Spiderling question

[Smugleaf]

Still no dice on eating as of this morning... Ive noticed the crickets tend to just hide, maybe he doesn't realize they're present since there's no good access to his burrow? It's blocked by the leaf.

He has, however, started quite an excavation project; began tunneling under his little nest in the leaf. Pic attached, you can see his fat lil rump!

I'm hoping this means he's a bit more comfortable.

 

[Kymura]

Still no dice on eating as of this morning... Ive noticed the crickets tend to just hide, maybe he doesn't realize they're present since there's no good access to his burrow? It's blocked by the leaf.

He has, however, started quite an excavation project; began tunneling under his little nest in the leaf. Pic attached, you can see his fat lil rump!

I'm hoping this means he's a bit more comfortable.

Absolutely, they are busy little bulldozers. Decorating their enclosures is an exercise in futility.

 

[Smugleaf]

I'll keep ya posted on eating. Hoping he eats soon, it's been over a week since he's been with me. I'll give it a few more tries.

Is there anything that works best? Night time feed? Should I remove the leaves? Prekill when I go to bed and remove in the am if not eaten?

Keeping an eye out for molting, too.

 

[Kymura]

Don't offer him anything for about three or four days. Keep water dish full and let it gets its burrow to its liking. Then offer. I feed at night usually, simply because they are more active then.

 

[Smugleaf]

Copy! Today was my first attempt at feeding since Saturday, I'll give it a few more days and try again. At least the crickets are nice and gut loaded ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Smugleaf]

So, before I left for work a few hours ago, I thought Larry looked funny, so I picked up his cup to look closer because I was afraid he had died. But!! He was actually just standing funny on top of his old skin!!

His butt it a lot darker now, black, actually, but his butt also is much skinnier than it was pre-molt. I'll try feeding him a small cricket tonight, if that's okay. His exoskeleton seems to have hardened and he islookin good, just skinny.

 

[timc]

So, before I left for work a few hours ago, I thought Larry looked funny, so I picked up his cup to look closer because I was afraid he had died. But!! He was actually just standing funny on top of his old skin!!

His butt it a lot darker now, black, actually, but his butt also is much skinnier than it was pre-molt. I'll try feeding him a small cricket tonight, if that's okay. His exoskeleton seems to have hardened and he islookin good, just skinny.

Congrats on the molt! It's one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of the hobby. However I'd wait a few days to a week on feeding. Even if it looks hardened its fangs may not be. Also molting is very stressful for the spider and adding another insect to the mix could do more harm than good. Just make sure water is available.

 

[Kymura]

Absolutely wait! Exactly as timc said. They can actually damage their fangs, their exo is very vulnerable right after a molt. Take a peek, they'll be white or red-ish if you can see them (I zoom in with my phone camera to check) make sure they are black before you feed him. Grats on your first molt!

 

[Smugleaf]

Thanks for the input!! He has a full cap of water I change daily. Should I be worried about him being thinner?? His bum definitely is smaller than it was when I got him, but could that be because he was preparing to molt?

I'll get a pic tonight if you'd like.

 

[timc]

Don't sweat the small booty at all. It's 100% perfectly normal. Happens every time. He/she will beef up again once it's time to feed.

 

[Smugleaf]

I saw his fangs Wednesday night, they were a dark red. Really cool!!

I've tried getting a peak at them since, but he is much more animated now! Moves around way more than he did premolt. He also seems a LOT bigger than I thought he was.

Do you think he'd be okay to try eating tonight/tomorrow since it's been a few days?

 

[Phil]

I saw his fangs Wednesday night, they were a dark red. Really cool!!

I've tried getting a peak at them since, but he is much more animated now! Moves around way more than he did premolt. He also seems a LOT bigger than I thought he was.

Do you think he'd be okay to try eating tonight/tomorrow since it's been a few days?[/

I saw his fangs Wednesday night, they were a dark red. Really cool!!

I've tried getting a peak at them since, but he is much more animated now! Moves around way more than he did premolt. He also seems a LOT bigger than I thought he was.

Do you think he'd be okay to try eating tonight/tomorrow since it's been a few days?

Hi, congrats on thr moult. Don't worry about the thinner abdomen, it is normal. Like the other advice here, only feed after 7 days following a moult. You have water and so he/she will be totally fine waiting. Best to feed when the T is ready rather than when you are.......lol.

 

[Kymura]

The fangs have to be black, once they are black they are fully hardened and it's safe for them to eat, before that it could damage them

@Phil that won't work for me Phil, some of mine are always ready lol

 

[kormath]

agreed, wait a few days to feed after molt. They can go months without eating so 3 or 4 days or so is nothing. Most of mine ignore food, or stay in their burrows, until they're ready to eat after a molt. my 3/4" G. pulchripes waited 2 weeks after this last molt to open her burrow.

 

[Phil]

The fangs have to be black, once they are black they are fully hardened and it's safe for them to eat, before that it could damage them

@Phil that won't work for me Phil, some of mine are always ready lol

@Kymura Yeah suppose they are......lol. was more to try and make sure we apply a bit of patience.....I always find that bit difficult too....LMAO

 

[londelsh]

Quick question about my LP sling, it molted a week ago and last night I dropped a cricket in its enclosure and no feed. Any idea why this is its been 7 days since its molt is this normal or not?

 

[Phil]

Quick question about my LP sling, it molted a week ago and last night I dropped a cricket in its enclosure and no feed. Any idea why this is its been 7 days since its molt is this normal or not?

Probably nothing to worry about. Remove the cricket if not eaten and try in another day or so. Keep fresh water in the tank as will help rehydrate. I am assuming the prey (cricket) is the right size? Should not be bigger tah the abdomen ideally. As long as the moult was problem free as water available, everything should be fine.

 

[londelsh]

Probably nothing to worry about. Remove the cricket if not eaten and try in another day or so. Keep fresh water in the tank as will help rehydrate. I am assuming the prey (cricket) is the right size? Should not be bigger tah the abdomen ideally. As long as the moult was problem free as water available, everything should be fine.

The cricket is right size as was using them before molt. Molted fine no problems. Will try again tomorrow night.

 

[Smugleaf]

So today I noticed a few of these fuzzy little orbs on the leaf in Larry's cup. It doesn't seem like mold. Any idea?

Also, Larrys molt disappeared from his burrow, and I'm not sure where it might be. Is this normal?

 

[Smugleaf]

Another pic