L. parahybana query - particularly about food.

[Steph1304]

Hi all,

I phoned someone today who is local to me and has advertised the sale of their late father's Ts. The avic avic I called about has already been sold as have all the others, apart from an adult female parahybana (10" ish).

I've read various care notes on the parahybana on google, and the current owner is going to measure up the tank (that comes with the T) when they get home and will call me back, so I can check it will fit in my office. Providing ig will fit, I'm hoping to go collect her today or tomorrow.

This T is much bigger than my other 2, so I assume I'll need to order some locusts as I currently only have mealworms, medium crickets and red runners, but my husband jokingly suggested I could also feed her the deceased bank voles, field mice and wood mice that my cats bring me regularly as presents. I laughed but then wondered whether this would be a feasible option to vary her diet or whether there is a risk of parasites? Youngest daughter then suggested if I froze them first any parasites would be eliminated. Obviously I don't want to do anything that might cause issues, but I wondered what you all thought about it as an option? I can buy frozen pinkies otherwise, but I figured it was worth asking.

 

[m0lsx]

Personally, I am exceptionally careful not to use anything. Food, or decoration. That has not been sterilised, or which is from a presumed safe source.

My 8 - 9 inch LP is fed extra large crickets, as she does not like ****roaches & is not too keen on jumpers (locusts.)

The biggest issue with feeding things like mice etc to a T, is that T's are invertebrates & thus too much calcium in their diet can potentially cause them problems. Small pinkie mice, as fed to reptiles, do not have full developed skeleton & no calcified cartilage.

 

[Enn49]

I agree with @m0lsx . My LP is approximately the same size as his and will eat extra large cricket but she also likes Dubia roaches.
The other downside of feeding rodents to a T is the smell of their bolus afterwards.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Mice are fine for extremely large spiders. I use store purchased dead mice for this. Stay away from wild mice or lizards. You dont know what they have ingested. Small lizards and geckos are good as well. Live mice would be a bad idea, I've had spiders injured in the past, a learning lesson.

MYTHS: MICE CALCIUM AND MOLTING

 

[Steph1304]

Thanks for all your replies (and link) That's really helpful!

I believe she's about 10" and comes with her tank. I gather she usually eats locusts and apparently is not interested in roaches. I also gather she's not been interested in food for a few weeks so may be coming up for a moult too. Moving her if she is approaching a moult worries me a bit, but as I mentioned before her previous owner has recently died.

I think she may need a new tank soon too, the description of the tank seems to be a 13" exo terra style cube, but I'll know more when I see her.

 

[m0lsx]

Many of us have had spiderlings molt in the post. So getting a T within a stable enclosure, that may be approaching a molt, is not an issue.

 

[Steph1304]

Many of us have had spiderlings molt in the post. So getting a T within a stable enclosure, that may be approaching a molt, is not an issue.

Thanks! That's very reassuring

 

[Steph1304]

Quick update:

I collected her today, and I will need to get her a new tank soon as there's not a lot of space in there for her to do a moult.

She has a large bald-patch on her abdomen, some of the area is still covered in short grey fluff, but the majority is pinkish and looks more like bare skin. I don't want to disturb her more now, but I'll take photos in a few days when she has settled.

She had less than 2" substrate and I noticed that although there were no bolas as such, there were numerous dead whole locusts (I counted > 30) in various states of decay and in some cases mummification. So I took them out and topped up the substrate to about 3" with some of mine which has springtails in - I'm hoping they will do a bit of a clean up in there too.

There was a large whole plastic plantpot on it's side with no substrate in, so I took it out and cut it in half so she can hopefully chill out in there more comfortably. The waterbowl is now scrubbed clean and refilled too as it had algae and a very dead locust in there.

The owners very kindly gave me a box of locusts to take with me and they had popped one in the tank with her. I've taken it out and put it back with the others as I doubt she's hungry at the moment. Looking at the number of dead locusts in there I don't think she has eaten in a while.

She was great while I cleaned the tank, no flicking, no raised legs and she moved slowly where I needed her to with a touch of a paintbrush to her leg so I could tidy up the substrate under her.

She is now peering out the front of the tank, front legs raised against the glass, so I'm leaving her in peace.