Poec. sp. lowland not eating

[KezyGLA]

Hi guys,

One of my Poecilotheria sp lowland(bara) hasnt been eating.

Its an adult female that moulted roughly 10-12 weeks ago. She is now between 6-6.5 inches DLS. She had lost 2 legs in the previous moult so is a little gimpy now with 2 regenerated legs.

She is kept between 22-26C with splash of water on her moss every few days and has a large water dish available at all times.

I am a little worried as she has only eaten one medium dubia since the moult and isnt eating any more feeders I am offering her. She is getting on the skinny side now too. I have had a good look at her ventrally while she was on the glass the other day. Everything looked fine. Fangs and mouthparts looking good. No cyst or thing like that to be seen anywhere. No mites. I cant find anything wrong.

She is still active but just not eating. I am a bit concerned.

Has anyone else here had an issue like this with this species before? Can anyone help me out here?

Am I being paranoid? Here a few photographs

 

[cold blood]

It looks like an empty enclosure? Is there some cover I can't see? I assume there is

 

[KezyGLA]

You assumed correct. Theres a large cork slab in there.

 

[KezyGLA]

I meant to mention I had rehoused her after the last moult as I thought it was drying out too quick. She hasn't webbed up in this one yet but all the others have and they are in same setups and have done

Maybe not settled yet?

 

[G. pulchra]

Personally I wouldn't worry. I've had adult pokies eat inconsistently in the past.

 

[Spidermolt]

If the picture was recent then she doesn't look too thin to worry. That is strange behavior though IMO. Maybe just keep trying to offer her prekilled prey and leave them over night and if the new tank doesn't dry out as fast as the last then maybe you should let the cage dry out like before and see if she goes back to normal behavior.

 

[KezyGLA]

Personally I wouldn't worry. I've had adult pokies eat inconsistently in the past.

Thanks. Then I hope its just a phase.

If the picture was recent then she doesn't look too thin to worry. That is strange behavior though IMO. Maybe just keep trying to offer her prekilled prey and leave them over night and if the new tank doesn't dry out as fast as the last then maybe you should let the cage dry out like before and see if she goes back to normal behavior.

I suppose that could be it. I will ease up on watering the moss as much and see if that works. Thanks

 

[cold blood]

Maybe add a plant or two around the base of the wood...it may acclimate quicker with a little more cover.

 

[KezyGLA]

Maybe add a plant or two around the base of the wood...it may acclimate quicker with a little more cover.

I will try this asap. It had a cork round in the last enclosure and unfortunately this was the only piece I had left and was a flat. I will throw some false plants in with the moss around the sides. Thanks

 

[cold blood]

I will try this asap. It had a cork round in the last enclosure and unfortunately this was the only piece I had left and was a flat. I will throw some false plants in with the moss around the sides. Thanks

Yeah, I don't use the rounds, I lean wood, but I like to lean it at a less steep angle...although I use tubs, which have a wider base which gives me that luxury. I try to do like you described....almost make it look like the degoba system (yoda's home planet)...

0214161544a

• cold blood
• Mar 24, 2016
• 1

AF P. cam enclosure

 

[edesign]

I have a 3-3.5" miranda that seems to rarely ever eat. I got her last August, she just now has started to make some webs. Other pokies I've acquired since have settled in just fine and eat well. It's just her. Well, I rehoused my 6" ornata a month or two back and it still hasn't webbed but it is eating. It has a choice of a cork round with substrate inside of it and a large slab of cork bark leaned against the cork tile on the back wall. It hides behind the cork bark, often scrunched up (less so lately but still a lot), and I rarely see it on the glass. I made sure the substrate is moist and have offered a water dish. I'm thinking it's just slow at settling back in. Wasn't when I first got it, nice web within a few days.

Anyway, my point was that I've got a couple that are acting similar to yours, Kezy. They're fine so far but it's certainly not how I'd expect them to behave. Although, others have noted elsewhere that their mirandas were a bit nervous and finicky too. Let me know if the added plants help that CB suggested. I could try that.

