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3/4 inch versicolor not eating or webbing

Seekeroftruth

Active Member
Messages
115
Location
Tenessee
I purchased a caribena versicolor about a week ago and it's not eaten anything I've offered it. Its abdomen might be about as large as its carapace, if that.

First I tried pre killed red runners and dropped them on the substrate. On about the third day, I turned its enclosure upside down so that I could drop an injured cricket nearby it. It did tackle it and attach it to a leaf, but never ate it. Last, I tried putting a live fly in its enclosure which it pounced, killed and attached to a leaf with some webbing. 2 days later, it still hasn't ate it.

Attempting to feed it is becoming a hassle because it has not created a web. It will not hunt for food in its enclosure. Using flies seems the best option, although even that did not work.

From what I've read, too much moisture, too little moisture, a large enclosure without sufficient webbing points and lack of ventilation could be culprits.

At first, I had too much ventilation as the sub would go bone dry part way through the day. I covered half the ventalation holes although it still dries up after a day or so. Im concerned there is actually not enough moisture in the enclosure overtime and that maybe the wet to dry in such a short time could be causing this. I've sprayed the side of the enclosure twice and both times it went to the droplets to drink. I truly don't think it realizes it has a water dish down there or perhaps refuses to use it.

Besides this, it has webbing points and it's enclosure does not appear to be to large.

It is about 70 degrees feranheit during the night and 75 degrees feranheit during the day.

It's stance is normal although it sits on a single leaf day and night.

Ill add a photo when i figure out how on my phone.
 

Seekeroftruth

Active Member
Messages
115
Location
Tenessee
Ok so he/ she molted a few days ago. Contrary to the title of my initial post, he/she is actually about .5 inch. It is very difficult to get a good picture. I think the photos are misleading because it's abdomen is actually much smaller than the carapace.

Yes i know that sometimes it can take more than more than three days, before they begin eating. I would not even think twice about it not eating yet, nor do i normally care to try to feed slings at this point. It has never ate as well as my other slings. It will catch flies and moths, holding onto them for extended times and yet they appear uneaten. It went on like this, for maybe 6 weeks? Ever since I got it. It's fangs appeared intact during this time frame. Molted... Great. If something was wrong with it (sucking stomach), molting should have fixed it I think.

I also know that arboreals are thinner than terrestrials. Compared to my avic avic slings, this versicolor appears. When they eat, i am able to see the feeders turn into bolus so i can be sure they are eating. Their abdomens get shiny and pre molt. This versicolor, not so much. Its abdomen was never shiny before molting and was about the same size as its carapace pre molt. I've had 9 slings, all but two are arboreals and none have ever been so skinny, especially for such an extended period of time.

My enclosure is dry except where i slightly overflowed the water dish. And quite a bit of ventalation. I have been leaving windows and doors open to get fresh air in here. It actually smells like grass in here as the grass is being mowed outside. It's enclosure is NOT near any windows and the room is kept dim 24 hours a day and night due to the type ofv lighting we have in this room.

He/she did take two or three weeks to build a sheet web and prior to molting built a tube web.

C Versicolor is very similar care wise, excetera, to a avicularia and I have treated the versicolor equally to my avic avic slings. Despite the same care, my avics are growing and behaving normally while i am not convinced my versicolor is thriving. The versicolor has never ate pre killed food, and what little it has eaten from live food is hardly worth mentioning. The avics accept food and eat noticable if not large pieces, gaining size each time. This is what im so confused about. Am i doing something wrong? Why would my versicolor fare worse despite same care?

Besides what has already been mentioned, he/ she has a water bowl. I have tons of anchor points. I don't overly disturb my T's. I don't constantly check on them nor do i shine lights on them. The temperature ranges from about 70-80 degrees feranheit.

Feeders I've tried...

Live flies ( appears to be eating but feeders stay the same size)

Live moths ( appears to be eating but feeders end up in water dish dead after a while ripped up so unsure if they have been eaten on)

Pre killed lateralis roaches, pre killed mealworm chunks, pre killed superworm chunks- has not visibly ever touched any of these

Live mini superworms- ignores and have discontinued due to them burrowing.

I've already tried tong feeding or dropping the feeders near her/ him to cause him to think its live. This is what I have done with my avics sucessfully, and have had no luck with the versicolor.

I have never been concerned about my slings not eating for periods of time. If my slings looked well fed and fasted for a month, i would not question it. Especially if it was gaining good size after the molt. The difference is this sling has never apeared to be in pre molt, and for such a tiny sling i would expect to see it eating at some point in all this time i have had him/ her. As stated earlier, has not appeared to gain size after molt!

Im looking for solutions, things i can try that I have not already tried.

I
 

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Arachnoclown

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1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
6,382
Location
The Oregon rain forest
Thats a fat versicolor...I think your over thinking things. Young versicolor slings don't web much as it is. Your set up looks great.
Just because you still see the prey item doesn't mean its not eating. Its obviously eating something.
Also Slings and small juveniles a can eat much sooner after molting then larger juveniles and adults. I once had a Gbb stop eating a roach, molt, then finish eating the roach all in a 3 hour period.
 

Seekeroftruth

Active Member
Messages
115
Location
Tenessee
I finally got a decent picture to show the carapace to abdomen ratio. Its rounded at least. Does it look ok in this picture? The previous pics made it appear larger than it actully is.
 

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Mundo exotico

Well-Known Member
Messages
231
Location
Lisbon
Helo fellow,
I think your c v looks great. If it attaches the prey on web is to eat later. My humble advice is dont open and change and mess its enclosure every day. Let your T settle without stress. Just watch it. Sometimes they go without eating just because they dont want or premolt.
 

liquidfluidity

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
193
Location
USA
Looks great and healthy! One thing to remember is to not feed until at least a week after a molt. Some go 2 weeks. Just make sure that the fangs are completely black before trying to introduce food after a molt and all should be good!
 

Arachnoclown

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
6,382
Location
The Oregon rain forest
Looks great and healthy! One thing to remember is to not feed until at least a week after a molt. Some go 2 weeks. Just make sure that the fangs are completely black before trying to introduce food after a molt and all should be good!
1 week - 2 weeks is too long for slings....I wouldnt go more then 3 days. Dehydration will kill a sling after molting rather fast. Like I previously said slings can eat much sooner then juveniles and adult tarantulas.
 

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