Green Bottle Blue Behaviour

[Strix]

Hey all

Had my GBB for 3 weeks now, First day i got him he was due a feed and i fed him no problems at all. Week two I fed him again on the same day the following week he was lively and showed signs of knowing it was feeding time.. took his cricket no problem at all. After munching this one he stood at his entrance like he did before as if asking for another cricket. The ones i got initally were pretty small so i thought ok let's see if you fancy another... Took it no questions asked... didn't even hit the floor before he caught it.

Ever since this time he has been fairly quiet and content. he's spent most of his time in his hide/tunnel web. He explored the outside a few times the days following the feed i spoke of but now he just seems to be staying in. He's also closed off his tunnel he made. He does seem to do this though so it's fairly normal for him. Bit counter productive in my mind but hey what do i know.

That's the most i've seen of him in days. Tried a feed, zero interest. What's happening here? Is he just fed enough and content? did i over feed him? Or maybe he is in pre-moult? His abdomen does show signs of this (i think?) he's not a hair kicker what so ever so I presume a moult is due...? Which would explain this behaviour as usually hes in and out a lot.

Just making sure i haven't screwed up here with the feeding, again they were small, i've actually ordered medium crickets as they were just so tiny next to him hes about 3.8 inches so should be easily capable of taking a medium sized cricket.

Thoughts?

 

[sunset]

Hey all

Had my GBB for 3 weeks now, First day i got him he was due a feed and i fed him no problems at all. Week two I fed him again on the same day the following week he was lively and showed signs of knowing it was feeding time.. took his cricket no problem at all. After munching this one he stood at his entrance like he did before as if asking for another cricket. The ones i got initally were pretty small so i thought ok let's see if you fancy another... Took it no questions asked... didn't even hit the floor before he caught it.

Ever since this time he has been fairly quiet and content. he's spent most of his time in his hide/tunnel web. He explored the outside a few times the days following the feed i spoke of but now he just seems to be staying in. He's also closed off his tunnel he made. He does seem to do this though so it's fairly normal for him. Bit counter productive in my mind but hey what do i know.

That's the most i've seen of him in days. Tried a feed, zero interest. What's happening here? Is he just fed enough and content? did i over feed him? Or maybe he is in pre-moult? His abdomen does show signs of this (i think?) he's not a hair kicker what so ever so I presume a moult is due...? Which would explain this behaviour as usually hes in and out a lot.

Just making sure i haven't screwed up here with the feeding, again they were small, i've actually ordered medium crickets as they were just so tiny next to him hes about 3.8 inches so should be easily capable of taking a medium sized cricket.

Thoughts?

 

[sunset]

Imo, your gbb is on track for a molting. If nothing has changed in husbandry and the T was happily eating
The only time mine ever is not in view is when it is ready to molt. I would get ready for quit a show!! I caught mine molting this time around. it was amazing to watch. just remember not to feed him for about a week after he does molt, so it's body and fangs have time to harden.

 

[Strix]

Excellent, how much do they grow per moult? How long does the process take to begin he's been hiding away for about 4 days now, i see they tend to turn over on their backs and then it begins is that correct for all species?

I will leave him/her to it till i see the process begin. then once complete leave it like you say a week till i do anything.

That said, regarding husbandry i did add a plant to the vivarium as one last finishing touch, be he's been out since then so... shouldn't be that?

 

[Konstantin]

Hi
how much they grow per moult is very individual spider specific and the conditions they are kept in.It may take days or weeks(months) till it moults there is nothing out of the ordinary and is completely normal for them to be more sluggish and reclusive before they do.
Make sure there is always water available and don't worry about feeding and your tarantula refusing food.
At nearly 4 inch you should wait at least 2 weeks before feeding after it moults to make sure its fangs have hardened fully .
I have spiders less than an inch that go in hiding and refuse food for 3- 6 months at a time.Its normal for them to do that.
Regards Konstantin

 

[Konstantin]

Also if you not sure if ut is premoult and just refusing food as its not hungry atm you can offer pre killed pray now and then and take it out 24h if not eaten.
Regards Konstantin

 

[Ditch crawler]

Excellent, how much do they grow per moult? How long does the process take to begin he's been hiding away for about 4 days now, i see they tend to turn over on their backs and then it begins is that correct for all species?

Mine sealed Itself inside the hide and I didn't see it again for 4 weeks, when it did come out it bought an exo with it, I had exactly the same concerns as yourself, just leave it be and patient whilst it does tarantula things.

 

[carboncarlthejarl]

Pretty spider you got there! Sounds like he's had plenty to eat and may be content with not eating for awhile. Some advice to go along with what others have said, don't leave pray inside for longer than 24 hours. I had a cricket get under a hide and now I have to rehouse because of maggots. Also, premolt can definitely be concerning for new T owners but please understand that your tarantula will be ok. Check your T often without disturbing it and you just might get to watch it happen!

 

[sunset]

Excellent, how much do they grow per moult? How long does the process take to begin he's been hiding away for about 4 days now, i see they tend to turn over on their backs and then it begins is that correct for all species?

I will leave him/her to it till i see the process begin. then once complete leave it like you say a week till i do anything.

That said, regarding husbandry i did add a plant to the vivarium as one last finishing touch, be he's been out since then so... shouldn't be that?

The plant bring added shouldn't cause any issues and just gives your gbb another anchor point.
As for the time frame, my very young sling gbb stopped taking food about 2 weeks ago, and the abdomen got a bit ashy looking, greyish and shinny. This one just about 3/4 days ago webbed up directly around itself, last night I noticed it hadn't moved all day from it's spot, woke up this am to see it flipped on its back so about 7 am est, n by 9 am had completed it's molting process n is now drying out. Pic on the left if freshly molted, pic on the right is before the molt about a week ago.

