t not eaten since molting abdomen barely existent

[jakegascoyne]

my t (juvenile g. iheringi female) hid in her tunnel under the cork bark for about 2-3 weeks after molting and ive seen her out twice in the last week, today i saw her out and her abdomen was tiny, i tried to feed her a cricket but she seemed distressed by it and went back inside, i dont know if that was due to her sensing my presence or she just saw it as a threat, but then when the cricket followed her under she striked at it but didnt grab it. her abdomen looked dangerously small in comparison to carapace though and i dont understand why she wont eat, i put a dead cricket at entrnace the other night be she didnt touch it. does anyoe have any suggestions? she does have a nice sort-of burrow lined with webbing under the bark where she molted so i wouldnt think the set up is to blame.

 

[AzJohn]

Are you sure it’s a girl?

 

[Demonclaws]

2 weeks is nothing. I doubt the abdomen is dangerously small, please provide pictures. Provide water dish, and you can try prekilled prey. Sometimes, they refuse food despite hardened fangs. People often wait one month to feed after T molts.

 

[jakegascoyne]

that's what the pet shop told me but im not sure, this is the only picture i have, its from late july when i got her. id say now its been at least 3 weeks since she molted. ill try and get a picture if she/he comes out

 

[G. pulchra]

that's what the pet shop told me but im not sure, this is the only picture i have, its from late july when i got her. id say now its been at least 3 weeks since she molted. ill try and get a picture if she/he comes out

Most pet shops know absolutely nothing about the tarantula's they carry.

 

[cold blood]

After molting, all ts have their abdomens at their smallest point...that's how it works....a thin abdomen, regardless of how thin, isn't dangerous, its just the life of a spider.

How big is the t.....the bigger the t, the longer it takes for them to be ready to eat....and as mentioned, if it were a mature male, not eating and a tiny abdomen would be 100% normal...please post pics of the t, specifically the palps....and we can go from there.....always got to rule out the obvious first.

 

[jakegascoyne]

not very clear pictures but you can see that it's still pretty small compared to the watr bowl. do males take longer to eat after a molt usually?

 

[cold blood]

males take longer to eat after a molt usually?

Not males, MATURE males...once mature, prey drives can be incredibly minimal.

Yours isn't a MM though...looks pretty small...and its abdomen size isn't all that small...not remotely close to worrisome.

But this species, which tend to be very prey driven, should be eating by 3 weeks at a juvie size.

I cant really tell, but how big is the enclosure? Have you tried pre killed prey...or just leaving crickets roam about? Normally roaming crickets are frowned upon, but being that it just molted, there is no danger to the t, as molting is the only time they pose an actual threat.

 

[jakegascoyne]

oh yeah, i thought you said just males, that makes sense. and these pictures were taken at the end of july. she ate well for the first three weeks then didnt eat and sealed herself in her borrow for a while then molted, then hid away for about two weeks, then i noticed the entrance wasnt sealed and she'd drank so was happy, then she hid for about a week after that and ive seen her today with really small abdomen about 1 third of what's in those pictures, and thats where i am now. i guess ill just keep try and feed every few days and leave her alone to come out as she wants.

heres the tank, i never let crickets roam she was in hunting position at mouth of borrow when i fed her before so she always got them when i was there, havnt left crickets in but left a dead one the other night she didnt touch. i could leave a couple of live ones in if that wouldnt pose a threat? im sure she would kick them away rather than let them bite her and yeah she has molted so maybe i should do that

 

[esa space station]

my t (juvenile g. iheringi female) hid in her tunnel under the cork bark for about 2-3 weeks after molting and ive seen her out twice in the last week, today i saw her out and her abdomen was tiny, i tried to feed her a cricket but she seemed distressed by it and went back inside, i dont know if that was due to her sensing my presence or she just saw it as a threat, but then when the cricket followed her under she striked at it but didnt grab it. her abdomen looked dangerously small in comparison to carapace though and i dont understand why she wont eat, i put a dead cricket at entrnace the other night be she didnt touch it. does anyoe have any suggestions? she does have a nice sort-of burrow lined with webbing under the bark where she molted so i wouldnt think the set up is to blame.

Gently wet where she resides with water!so it pools up she will drink from soil (cappilary action)she us weak from molting and needs to rehydrate!when she had a good drink and got fluid levels back up(increase in size of abdomen)she will resume eating

Not males, MATURE males...once mature, prey drives can be incredibly minimal.

Yours isn't a MM though...looks pretty small...and its abdomen size isn't all that small...not remotely close to worrisome.

But this species, which tend to be very prey driven, should be eating by 3 weeks at a juvie size.

I cant really tell, but how big is the enclosure? Have you tried pre killed prey...or just leaving crickets roam about? Normally roaming crickets are frowned upon, but being that it just molted, there is no danger to the t, as molting is the only time they pose an actual threat.

Ive had 7th&8th molt t blondis eat at two weeks after a molt and 7wks after.during summer it took longer .water is key spray a lot of water where it is see if she drinks from surface it is by sound of it exhausted after a molt

 

[Vanessa]

This is a spider who often makes significant increases in size after moulting and, as a result, their abdomens can look very small. Don't worry about it, the abdomen looks just fine, just wait another week and try again. It might just be too soon for them after moulting.
My girl has looked much slimmer after a moult. There is nothing to worry about.

 

[jakegascoyne]

you're right there! she increased a great deal in size since that molt. It took a long time but now she has recovered and is eating well again. Thanks for the reply.

 

[NukaMedia Exotics]

that's what the pet shop told me but im not sure, this is the only picture i have, its from late july when i got her. id say now its been at least 3 weeks since she molted. ill try and get a picture if she/he comes out

It doesn't look that small from this photo. I'd say its fine just keep trying to feed once a week and keep the water dish full (like always).