Just taking a while to settle in?

[swimbait]

1 of the 10 p. cambridgei slings I received about 2 weeks ago has still yet to eat or settle in one place. All the other slings burrowed themselves within the first few days. I had another one who hadn't settled either and I add a small piece of bark up against the wall and he was in that spot webbing it up within a day. The one I am worried about right now also happened to be the smallest of the bunch, so it is a decent size deli cup for the little guy. I built him a little cave hoping he would also go in there, feel secure, and web up. He has been in/around there for 2 days now but still no webbing. Also has shown no interest in eating, even went as far as to move the dead cricket away from it... Do you guys think it is just in pre molt or should I consider putting it in a smaller cage. Its not that much smaller than the others and they've had no problem settling in or eating most have taken 3-4 meals already. Here's a pic below, the cork bark at the bottom of the pic is the small cave area I was hoping he would go into and web up

 

[Payden King]

1 of the 10 p. cambridgei slings I received about 2 weeks ago has still yet to eat or settle in one place. All the other slings burrowed themselves within the first few days. I had another one who hadn't settled either and I add a small piece of bark up against the wall and he was in that spot webbing it up within a day. The one I am worried about right now also happened to be the smallest of the bunch, so it is a decent size deli cup for the little guy. I built him a little cave hoping he would also go in there, feel secure, and web up. He has been in/around there for 2 days now but still no webbing. Also has shown no interest in eating, even went as far as to move the dead cricket away from it... Do you guys think it is just in pre molt or should I consider putting it in a smaller cage. Its not that much smaller than the others and they've had no problem settling in or eating most have taken 3-4 meals already. Here's a pic below, the cork bark at the bottom of the pic is the small cave area I was hoping he would go into and web up
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I wouldn't worry too much yet. My Versicolor sling I've had since June and she refused food about three weeks before she molted and acted very lazy for a while. I was very worried she was not going to make it then one night I found her next to a fresh molt. I try so hard not to over worry but it doesn't always happen.. They are my babies.

 

[swimbait]

I am the same way, I had 4 that hadn't eaten yet and once offered a dead crick they ate that night. Except this one who actually moved the cricket, to go through that effort must really not be hungry at the moment!

 

[Payden King]

I wouldn't worry too much it might just be ready for a molt I'll keep my fingers crossed thats all it is for you and your t

 

[Poec54]

They have personalities, some settle in sooner than others. As long as the cage conditions are reasonable, it'll adapt.

 

[MatthewM1]

Ime if a Psalmopoeus sling isnt eating a molt is near by.

 

[swimbait]

Ime if a Psalmopoeus sling isnt eating a molt is near by.

That is what I am thinking, I just haven't experience a sling go through a long pre molt before. In my experience they eat until a few days before and that's it. My obt are during the day, and molted the same night

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

That is what I am thinking, I just haven't experience a sling go through a long pre molt before. In my experience they eat until a few days before and that's it. My obt are during the day, and molted the same night

Settling in isn't an exact science,it is specimen dependant cage setup and individual within the genus itself. As for pre molt,some will eat close up to a molt or drink a lot of water. This I believe is to build up fluid reserves for the molt,this is just me speculating but is what I have observed.

 

[swimbait]

I did add a tiny water bowl, actually its a lid to a vial, and just added a drop of water onto it incase he explores at night and gets thirsty. The others don't have water bowls because they are eating well and all my crickets are gutloaded with carrots

 

[swimbait]

Still hasn't eaten, still hasn't molted. I've been keeping water available at all times. You guys just think this is a weird individual with a crazy long pre molt phase? If It doesn't molt in a couple days I am going to rehouse into smaller enclosure and see if it makes a difference.

 

[swimbait]

Well after not trying for a few days I went and tried to feed him after I posted the last post and this time he ate. YAY!! Hopefully he will begin to settle in now

 

[swimbait]

So he hadn't eaten since that meal and still hadn't settled in so I made the decision that I was going to transfer him into a smaller arboreal set up in hopes of him webbing much more. That was until I walked in and saw this. Funny how things work some times

 

[swimbait]