sickly PZB sling???

[skadiwolf]

okay, my paranoia and worry has reached new heights!

as impossible as it might seem, i tell you - it's true.

my little PZB sling has slowed down a lot and is not active hardly at all. she will move around and stuff a bit when i touch her VERY gently.

however, her abdomen does look like it's darkened completely, and she hasn't been eating?

any other signs to look for in an impending molt? i really want this little girl to do well.

out of the two slings i ordered and three i got, THIS little E. camp is the one i wanted the most.

i'd just be crushed if she fell ill and died.

suggestions would be greatly appreciated. moved her into a food ICU, in darkness, with a damp bit of paper towel and some cricket parts.

here's hoping...(crosses fingers, closes eyes)

 

[chid]

Definately sounds like a moult coming up to me, dont worry,she will be allright.
Chid

 

[skadiwolf]

thanks very much, i'll try not to...my animals are like my kids.

i love your sig btw. when i first saw that i couldn't stop laughing and must've sent it to like ten different people.

i'll let you guys know when it's all over and i start breathing again...argh.

i know subadult molts can take quite a while, what should i expect for a sling?

 

[Jeff_C]

skadiwolf,

Don't stress (yourself or the T).

If you read around you'll see that there are some ppl that use a 2 week rule with their s'lings. I know my local guy feeds only once a week. That's it. And he is certainly not checking on each and every s'ling every day.

As suggested it is probably a molt situation so leave it be for at least 3-4 days and then try dropping in a immobile cricket. Leave it there overnight. If it's not gone take it out and wait another few days and try again.

Also, I had this like 3/8" Swift freebie that hadn't eaten since i got it in February. So i put it back into the little vial he came with, wait a couple of days and lo and behold he had eaten my offering. I guess he could find the food before.

Jeff

 

[chid]

The slings will moult pretty quickly when they start. Its the waiting for them to start that gets you.
Chid

 

[skadiwolf]

(blush) how did you know i was checking each of my Ts and slings daily? :8o

(hides under a rock and assumes a defensive posture) ;P

well, yeah...okay. i just worry anytime i get a new animal, especially one i'm not familiar with...such as Ts in general.

reptiles, i can handle those...not eating, quirky behavior, they worry me not at this point.

Ts...egads.

 

[Jeff_C]

Hey skadiwolf,

I just noticed that the pzb s'ling don't tend to molt as fast as some of the others. At least mine don't.

Here's my molt record on our pzb s'ling(s):

Eupalastrus campestratus
Pink Zebra Beauty
Bought: 12/02 ¼" $5 Swift
Molt: 01/03/03 ½"
Escape!!!!! (don't tell my wife and kids)
ReBought: 2/25/03 ¼" $5 Swift
Molt: 3/20/03 3/8"
Molt: 4/28 ½”


Not exactly a burner and I offer food very often (like 3-4 days).

jeff

 

[skadiwolf]

wow, thanks dude, that's very helpful.

i look forward to my first T molt. none of them have for me yet...and i'm very excited though i'm sure i'll go into spasms of nervousness. lol.

(sigh)

it took me a while to get used to reptiles and them being picky sometimes about feeding, etc. one of my guyana bcc took like SIX months before he'd hang out in the open. lol.

one of my kings STILL loves to hide under her water bowl almost constantly. every now and then i'll see her little head poking through the substrate looking disembodied. lol. that's a shocker!

 

[Beth-Tex]

My PZB sling quit eating for almost 3 weeks before molt. When the abdomen gets very dark......a molt is soon to come. From the pic of your sling.....it looks quite fat......no need to worry about it starving......they do get very sluggish before molting & don't move much.

I have 2 B.emilia slings who stop moving entirely before molting & that scared me at first. They actually seem to remain in the same spot for a couple of days.....and.....then....they molt.

I got my PZB (Little Miracle - named that way because it was a miracle that it survived me so far:} ) on 2-20-03 & it's molt record so far is: 3-19-03 & 4-28-03.

The food ICU thing was suggested by someone on this board (am sorry I can't remember who it was) & it does work very well as the sling does not have to concentrate on anything except EATING. The reason I use the paper towel thing in a tiny cup is so that the sling is visible to me for observing & also so that the sling can find its food. Of course, if the sling is getting ready to molt, it will not be interested in food. At least mine are not.

BTW......I too, check on all my Ts every day several times a day. They are located next to my computer & since I do spend a fair amount of time on the puter, my Ts get the once (or twice) over constantly.

 

[RugbyDave]

Originally posted by Beth-Tex

The food ICU thing was suggested by someone on this board (am sorry I can't remember who it was) & it does work very well as the sling does not have to concentrate on anything except EATING.

Woohoo!!! =D

sweet, i'm really glad its working out for people!!
and skadi, I think it may be molt time!!!!

mine get a little sluggish before a molt, but they don't really forgo food..In fact, one of my adults took food one day, and then that night she (turned out to be a he) molted!

good luck!
i check my slings pretty much every day! don't worry.. you're not obsessive or wierd. well....

haha joshing!
peace
dave

 

[RugbyDave]

also the reason ive been using and handing the FOOD ICU out is because sometimes, as stupid as it sounds, the sling can't find the food if its in too big of a cup or cage.. so the food icu helps to focus the food.

glad its working!
peace
dave

 

[Beth-Tex]

Thank you so much, RugbyDave, for that idea. (I was having a "senior moment" & could not remember who posted that novel idea.)
As you said, it is working very well. My little PZB used to be totally absorbed with hiding & burrowing & not eating. Now he/she eats properly & is growing & thriving. When he/she gets a bit bigger & has made it's own "kill," then, I will of course, set it up properly.

 

[RugbyDave]

nice!!! By the way, it wasn't my idea, i just posted it. I couldn't even tell you who thought of it.. my dad showed it to me a while ago, and i posted it on here a bit ago... but youre welcome nonetheless.. i always learn cool stuff on here, so i thought it was my time to pass on something i've learned. Like i originally said, i know i'm not theonly one to use one... i'm just the messeneger

its interesting to think -- could there be a conditioned response that would subtract from the T eventually being able to catch its own food in its own tank????

that was my original worry when my father showed me that years ago... but after many many many many years, i've learned def. not..

what we must realise, then, is that the T instinct is to eat whether its in a FOOD ICU, burrow, new cage, deli cup or vial

sometimes theyre just not hungry i guess =D

so i don't know if you were worried by that or if that even crossed your mind, but fear not

peace
dave