P. fortis eating/molting problems

Pyropiscus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 23, 2008
Messages
14
Hey, I have a 2.5" Pamphobeteus fortis who appears to have damaged her chelicerae in her latest molt. She molted about a month ago and since then has not been able to kill or tear open her own prey. So far I've been ripping baby roaches open with dissecting pins for her. She jumps on them enthusiastically enough, but has trouble holding onto them and never completely finishes a meal. She stays well hydrated and is very slowly gaining weight.
She's young and skittish so I haven't been able to get a good ventral look at her, but I have not seen the "fang" joint on either chelicera at all, so I assume they were lost or damaged in the molt. I've confirmed that she is a female, so I really don't want to lose her. Any suggestions?
 

bholmes

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
67
Wait so the entire chelicerae is gone? Sounds like what you are doing is working. All you can really do is keep her hydrated and feed her the same way you have been.
 

Pyropiscus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 23, 2008
Messages
14
The main "knuckles" of the chelicerae look fine. It's the actual fang part that seems to be damaged.

It's working alright, but she's having trouble finishing meals, so I was wondering if it would be possible to let another spider tear up the prey item and then take it and give it to her?
 

popcangenie

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 6, 2010
Messages
135
not a good idea just keep tearing them up and wait for the next molt im sure that if you gave it to a diff spider

1 you will have a hard time getting it back
2 they might web it and you hurt tarantula might not want it


your doing good just keep it simple
 
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