Something's up with my Euathlus Sp. Red

Jon B

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Jun 19, 2016
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23
So I have attempted to feed her and I've left both mealworms and crickets in there overnight. But every time I've had to remove the prey next morning, so this time I sat down and watched her for close to an hour.
She looks as if she's interested, she will approach the cricket and then lunge at it, she even chased it around. But every time she struck at it she didn't actually bite. Is she unable to catch it, or is she just annoyed at it and try to scare it off? I don't think her fangs extend when she lunges at it, but then again the "attacks" are too fast for me to really catch what's going on.
I thought maybe she had some problems with extending her fangs, but I later caught her grooming her legs, and I could clearly see her fangs extending.
I'm starting to get concerned as she's gone without food for a month solid now, and her abdomen looks slimmer than I remembered.
I know when they're fasting they can go months without eating. But I can't really tell if she's fasting or not, as I said before she appears to be interested in eating.
She's not in pre-molt by the way, she already had a bald spot from when I first laid eyes on her in the pet store, but it's still orange.
 

TownesVanZandt

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May 12, 2015
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Euathlus Sp. Red is known to be rather picky eaters and to be somewhat prone to fasting. Even if she´s not in premoult, I wouldn´t worry too much about her going for a month without food. Just keep the water dish filled and try to feed her again on a weekly basis. When refusing food, T´s will often "lash" out at their prey items, so I wouldn´t assume something is wrong with her fangs.
 

magicmed

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Jun 4, 2016
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404
You can try an appropriately sized prekilled cricket, that's actually what my Euathlus sp red sling has taken to eating. I will crush a crickets head, place it near the sling and within a few minutes he will hop on over and carry it off to eat. Like yours mine is shy of live food
 

Jon B

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Jun 19, 2016
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Euathlus Sp. Red is known to be rather picky eaters and to be somewhat prone to fasting. Even if she´s not in premoult, I wouldn´t worry too much about her going for a month without food. Just keep the water dish filled and try to feed her again on a weekly basis. When refusing food, T´s will often "lash" out at their prey items, so I wouldn´t assume something is wrong with her fangs.
Thank you, this has helped to ease my worries.
 

Jon B

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Jun 19, 2016
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You can try an appropriately sized prekilled cricket, that's actually what my Euathlus sp red sling has taken to eating. I will crush a crickets head, place it near the sling and within a few minutes he will hop on over and carry it off to eat. Like yours mine is shy of live food
I have tried prekilled meals before, but there's no interest. She won't even acknowledge they're there. Mine is not a sling, she's a full grown 4" female and she's normally not shy of live food at all, last time she fed she spun a 180 in the blink of an eye and struck a full grown cricket then wrestled it to the ground until all movement stopped. She's super sweet and docile, but wow can she be scary when she wants to.
 

cold blood

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I have tried prekilled meals before, but there's no interest. She won't even acknowledge they're there. Mine is not a sling, she's a full grown 4" female and she's normally not shy of live food at all, last time she fed she spun a 180 in the blink of an eye and struck a full grown cricket then wrestled it to the ground until all movement stopped. She's super sweet and docile, but wow can she be scary when she wants to.
Pre-molt...just the early stages, it will effect them before their are any physical changes, like darkening of the skin. This is pretty typical for early pre-molt terrestrials IME.
 

Jon B

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Jun 19, 2016
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Pre-molt...just the early stages, it will effect them before their are any physical changes, like darkening of the skin. This is pretty typical for early pre-molt terrestrials IME.
Oh yeah? Those are good news! I've never seen her without a bald spot, so been waiting to see her true colors.
 

BobBarley

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Sep 16, 2015
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If the specimen you're referring to is the one in your profile pic, I kinda doubt that's a Eauthlus sp. red. Closer pic would help.
 

darkness975

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Aug 31, 2012
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Not a good idea to have a Tarantula on your shoulder, fyi.

To answer your question if it is refusing food just keep trying weekly until it eventually eats. Looks to be a healthy weight so I would not worry too much about starving. Keep the water dish filled so it can hydrate.
 

