulas don't eat for long periods of time.

The only factor u should be watching is her abdomen. If she is plump she is gonna be fine. If its not then it can be a different cause of her not eating.

Have an adult GBB female she molted about October 2022. She ate not joking - 3-5 worms and then stopped for 300 days until she molted again about 3 weeks ago.

Also had in collection multiple spiders that did not eat 350-450 days. Brachypelmas or Grammostolas especially.

Then on the other hand you can have the heaviest N. tripepii and they will eat until the day of molt. Even if its an adult.

Also when you can have siblings Psalmopeus cambridgei when most of them molts on cca 60-80 days rate meanwhile there is a specific one that eats like a pampho and hasn't molted in 200 days.

Unexpected stuff that you can not predic, but thats what makes tarantula keeping fun and enjoyable.

Lastly there are occasions where tarantula doesnt eat and its not plump. There is always a reason.

Example is my B. Auratum juvenile male.
I knew i had a dubia in his terrarium that he just didn't catch. I was 100% hell get it. For 100 days he refused food he moved all the time and didn't show signs of premolt.

Because he was so skinny i had to investigate and found a 3x larger dubia inside his enclosure at the bottom of the substrate.

I removed the dubia and he ate the very next day then about 2-3 times and molted within next 20 days.

So yeah always abdomen is the right source to check on ur spider.

Best regards,
Don

Thank you all so much! So what I learned from this is that this behaviour is completely normal and okay as long as her abdomen is big and she looks healthy. I should try to offer food every 2-4 weeks. I'll keep a full dish in all the time.
Again thank you all for the information and guidance. Appreciate it!

 

[Smotzer]

Thank you all so much! So what I learned from this is that this behaviour is completely normal and okay as long as her abdomen is big and she looks healthy. I should try to offer food every 2-4 weeks. I'll keep a full dish in all the time.
Again thank you all for the information and guidance. Appreciate it!

Happy to help! And yes pretty much but about feeding even every 2-4wks has to be adjusted based on how much is abdomen is plumped, feeding frequency becomes very visually dependent, for me at least. And yup full water dish. And thanks for taking all the suggestions openly and positively, not everyone does

 

[pvcL]

Happy to help! And yes pretty much but about feeding even every 2-4wks has to be adjusted based on how much is abdomen is plumped, feeding frequency becomes very visually dependent, for me at least. And yup full water dish. And thanks for taking all the suggestions openly and positively, not everyone does

Ofcourse. Im super thankful for all the feedback and I don’t understand people coming here seeking advice and then when people criticise them for their bad practices they get upset and defensive

 

[Smotzer]

don’t understand people coming here seeking advice and then when people criticise them for their bad practices they get upset and defensive

Neither do we the majority of the time