Picky mama

[crystalfreakkk]

I have a A. Avic (Metallica) that is a really weird eater. I feel like I’ve never had an easy time feeding her ever since I got her in July. She will jump on the prey almost frantically and then she’ll just release. Put her front legs out straight and drop it out of her mouth. She does eat but I don’t know how to get her to, there’s no secret I’ve uncovered to get her to feed reliably. I’ve tried multiple feeders. She responded to Dubia roaches the best, I crushed their heads and put it on her web. She took it easily a few times but she still drops them after initially grabbing them and trying to bite in. I had success once after nearly completely ripping the roach apart, removing most of the shell on the back. It’s almost like she can’t bite in because the roach is too hard? I tried feeding a large cricket earlier and she attacked it like crazy and then let it drop and get away. It’s really weird. I’ll feed her once a week or more, I bred her recently so it’s been pretty annoying because I’ve been trying to fatten her up. Why do she do this? Should I try something else? I wanted to try hornworms but they’re not readily available in my area.

 

[Tenebrarius]

I have a A. Avic (Metallica) that is a really weird eater. I feel like I’ve never had an easy time feeding her ever since I got her in July. She will jump on the prey almost frantically and then she’ll just release. Put her front legs out straight and drop it out of her mouth. She does eat but I don’t know how to get her to, there’s no secret I’ve uncovered to get her to feed reliably. I’ve tried multiple feeders. She responded to Dubia roaches the best, I crushed their heads and put it on her web. She took it easily a few times but she still drops them after initially grabbing them and trying to bite in. I had success once after nearly completely ripping the roach apart, removing most of the shell on the back. It’s almost like she can’t bite in because the roach is too hard? I tried feeding a large cricket earlier and she attacked it like crazy and then let it drop and get away. It’s really weird. I’ll feed her once a week or more, I bred her recently so it’s been pretty annoying because I’ve been trying to fatten her up. Why do she do this? Should I try something else? I wanted to try hornworms but they’re not readily available in my area.

Try meal worms, Most of my Ts are good eaters with a few exceptions, I am waiting to try some mealworms for B. Hamorii.

 

[crystalfreakkk]

Try meal worms, Most of my Ts are good eaters with a few exceptions, I am waiting to try some mealworms for B. Hamorii.

Okay, I’ll try it. I’ve done a lot of different feeders. I even tried wax worms and pinky mice. Would superworms be an acceptable sub?

 

[Paul1126]

Maybe she doesn't want to eat, plenty Ts will release prey I have witnessed this with my B. emilia

 

[crystalfreakkk]

I think I found a new bolus so maybe she did eat the cricket? Still going to try the superworms. I should be trying to give her a good amount of food so she can make an egg sac right?

 

[Tenebrarius]

I think I found a new bolus so maybe she did eat the cricket? Still going to try the superworms. I should be trying to give her a good amount of food so she can make an egg sac right?

i heard if they are hungry they will eat the egg sack, but i wouldn't know i've never paired a T before.

 

[Nightstalker47]

i heard if they are hungry they will eat the egg sack, but i wouldn't know i've never paired a T before.

Well, it would have to have laid the sac first, most tarantulas will not eat while they are guarding a sac...stress or any indication that the sac is going bad will trigger the female to eat/abandon it.

Sounds like "picky eater" behavior to me. Keep trying with crickets, you say the one dissapeared...never known any hungry tarantula to refuse them.

 

[FrDoc]

My A. Avic is the most picky T I keep as far as eating. It would not touch a worm for the first several months I had, even after weeks of not eating. I had to go out and buy crickets especially for that one, out of all 25-ish T's I keep. However, after its last molt, it has become less finicky and will eat worms now. Although when it does eat, anything, it never exhibits a decent feeding response, generally letting whatever's in the enclosure mill about for a day or two before finally snagging it.

 

[Teal]

None of my Avics have ever been voracious eaters.

Has she ever molted with you? I wonder if her sucking stomach molted or if something internal went wrong?

 

[Tenebrarius]

None of my Avics have ever been voracious eaters.

Has she ever molted with you? I wonder if her sucking stomach molted or if something internal went wrong?

This would be very bad news for OP, if the owner has its last molt they should check, I can imagine it be trying to eat but can only kill, But they mentioned seeing remains or something, it might just be nothing more likely, but reasonable to check.

 

[crystalfreakkk]

Keep trying with crickets, you say the one dissapeared...never known any hungry tarantula to refuse them.

She doesn’t like them I don’t think, the cricket disappeared because it escaped and I eventually found it in my kitchen.. she did eat a superworm I bought her but I observed her do the thing where she attacks and then releases it

My A. Avic is the most picky T I keep as far as eating.

I had her mate first and he was always a very good eater, never had problems with him.

None of my Avics have ever been voracious eaters.

