Tarantula still "sucking" her cricket over 24 hours later

[Natasha1992]

I'm new to keeping tarantulas, having got my G. Pulchra three weeks ago, and my Red Knee today.

This is the first feed my Pulchra has had as she wasn't interested in her locusts that she came with, so I tried her with a lively cricket and she had it in her mouth less than an hour after dropping it in there.

She has moved slightly the past 24 hours, but is still holding the cricket in her pedipalps with her fangs in it. There is webbing on the floor near her.
Is it normal to take this long to ingest prey?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, I'm just starting out and this is my first feed.

 

[Nightstalker47]

Depends how large the meal was, is this an adult spider or a sling?

 

[Natasha1992]

She's 2, about Palm-sized.
This is her:

 

[Nightstalker47]

She's 2, about Palm-sized.
This is her:

Very strange, although some individuals will take longer with their meals...24 hours for a spider of that size is quite unusual. If she doesn't make any progress in the next few days, something may be wrong.

 

[Natasha1992]

So should I leave her for another day and see if she finishes it?
Any idea what could be wrong if something Is?

 

[johnny quango]

So should I leave her for another day and see if she finishes it?
Any idea what could be wrong if something Is?

I doubt there's anything wrong with your G pulchra (beautiful species to keep) i have witnessed my 6"adult female kill prey in an instant but not actually eat it there and then, She sometimes drops the dead prey then lays silk over it and goes back to it later I've seen her do this a few times and a few other keepers I've spoken to have stated that their pulchra ( males more often) sometimes mummified prey items then go back later. So maybe that's what yours has done. Just a little tip don't overfeed the pulchra as they tend to fast if you do, i feed mine every other feed and unless she's pre-moult she won't refuse food

 

[Nightstalker47]

Yeah, leave her be. Has she molted recently? Some have reported issues with the sucking stomach after molts, but that probably isn't the case here. If shes fat that would mean she managed to eat previously, maybe she just isn't very hungry. Either way just wait it out.

 

[boina]

She's 2, about Palm-sized.

2 what? 2 years? I somehow doubt that if she's palm sized. G. pulchras are slow growers and usually need several years to reach palm size.

Anyway, age is not a good indication for anything with a tarantula. Growth depends on so many factors, like temps and feeding schedule and internal factors. I've two pulchras from the same egg sac, raised exactly the same and one is 2" leg span, the other is 3.5". Don't ask me why. You care for them according to size, not age .

If your spider isn't really hungry it can take a long time to eat and even drop it and come back to it later as has already been stated. I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Natasha1992]

Thanks guys for all of your help. I checked her this morning and it is no longer in her mouth, so so has obviously finally finished with it! The dried up remains are in the corner so I will remove that ASAP

 

[Brandon Wood]

I am having this exact same problem with my Red Knee. It's been standing under the half log for hours with a cricket hanging from its fangs. Im not sure the sex yet, that's why I keep calling it "it". It seems fine health wise. It was out and about chilling earlier. Any thoughts?

 

[Urzeitmensch]

Isn't it possible that she just stopped eating but didn't bother to drop it anywhere? It was discussed elsewhere if they "sleep" or at least go into energy safe mode.

Btw: when I gave my T. Blondi a - far too large - superworm it took her nearly a day until it was gone.

 

[BennyBTamachi]

I am having this exact same problem with my Red Knee. It's been standing under the half log for hours with a cricket hanging from its fangs.

It prefers to eat it with Ketchup, it is basically waiting for you to buy Ketchup. But it will eat the cricket eventually after seeing how useless its keeper is, just watching it instead of going to buy the bloody Ketchup...

More seriously, if no other health issues/signs, nothing to worry at this stage. Especially if it already ate since its last molt

 

[Mini8leggedfreak]

How’s the temperature??
I killed an anole when I was about 11 bc I had to move it from my room to the living room and it was colder out there. It would catch a cricket and just hold it in its mouth..... I didn’t think anything of it until it was too late

 

[jaxkie]

my avíc avic won’t let go of the cricket it caught yesterday

 

[Almadabes]

Don't worry, sometimes they take their time.

I have one T that inhales its food - gone within an hour.
Another the same size that takes all day.

my small slings take a long time too - sometimes the whole day or well into the morning of the next.
I only remove the food when they've walked away from it and that's just me being overprotective and not wanting them to eat potentially spoiled food. at that point they're probably done with it too.

 

[Jesse607]

I've had tarantulas display this behavior when they were dehydrated. After moistening the substrate near them they took a drink a resumed feeding. Even with water bowls they sometimes get dehydrated if the substrate is bone dry....in my experience.

 

[Reezelbeezelbug]

2 years too late with the answer

 

[Jesse607]

2 years too late with the answer

I didn't even notice that *facepalm*

 

[FlagrantHippie]

Did it make it?

 

[Lowkey57]

2 what? 2 years? I somehow doubt that if she's palm sized. G. pulchras are slow growers and usually need several years to reach palm size.

Anyway, age is not a good indication for anything with a tarantula. Growth depends on so many factors, like temps and feeding schedule and internal factors. I've two pulchras from the same egg sac, raised exactly the same and one is 2" leg span, the other is 3.5". Don't ask me why. You care for them according to size, not age .

If your spider isn't really hungry it can take a long time to eat and even drop it and come back to it later as has already been stated. I wouldn't worry too much.

I got mine around 2 years ago at 1" and its dls now covers my palm.