Tarantula hasn’t eaten in months!

[ariesrising]

So I have had my Oklahoma Brown Tarantula since January 2022. In the beginning when i got her (i think it’s a female although not completely sure) she ate probably like once or twice a week or once every two weeks. Now, since about April or May, she hasn’t eaten at all!
I have read the beginners thread and i know that tarantulas go into long periods of time where they don’t eat. But it still makes me worry! She always hides in her log and slightly burrows into her dirt. She hasn’t come out for months. I truly thought she was dead until my boyfriend lifted up the log and checked on her and she moved a little. We try to feed her small bugs like crickets and these small roaches that tarantulas eat but she has no interest in eating.
I guess i just need some reassurance that she’s okay, she is not overly aggressive or anything she just always hides and i never even see her drink water. Furthermore, her abdomen doesn’t look shriveled it looks big as always. She has lost a few hairs but i have not noticed any “flicking.”

 

[nmncfc90]

I'm a newbie having only owned 2 slings for 2 weeks myself so will be very interested to see the advice given to you here from far more experienced people.

What I would say is that in the 2 weeks since receiving these tiny slings (B. hamorri & G. pulchra) I have also yet to see the pulchra eat or drink and it's been hidden out of sight so trusting it's still alive... until this morning I hadn't seen the hamorri either but I saw it for the first time 4.30am this morning eating prekilled mealworm I dropped in yesterday. So I am sure this is totally normally behaviour for spiders to go so long without eating as long as you keep their water topped up at all times and ensure theres food available once a week they will be absolutely fine. I have been informed that if their abdnomen is plump then they are definitely not starving and could even be gearing up for a molt.

Good luck I'm sure she will come out and eat when she is ready and you'll (like me) be wondering why you got so worried

 

[yabaidesuyone]

So I have had my Oklahoma Brown Tarantula since January 2022. In the beginning when i got her (i think it’s a female although not completely sure) she ate probably like once or twice a week or once every two weeks. Now, since about April or May, she hasn’t eaten at all!
I have read the beginners thread and i know that tarantulas go into long periods of time where they don’t eat. But it still makes me worry! She always hides in her log and slightly burrows into her dirt. She hasn’t come out for months. I truly thought she was dead until my boyfriend lifted up the log and checked on her and she moved a little. We try to feed her small bugs like crickets and these small roaches that tarantulas eat but she has no interest in eating.
I guess i just need some reassurance that she’s okay, she is not overly aggressive or anything she just always hides and i never even see her drink water. Furthermore, her abdomen doesn’t look shriveled it looks big as always. She has lost a few hairs but i have not noticed any “flicking.”

How big is she?
Well, pretty sure she's okay since you actually lifted her hide. Don't do that again.
The fact that she stopped eating, burrowed in her hide, and went bald meant she's just in pre-molt, I suggest you use the search function in this forum to learn more about Premolt-molting-postmolt cares.

And Aphonopelma is a genus that's infamous for fasting periods, long pre-molts and blocking their burrow for MONTHS.
So, I suggest you relax and let her do her things, and meanwhile you can do some research about your lovely Aphonopelma Hentzi around in this website!
Best of luck!

 

[The Grym Reaper]

In the beginning when i got her (i think it’s a female although not completely sure) she ate probably like once or twice a week or once every two weeks.

Depending on size this is somewhat/pretty excessive, a juvenile only really needs to be fed once every 2-3 weeks, and an adult only really needs to be fed once every 4-6 weeks.

Aphonopelma spp. have extremely slow metabolisms and adults can go like 5 years between moults, there's no rush to plump them up.

I have read the beginners thread and i know that tarantulas go into long periods of time where they don’t eat. But it still makes me worry! She always hides in her log and slightly burrows into her dirt. She hasn’t come out for months.

They can go for anything up to two years without food so 6 months or so is no cause for concern.

Also, if a tarantula seals itself in its burrow/hide it wants to be left alone, it's either gearing up to moult or you fed it so much so early in its moult cycle that it's just gonna hide away until it decides it can resume feeding, leave it alone other than to make sure it has a full water dish.

 

[Smotzer]

Likely you were feeding it too much! Like Grym pointed out Aphonopelma have very slow metabolisms and adults need to be fed less than once a month so up to twice a week feeding is waaaaay too much!!

behavior is totally normal based on this!

 

[8leggednights]

Friend - I totally get it. We want to SEE our pets & know they are eating & doing well. I have a similar T Vagans Red Rump i got as a baby that had to be kept in a tiny vial. Let this girl bury herself & hide for months- she will kick out a molt when skinny jeans don’t fit anymore. Buy yourself something that’s less of a hider & likes to be watched & eats like a machine. Just advice.

 

[Lurtz]

Just leave her be. I’ve had some (especially terrestrial and fossorial) tarantulas that have gone a whole year of me trying to feed them. It definitely is stressful though so I get where you’re coming from

 

[Frogdaddy]

So I have had my Oklahoma Brown Tarantula since January 2022. In the beginning when i got her (i think it’s a female although not completely sure) she ate probably like once or twice a week or once every two weeks. Now, since about April or May, she hasn’t eaten at all!
I have read the beginners thread and i know that tarantulas go into long periods of time where they don’t eat. But it still makes me worry! She always hides in her log and slightly burrows into her dirt. She hasn’t come out for months. I truly thought she was dead until my boyfriend lifted up the log and checked on her and she moved a little. We try to feed her small bugs like crickets and these small roaches that tarantulas eat but she has no interest in eating.
I guess i just need some reassurance that she’s okay, she is not overly aggressive or anything she just always hides and i never even see her drink water. Furthermore, her abdomen doesn’t look shriveled it looks big as always. She has lost a few hairs but i have not noticed any “flicking.”

Feeding multiple times per week can lead to an extended pre molt period. I would cut back on the frequency of feedings after it molts.