Stress molt E murinus?

[gabrieldezzi]

I have a juvenile (now mature) female E. murinus who wasn't eating for a while. She would just spend all day stress curled in her burrow, would rarely eat and be very quick to get agitated and threat pose. She had a very small abdomen, maybe a little smaller than her carapace and I was shocked when I came home from work last night to see she had somehow molted. Has any of your guy's Ts did this? She now has an insanely insanely small abdomen, like MM levels of small. Once her fangs harden, I'm going to pump her up with super worms until that abdomen reaches an okay size; but I'm just kind of shocked that she somehow molted with that abdomen size and survived.

This is how her abdomen looked pre-molt

...and this was last night.

Any suggestions?

 

[viper69]

Feed her, water her

I’ve had a few molt out very small but lived fine. But like you, checked and fed ASAP out of caution.

nice SOMEONE puts up legit usable CLEAR images for a change on here instead of the usual can barely see crap!!!!

 

[Ratmosphere]

Abdomens could get very small after a molt, concerning but normal. Good plan using the super worms, I'd even try a hornworm or two for extra hydration.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

Abdomens could get very small after a molt, concerning but normal. Good plan using the super worms, I'd even try a hornworm or two for extra hydration.

That wasn't really my concern, it was the fact she somehow molted with such a small abdomen. Though definitely agreed!

 

[BoyFromLA]

it was the fact she somehow molted with such a small abdomen.

You should know what size its abdomen was like prior to molt. If it’s a concern, just feed it a little more once fully hardened, recovered, that’s all.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Are you sure she was eating and not just attempting to eat? Have you seen poop? Her abdomen looks shriveled there, too (dehydration). I’m curious if she was molting early to correct a problem..like a sucking stomach issue. I give super worms to fatten up as well, but agree a horn worm could be beneficial as well.

 

[NMTs]

How deep is the substrate in this enclosure? This is a fossorial species, and the fact that you've been able to take 2 clear photos of it on the surface is a little strange to me - they usually sit right at the mouth of their burrow and disappear at the slightest disturbance... Since these photos aren't of a brown blur in a black hole, it makes me wonder if it has suitable accommodations.

Second, feeding super worms, horn worms, dubia roaches, crickets, or whatever to help her gain some weight is fine, but there's no need to go overboard by offering huge amounts of food at frequent intervals. As long as she's eating, drinking, and otherwise behaving normally, it's OK for her to be thin.

 

[darkness975]

Substrate looks too shallow.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

Are you sure she was eating and not just attempting to eat? Have you seen poop? Her abdomen looks shriveled there, too (dehydration). I’m curious if she was molting early to correct a problem..like a sucking stomach issue. I give super worms to fatten up as well, but agree a horn worm could be beneficial as well.

She has attempted to eat, but usually doesn't.

How deep is the substrate in this enclosure? This is a fossorial species, and the fact that you've been able to take 2 clear photos of it on the surface is a little strange to me - they usually sit right at the mouth of their burrow and disappear at the slightest disturbance... Since these photos aren't of a brown blur in a black hole, it makes me wonder if it has suitable accommodations.

Second, feeding super worms, horn worms, dubia roaches, crickets, or whatever to help her gain some weight is fine, but there's no need to go overboard by offering huge amounts of food at frequent intervals. As long as she's eating, drinking, and otherwise behaving normally, it's OK for her to be thin.

The old enclosure wasn't deep really. I moved her to a much deeper enclosure with about 6-7 inches of substrate to dig. Unaware of the fact this is a fossorial species and thought it was more opportunistic burrower, so I rectified it.

 

[TheraMygale]

Do you have full shots of enclosure?

sometimes we think they look stressed but its just them being natural.

did you watch Daves Little Beasties recent video on this species? did it look like that?

 

[gabrieldezzi]

Do you have full shots of enclosure?

sometimes we think they look stressed but its just them being natural.

did you watch Daves Little Beasties recent video on this species? did it look like that?

I have not watched the DLB video, but I'll have to check it out.

As I mentioned, the T was moved to a new enclosure

 

[TheraMygale]

I have not watched the DLB video, but I'll have to check it out.

As I mentioned, the T was moved to a new enclosure

i was asking photos of enclosure, as it is now. it helps me get a better view. If you changed it, i would still like to see it. I think i misread the changing part and thought this was happening now after the change.

has the change of enclosure changed anything?

 

[gabrieldezzi]

i was asking photos of enclosure, as it is now. it helps me get a better view. If you changed it, i would still like to see it. I think i misread the changing part and thought this was happening now after the change.

has the change of enclosure changed anything?

As of right now no, but it’s a little hard to tell. Also that divit was made by me prior to inserting the T, I figured maybe if I made a slight digit it would encourage her to dig

 

[TheraMygale]

So far it looks good. If you get off behavior share. Give it time, a new home you know already, will change things sometimes.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

So an update a couple days later.



Still a little worried about that abdomen but she's webbing up a random corner of the enclosure which is a nice change. I offered now a cork bark round with a starter burrow hopefully to encourage her to dig but she hasn't realized it's there yet lol... No interest in food as of yet but fangs are still a little reddish; I may attempt a cricket tomorrow just to start small because I know superworms can sometimes be intimidating. I'm keeping her on moist substrate now with about 6-7 inches of depth; and with that water dish always available. My T room is about 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit (~24-26.6 degrees Celsius) but can occasionally dip into the lower 70s/high 60s. Anything else you think is necessary for now? Or shall I play the game of patience.

 

[NMTs]

I think just be patient now. I would wait a few more days before offering any prey, just to give her some more time to settle in.

 

[gabrieldezzi]

Great news. I went down into the T room for a routine check and saw her sitting at the mouth of her burrow with her legs just outside. Decided to test my luck with a superworm and she snagged it with such passion I've never seen with her before!!

 

[TheraMygale]

Timing.

time.

this is a great learning moment.