 

[sunset]

My bigger GBB took about 2 hrs from flip time to remove her old molt as well. Size wise I'd say they both grew about 1/2 in-1in In size. I can't get the molt from the tiny GBB yet, it kicked it under the cork bark, but I'll attach a pic of the bigger GBB all molted and hardened and it's molt

 

[sunset]

Also forgot to mention, all spiders go through molting. Depending on the age, slings molt much more frequently and as they get older slow down ,again depending on the species. Some go on Thier backs and I e also see some push it from on top of them, they usually all produce some kind of molt hammock in preparation to the molting process some like to burrow or do it in a hide others out in the open. Molting is a time that your T will be very voulnerable. Check out YouTube, they have some great time lapse videos and explain the process. Best of luck

 

[Strix]

Thank you all for the very helpful info.

 

[Magoo]

Hey all

Had my GBB for 3 weeks now, First day i got him he was due a feed and i fed him no problems at all. Week two I fed him again on the same day the following week he was lively and showed signs of knowing it was feeding time.. took his cricket no problem at all. After munching this one he stood at his entrance like he did before as if asking for another cricket. The ones i got initally were pretty small so i thought ok let's see if you fancy another... Took it no questions asked... didn't even hit the floor before he caught it.

Ever since this time he has been fairly quiet and content. he's spent most of his time in his hide/tunnel web. He explored the outside a few times the days following the feed i spoke of but now he just seems to be staying in. He's also closed off his tunnel he made. He does seem to do this though so it's fairly normal for him. Bit counter productive in my mind but hey what do i know.

That's the most i've seen of him in days. Tried a feed, zero interest. What's happening here? Is he just fed enough and content? did i over feed him? Or maybe he is in pre-moult? His abdomen does show signs of this (i think?) he's not a hair kicker what so ever so I presume a moult is due...? Which would explain this behaviour as usually hes in and out a lot.

Just making sure i haven't screwed up here with the feeding, again they were small, i've actually ordered medium crickets as they were just so tiny next to him hes about 3.8 inches so should be easily capable of taking a medium sized cricket.

Thoughts?

My green bottle did the exact same thing. After just a couple days she found her spot and molted rather quickly, with no problems.
Hopefully this is what yours is up to!

 

[LinInuRen]

Hey all

Had my GBB for 3 weeks now, First day i got him he was due a feed and i fed him no problems at all. Week two I fed him again on the same day the following week he was lively and showed signs of knowing it was feeding time.. took his cricket no problem at all. After munching this one he stood at his entrance like he did before as if asking for another cricket. The ones i got initally were pretty small so i thought ok let's see if you fancy another... Took it no questions asked... didn't even hit the floor before he caught it.

Ever since this time he has been fairly quiet and content. he's spent most of his time in his hide/tunnel web. He explored the outside a few times the days following the feed i spoke of but now he just seems to be staying in. He's also closed off his tunnel he made. He does seem to do this though so it's fairly normal for him. Bit counter productive in my mind but hey what do i know.

That's the most i've seen of him in days. Tried a feed, zero interest. What's happening here? Is he just fed enough and content? did i over feed him? Or maybe he is in pre-moult? His abdomen does show signs of this (i think?) he's not a hair kicker what so ever so I presume a moult is due...? Which would explain this behaviour as usually hes in and out a lot.

Just making sure i haven't screwed up here with the feeding, again they were small, i've actually ordered medium crickets as they were just so tiny next to him hes about 3.8 inches so should be easily capable of taking a medium sized cricket.

Thoughts?

Sometimes they just go on hunger strikes. Just offer food on the regular schedule. If its not interested, take away the food.

 

[octanejunkie]

Sometimes they just go on hunger strikes. Just offer food on the regular schedule. If its not interested, take away the food.

Good advice, and your first post, too!

Why not tell us a bit about yourself and your collection/Ts in the Introduction section?

 

[HeavyFuel]

Hey all

Had my GBB for 3 weeks now, First day i got him he was due a feed and i fed him no problems at all. Week two I fed him again on the same day the following week he was lively and showed signs of knowing it was feeding time.. took his cricket no problem at all. After munching this one he stood at his entrance like he did before as if asking for another cricket. The ones i got initally were pretty small so i thought ok let's see if you fancy another... Took it no questions asked... didn't even hit the floor before he caught it.

Ever since this time he has been fairly quiet and content. he's spent most of his time in his hide/tunnel web. He explored the outside a few times the days following the feed i spoke of but now he just seems to be staying in. He's also closed off his tunnel he made. He does seem to do this though so it's fairly normal for him. Bit counter productive in my mind but hey what do i know.

That's the most i've seen of him in days. Tried a feed, zero interest. What's happening here? Is he just fed enough and content? did i over feed him? Or maybe he is in pre-moult? His abdomen does show signs of this (i think?) he's not a hair kicker what so ever so I presume a moult is due...? Which would explain this behaviour as usually hes in and out a lot.

Just making sure i haven't screwed up here with the feeding, again they were small, i've actually ordered medium crickets as they were just so tiny next to him hes about 3.8 inches so should be easily capable of taking a medium sized cricket.

Thoughts?

Sounds like it's due a shed. Gorgeous webbing mine just just makes a tangle of messes but when due to shed disappears for ages. Sounds like it's normal behaviour before shedding but I'm still a beginner.
Mine went from timid to a hair kicker almost immediately after shedding but again this seems normal as they are very vulnerable after shedding.

 

[Strix]

Well, you guys were right..

Looking forward to his fresh moult. At this stage (9cm before moult) sexing the T should be possible right?

I've left him/her to it now in a nice warm setting. How long does this process take and how long should it leave him for? I know the fangs are 2 weeks so need feeding.