Has she ever molted with you? I wonder if her sucking stomach molted or if something internal went wrong?

No sucking stomach issues, she molted in the care of the person I bought her from and came to me 3 days post molt. She has eaten, I’ve seen her do it and I’ve seen her boluses. I had a tarantula die because her sucking stomach didn’t molt out. That was the worst, now I know what that looks like and it’s definitely not that.

I just came home yesterday however and she has planted herself on the door of the enclosure and she’s destroyed her web completely. I’ve also notice that she holds up one of her paws a lot. Not all the time but it’s the same leg and I find it odd. Probably unimportant. But I am concerned that she destroyed her web. I mated her a month ago so I’m worried she won’t lay a sac for me. I’ve never done this before so I probably just being anxious for no reason.

 

[PidderPeets]

She doesn’t like them I don’t think, the cricket disappeared because it escaped and I eventually found it in my kitchen.. she did eat a superworm I bought her but I observed her do the thing where she attacks and then releases it


I had her mate first and he was always a very good eater, never had problems with him.


No sucking stomach issues, she molted in the care of the person I bought her from and came to me 3 days post molt. She has eaten, I’ve seen her do it and I’ve seen her boluses. I had a tarantula die because her sucking stomach didn’t molt out. That was the worst, now I know what that looks like and it’s definitely not that.

I just came home yesterday however and she has planted herself on the door of the enclosure and she’s destroyed her web completely. I’ve also notice that she holds up one of her paws a lot. Not all the time but it’s the same leg and I find it odd. Probably unimportant. But I am concerned that she destroyed her web. I mated her a month ago so I’m worried she won’t lay a sac for me. I’ve never done this before so I probably just being anxious for no reason.

Both times my Avic's been in premolt, she would tear down her current webbing just to rebuild it differently. Sometimes she would even tear down the new webbing or just parts of it to redo it to her liking. Perhaps they might do the same when getting ready to lay a sac?

Avics can be frustrating eaters. If you've exhausted your options for feeders, I would just go with the feeder that triggered the best response. In your case, that sounds like dubias. If possible, try to get adults if you haven't already, as that would offer the most amount of food in one meal.

Hope all goes well for you

 

[Teal]

No sucking stomach issues, she molted in the care of the person I bought her from and came to me 3 days post molt. She has eaten, I’ve seen her do it and I’ve seen her boluses. I had a tarantula die because her sucking stomach didn’t molt out. That was the worst, now I know what that looks like and it’s definitely not that.

I just came home yesterday however and she has planted herself on the door of the enclosure and she’s destroyed her web completely. I’ve also notice that she holds up one of her paws a lot. Not all the time but it’s the same leg and I find it odd. Probably unimportant. But I am concerned that she destroyed her web. I mated her a month ago so I’m worried she won’t lay a sac for me. I’ve never done this before so I probably just being anxious for no reason.

Oh good! So she CAN eat... she is just being difficult by human standards lol If she likes prekilled dubia the best, just go with that. It sounds to me like stuff that moves is just stressing her out.

 

[crystalfreakkk]

She is just a big weirdo I guess. I think these superworms are going to be good for her. I was thinking about raising my own dubia. My friend does and he's given me massive ones to feed her, twice as big as the pet store "large".

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I think I found a new bolus so maybe she did eat the cricket? Still going to try the superworms. I should be trying to give her a good amount of food so she can make an egg sac right?

Some just get tired of dubia , mine eats them . Find whatever she eats and sick to that for a while.
I often have to remove dubia or they drown in waterdish. 2 were sitting around by my lp she’s got hungry again and ate both .

 

[Teal]

She is just a big weirdo I guess. I think these superworms are going to be good for her. I was thinking about raising my own dubia. My friend does and he's given me massive ones to feed her, twice as big as the pet store "large".

Pet store "large" dubia are what I consider large NYMPHS (babies)... they aren't sub adult or adult, and they charge waaay too much for them.

Raising your own feeder roaches is definitely the way to go! I love my roaches.

 

[Dovey]

I have a mature avicularia who is a very slow molter. It sounds like yours has molted recently, so hopefully this is not the issue. I would hate for you to lose the breeding through a molt, but it is possible she could have an unscheduled pre-molt going on.

 

[crystalfreakkk]

I have a mature avicularia who is a very slow molter. It sounds like yours has molted recently, so hopefully this is not the issue. I would hate for you to lose the breeding through a molt, but it is possible she could have an unscheduled pre-molt going on.

Hopefully not! She did eat a superworm without much problem. I don’t know what her deal is though.

 

[Jayk]

Hopefully not! She did eat a superworm without much problem. I don’t know what her deal is though.

My C.Versi did this. I just left it alone for a week and tried feeding again. Long story short, I ended up waiting 2-3 weeks before it started feeding normally, and its only a teeny tiny sling. 1st or 2nd instar I think