 

[Blue Jaye]

I have a highland that did the same thing. What worked for me was drop temps. Raise humidity. Put a bunch of foliage in the enclosure to make her feel safe. So basically, drop her to a lower shelf where it's cooler and more humid in my t room. She started eating and hasn't stopped.

 

[KezyGLA]

I have a highland that did the same thing. What worked for me was drop temps. Raise humidity. Put a bunch of foliage in the enclosure to make her feel safe. So basically, drop her to a lower shelf where it's cooler and more humid in my t room. She started eating and hasn't stopped.

I thought bumping the temps up would help with feeding. I will give this a try. Thankyou

 

[Blue Jaye]

@KezyGLA. From my experience and what I've read. Theses guys like it a bit cooler.

 

[YagerManJennsen]

@KezyGLA I'm glad I found this thread. I've been having the same problem with one of my adult A. metallica females. Only instead of 10-12 weeks its been more like 4-5 months. @Blue Jaye would your advice work for an avic as well?

 

[grayzone]

I assure you a pokie is just fine without cover. If it feels it needs it, it will build a dirt curtain. You can raise a sling to mature adult in a completely empty deli with substrate and it will flourish.

Youre spider may have something wrong with it, or its simply just not hungry. Adult ts dont need to eat as frequently as smaller ones. Your subfusca looks plenty healthy to me

 

[Blue Jaye]

@KezyGLA I'm glad I found this thread. I've been having the same problem with one of my adult A. metallica females. Only instead of 10-12 weeks its been more like 4-5 months. @Blue Jaye would your advice work for an avic as well?

@YagerManJennsen can you please give me some more info. Temps, humidity, size of t, enclosure. While I'm sure you have done all the right things that info will help. I have a few of those lovely Ts. They thrive quite well. At their level in my t room they sit at 80-82 degrees have a large water dish. There enclosure has good ventilation with cork hides they really don't use lol and a decent amount of foliage. They eat well, molt etc. My A.met female unfortunately just dropped an infertile sac. Sigh.

 

[Blue Jaye]

I assure you a pokie is just fine without cover. If it feels it needs it, it will build a dirt curtain. You can raise a sling to mature adult in a completely empty deli with substrate and it will flourish.

Youre spider may have something wrong with it, or its simply just not hungry. Adult ts dont need to eat as frequently as smaller ones. Your subfusca looks plenty healthy to me

I'm unsure why you wouldn't give a creature the requirements it needs. Living in an empty environment is not flourishing it is surviving. While it may eat and grow to survive. That certainly isn't the right way to treat them nor keep them. That shows very little respect for a living creature. Better to be thoughtful and heart full when working with something alive.

 

[Nightstalker47]

I assure you a pokie is just fine without cover. If it feels it needs it, it will build a dirt curtain. You can raise a sling to mature adult in a completely empty deli with substrate

The spider will be very stressed out if it's left out in the open at all times with no spot to hide in. Not to mention that feeding, watering and any maintenance is now much more difficult as the T will likely try to flee if you open the lid. Why? Because you didn't supply any kind of shelter for her to retreat to when she's scared. This is the reason arboreal Ts like Poeciletheria are regarded as super flighty or mean when in reality they would much rather hide. Hope you reconsider your approach with this...

 

[Venom1080]

I assure you a pokie is just fine without cover. If it feels it needs it, it will build a dirt curtain. You can raise a sling to mature adult in a completely empty deli with substrate and it will flourish.

Youre spider may have something wrong with it, or its simply just not hungry. Adult ts dont need to eat as frequently as smaller ones. Your subfusca looks plenty healthy to me

thats a great way to get a pokie running up your arm, and/or a bite. thats just needless stress. you have to be super lazy or love hospitals to not provide a hide. either way its poor husbandry.