Is my A. chalcodes sick?

[Arachnoclown]

Grind up the crickets next time.

 

[TheFredricus]

If it was already dead, do they need to inject venom?
I assumed they masticated with their fangs to chew up the prey into mush.
Is it more of a liquify and drink dealio?

They need to inject venom to liquefy the prey, don't they? In any case, she bit through the cricket and held it in her fangs for some time. Then just put it down. It looks completely uneaten, just "chewed through". I'm concerned, not gonna lie.

 

[TheFredricus]

Grind up the crickets next time.

How do you mean, exactly? (Pipette feed her?)

 

[Arachnoclown]

How do you mean, exactly? (Pipette feed her?)

Chop, cut, and smash them up until they are like soup. I'll then place them in a plastic bottle cap and place it in the enclosure. The spider will feed its self, no need to hand feed it. Throw the whole thing away the next day wither they eat or not (mites will develop). Keep trying this until it eats then repeat once a week or every other week after that.

 

[octanejunkie]

Chop, cut, and smash them up until they are like soup. I'll then place them in a plastic bottle cap and place it in the enclosure. The spider will feed its self, no need to hand feed it. Throw the whole thing away the next day wither they eat or not (mites will develop). Keep trying this until it eats then repeat once a week or every other week after that.

It's easier to do this with mealworms. Freeze them overnight to kill them, then mash them up frozen into a paste sans heads as they thaw. Feed a smidge and put the rest back in the freezer for tomorrow.

 

[TheFredricus]

Chop, cut, and smash them up until they are like soup. I'll then place them in a plastic bottle cap and place it in the enclosure. The spider will feed its self, no need to hand feed it. Throw the whole thing away the next day wither they eat or not (mites will develop). Keep trying this until it eats then repeat once a week or every other week after that.

Thank you, I will try this!
I can add that she just now ripped the cricket into pieces. It still looks uneaten, though. (She's obsessively preening/grooming herself at the moment.)

 

[x_raphael_xx]

They need to inject venom to liquefy the prey, don't they? In any case, she bit through the cricket and held it in her fangs for some time. Then just put it down. It looks completely uneaten, just "chewed through". I'm concerned, not gonna lie.

I'm not sure, watching mine eat they seem to almost chew the prey, but maybe they are just manoeuvring it for a better angle to drink.

Were her fangs the same before her molt?

 

[TheFredricus]

I'm not sure, watching mine eat they seem to almost chew the prey, but maybe they are just manoeuvring it for a better angle to drink.

Were her fangs the same before her molt?

I don't remember if her fangs looked like that before, to be honest.
And I'm positive that the prey is uneaten. The insides are not dissolved at all, it's just ripped apart. It started smelling terribly this morning so I threw it away. I tried again with a live one but she just backed away from it.

 

[New2T’s]

What’s the status of the spider now?? Does she have any white substance around her mouth??

 

[TheFredricus]

What’s the status of the spider now?? Does she have any white substance around her mouth??

A few updates: Last weekend I took her out and cleaned her entire enclosure. I put in a much softer substrate and fabric plants, nothing sharp of hard whatsoever. She seems to enjoy the new setting alot! I fed her a live cricket then, which she killed, but it only looked partially eaten. I tried feeding her a dead Dubia roach a few days later which she just moved away without eating. So I fed her a live cricket again yesterday and she killed it right away and seems to have eaten most of it! She's still very thin, but I'll keep feeding her frequently. And nope, no foam around the mouth, but one of her fangs is drooping (like a buck tooth).

 

[WolfSpider]

Thanks for the update. From the getgo I suspected fang trouble. You are doing the right thing. I bet your xhalcodes IS getting some nutrition.

 

[TheFredricus]

Thanks for the update. From the getgo I suspected fang trouble. You are doing the right thing. I bet your xhalcodes IS getting some nutrition.

I sure hope so, the only remains I could find was the cricket's head, legs and wings.
Here is a picture of the T:s "buck tooth", by the way. This is what it looks like when relaxed. I've never had a spider with a fang like this before!

 

[x_raphael_xx]

Very glad to hear sheseaten something at least. Little and often will hopefully keep her going.
Maybe the dubia was just a little too hard for her.

 

[DustyD]

What about cutting up a superworm if you have access to them? It might make the eating process easier for the tarantula. Anyone see a downside to this , besides being a little messy and making sure the head is disabled? I think crickets and Dubia might be somewhat more nutritious, but superworms are still good, and a bit richer in fat content.

 

[TheFredricus]

I

What about cutting up a superworm if you have access to them? It might make the eating process easier for the tarantula. Anyone see a downside to this , besides being a little messy and making sure the head is disabled? I think crickets and Dubia might be somewhat more nutritious, but superworms are still good, and a bit richer in fat content.

Tried prekilled pray (and mealworms, dead and alive) as well as cricket soup. But she finally caught live crickets.

 

[TheFredricus]

Sad, sad day. My mystery T passed away tonight. She did eat a few times, but even then I'm not sure she actually ate. It looked more like she was grinding up the food with her fangs. I've provided her with plenty of water and put her at the water dish last night, when I noticed she was walking in a curled up way... But she passed over the night. On closer inspection, she has been regurgitating as there is white and clear liquid around her mouth. I hope this happened post death... Thanks for all the advice guys.

 

[DustyD]

Oh, really sorry. I think we were all rooting for a better result. You made a valiant effort and that says a lot.

 

[TheFredricus]

Oh, really sorry. I think we were all rooting for a better result. You made a valiant effort and that says a lot.

Thank you.❤ I worked really hard, for sure.

 

[octanejunkie]

Sorry for your loss. The unexplained ones are the hardest but you did everything you could have.

 

[TheFredricus]

Sorry for your loss. The unexplained ones are the hardest but you did everything you could have.

Thank you. ❤ Unfortunately not too unexpected due to her condition, but very sad nonetheless.