Skinny C. Merid would not eat! Heeeelp!!!

[SwineySpidey]

As the title states, my inch-size merid just refuses to eat. Its butt is so small already. Ive already tried feeding it dubia and mealworms. It just grabs them but will eventually leave them and walk away.

Also, I am not sure if this has anything to do with it but I tried leaving the food in the enclosure. The next morning, small round yellow things starts crawling all over the feeder. Probably mites. Idk where they come from.

Any advice on what I should do?

Thanks!

 

[Spaceman]

Can you send a pic of the T and the enclosure size?

 

[DaveM]

This spider is one inch in legspan? We need photos of the spider and its enclosure.
You're right to be looking at the size of its abdomen to judge how well / poorly it's feeding.
How long have you had it, and when did it last molt?

 

[cold blood]

A small abdomen generally means a recent molt.....grabbing food and walking away could certainly just mean you are feeding too soon after that molt. Give it a few days and try again.

If its not eating because of some internal problem, there wont be a thing you can do....but it probably just needs more time.

 

[SwineySpidey]

This spider is one inch in legspan? We need photos of the spider and its enclosure.
You're right to be looking at the size of its abdomen to judge how well / poorly it's feeding.
How long have you had it, and when did it last molt?

Here's the pic. It used to burrow before but recently its been staying on the surface. It molted more than 2 months ago and has not eaten since.

A small abdomen generally means a recent molt.....grabbing food and walking away could certainly just mean you are feeding too soon after that molt. Give it a few days and try again.

If its not eating because of some internal problem, there wont be a thing you can do....but it probably just needs more time.

I tried feeding it every three days but it just refused to eat every time. I checked on its fangs thinking maybe theyre broken but they seem fine. I really hope this isnt anything internal.

 

[DaveM]

I think you're right to be worried, not good that it isn't eating 2 months post-molt.
If there is something internally wrong, like a sucking stomach problem, then your only hope is that it can make it through the next molt, that a next molt might correct the problem.
How deep is the substrate (can't tell from the angle of the photo)? This species normally burrows. If you were to provide a small water dish, I wonder if the spider could/would drink?

 

[SwineySpidey]

I think you're right to be worried, not good that it isn't eating 2 months post-molt.
If there is something internally wrong, like a sucking stomach problem, then your only hope is that it can make it through the next molt, that a next molt might correct the problem.
How deep is the substrate (can't tell from the angle of the photo)? This species normally burrows. If you were to provide a small water dish, I wonder if the spider could/would drink?

The substrate is 3 inches deep. I made a starter burrow which it made some tunnels in. But recently its been on the surface most of the time. Ill add a small water dish to see if it drinks.

Thank you for the response! I really hope it molts soon.