BobBarley

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Yup sorry, the lighting in your profile pic made me think it had a different colored carapace. Nice looking specimen!
 

Jon B

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Jun 19, 2016
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Not a good idea to have a Tarantula on your shoulder, fyi.

To answer your question if it is refusing food just keep trying weekly until it eventually eats. Looks to be a healthy weight so I would not worry too much about starving. Keep the water dish filled so it can hydrate.
It was a one time case for the picture's sake. And I had my brother there to take the pic, and make sure the T was safe up there and it went smoother than a baby's buns. Anyway, yeah I know what you mean and I'm not about to make this a tradition.
She has gotten slightly slimmer than what you see in the third picture but not by much.
 

Jon B

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Jun 19, 2016
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Yup sorry, the lighting in your profile pic made me think it had a different colored carapace. Nice looking specimen!
The bald spot might've thrown you off too, it's hard to see the orange hairs in that pic because of that. Thanks man, yeah she's gorgeous and I can't wait til she molts so I can see her colors pop and that bald spot covered.
 

viper69

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That's the first Red I've ever seen with a bald spot. None of my Reds and Yellows have ever down that, very interesting.

I've observed identical behavior in my AF E sp Red and some other Ts as well. They simply aren't hungry, the reasons vary. Typically in pre-molt/post-molt.
 

Crone Returns

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Mar 22, 2016
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990
So I have attempted to feed her and I've left both mealworms and crickets in there overnight. But every time I've had to remove the prey next morning, so this time I sat down and watched her for close to an hour.
She looks as if she's interested, she will approach the cricket and then lunge at it, she even chased it around. But every time she struck at it she didn't actually bite. Is she unable to catch it, or is she just annoyed at it and try to scare it off? I don't think her fangs extend when she lunges at it, but then again the "attacks" are too fast for me to really catch what's going on.
I thought maybe she had some problems with extending her fangs, but I later caught her grooming her legs, and I could clearly see her fangs extending.
I'm starting to get concerned as she's gone without food for a month solid now, and her abdomen looks slimmer than I remembered.
I know when they're fasting they can go months without eating. But I can't really tell if she's fasting or not, as I said before she appears to be interested in eating.
She's not in pre-molt by the way, she already had a bald spot from when I first laid eyes on her in the pet store, but it's still orange.
Yeah my MF is doing the same thing. Have had her almost two months. Ignores food. Her heinie is still as plump as ever.
I've been spoiled by my B. albopilosum. She eats like a monster. My A. seemani is turning out to be a beast also.
So as long as their bootys are big and they have fresh water don't worry.
Ts teach us PATIENCE.:meh:
 

Jon B

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 19, 2016
Messages
23
That's the first Red I've ever seen with a bald spot. None of my Reds and Yellows have ever down that, very interesting.

I've observed identical behavior in my AF E sp Red and some other Ts as well. They simply aren't hungry, the reasons vary. Typically in pre-molt/post-molt.
Yeah it is surprising. But when I found her in the pet store they had it housed in an arboreal tank with moss and only one or two inches of substrate, the humidity were high enough to form water drops on the walls. And I am just relieved she didn't take any serious falls while in there.
Also when I found her she were curled up in a corner with all legs tucked in over her, she were clearly distressed in there.
The people who worked there also knew nothing about the Euathlus Sp. Red (or tarantulas in general) as they couldn't answer any of my questions. They really didn't care about their individual tarantulas at all, like a happy T or an unhappy T didn't matter to them, the price stayed the same regardless. So they were really nothing more than simple merchandise to them.
 

Jeff23

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Jul 27, 2016
Messages
620
My 1/4" Euathlus Sp Red never let me see them eat and I have removed a lot more pre-kill crickets than have disappeared (been eaten). Live crickets have been ignored every time I tried them. I guess they just have odd eating habits. All of mine still look healthy and still come out of their hides to see what is going on when I remove the lid.

It sounds like you did real well to get a nice size spider and rescue it from a bad situation. Best of luck to you on it.

Edit* Mine don't eat super worms or meal worms either. Still need to try dubias.
 
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