Why do vinegaroons get so fat?

[Cheetohs2082]

I just ordered my first vinegaroon, it should be getting here sometime this week. I can't wait!

All the ones I've seen seem to vary a lot in the abdomen thickness, some are super thiqqq. Since they eat so little, I'm worried about overfeeding, and have no idea how fat is too fat. Will they stop eating when they have enough or will they get obese? Does anyone have any experience on how to tell what a healthy weight is for them?

 

[darkness975]

I just ordered my first vinegaroon, it should be getting here sometime this week. I can't wait!

All the ones I've seen seem to vary a lot in the abdomen thickness, some are super thiqqq. Since they eat so little, I'm worried about overfeeding, and have no idea how fat is too fat. Will they stop eating when they have enough or will they get obese? Does anyone have any experience on how to tell what a healthy weight is for them?

The ones you see that are really bloated are likely in premolt.

 

[Cheetohs2082]

The ones you see that are really bloated are likely in premolt.

Do you know how to tell if they are under or overweight? Is there ever a time I should cut back on feeding if it gets "too fat", or increase feeding if it looks too skinny?

 

[darkness975]

Do you know how to tell if they are under or overweight? Is there ever a time I should cut back on feeding if it gets "too fat", or increase feeding if it looks too skinny?

It depends if it's a juvenile, sub adult, or adult. If they're not fully mature then they will typically molt over winter in their burrows.

 

[CRX]

Also, as a new vinegaroon owner, one thing you need to be aware of is they are not active animals. You are not going to see it very much. Some people on here have reported theirs staying underground burrowed for 6+ months at a time.

 

[The Snark]

Some people on here have reported theirs staying underground burrowed for 6+ months at a time.

We have Thelyphonus here in Thailand. In 22 years sporadically wandering the wilds I have seen one. The local entomologist suggested I pick a likely location he described and I forgot, during a certain season I also forgot, and spend a few nights on my hands and knees diligently searching while being aware they are acutely photophobic and will hide the moment I turn my flashlight on. "A small needle in a very large haystack"

 

[CRX]

We have Thelyphonus here in Thailand. In 22 years sporadically wandering the wilds I have seen one. The local entomologist suggested I pick a likely location he described and I forgot, during a certain season I also forgot, and spend a few nights on my hands and knees diligently searching while being aware they are acutely photophobic and will hide the moment I turn my flashlight on. "A small needle in a very large haystack"

No one believes me, and I have been lambasted on this forum in the past for it (looking at you hamfoto) , but when I was a child I encountered a vinegaroon in Chattanooga Tennessee. My family was taking a trip to Alabama to see some family, and we had stopped there for a day to visit my moms ex-husband. In the morning, I wanted to explore the property so me and him took a walk, it was a sunny morning, and on this brick wall (one of those kind of walls that borders in property) I saw a giant bug I had never seen anything like before. It was big, and black. It looked like an alien. We both saw it but he didn't really seem to care.

Years and years later, when I got into this hobby, I saw a pic of a vinegaroon and realized thats what we had seen. But no, god forbid I suggest anything not officially approved by the committee. Its honestly really frustrating, to KNOW I had seen this and have people on here tell me, NO, thats impossible, you did not see that. This hamfoto guy, he even went as far as to say M. giganetus isn't even native to North America and is only invasive in Florida lol. Its like guy I know what I saw and nothing can change that.

 

[Cheetohs2082]

It depends if it's a juvenile, sub adult, or adult. If they're not fully mature then they will typically molt over winter in their burrows.

It's only on it's second instar, so it should have three molts to go. It just arrived today, it looks very healthy, not too plump but not underweight. Right now it is eating some dubia roach I chopped up for it, since I don't have tiny feeders yet. I plan on fattening it up as much as I can so it grows big and strong. So far it is very friendly and not at all scared of me, I was able to handle it right out of the box it came in.

 

[Cheetohs2082]

Also, as a new vinegaroon owner, one thing you need to be aware of is they are not active animals. You are not going to see it very much. Some people on here have reported theirs staying underground burrowed for 6+ months at a time.

Yeah I'm aware, while it's a little disappointing it'll be buried for so long I still think they're cool enough that it's worth having a pet box of dirt for half the year haha. It'll make the few months I get to interact with it even more enjoyable. Speaking of hibernation, should I put it somewhere dark like in a closet when it goes under, or should I just leave the enclosure where it is?

 

[darkness975]

Yeah I'm aware, while it's a little disappointing it'll be buried for so long I still think they're cool enough that it's worth having a pet box of dirt for half the year haha. It'll make the few months I get to interact with it even more enjoyable. Speaking of hibernation, should I put it somewhere dark like in a closet when it goes under, or should I just leave the enclosure where it is?

If it's in a relatively quiet location you can just leave it where it is.