My tarantula won’t eat

[hntaran]

Hi all,

My tarantula (female Mexican curly hair) hasn’t eaten for nearly 18 months. I changed her bedding about 6 weeks ago as I realised the old bedding was wet and rotting underneath. She seems a lot happier now but still won’t eat anything. Looks a little thin but otherwise healthy. She’s about 10 years old, is it just possible she is nearing the end of her life ?

 

[m0lsx]

Tarantulas can go many months without eating & 18 months is not unheard of.

I assume if you refer to bedding, that you mean Sphagnum moss? If so if that was wet, what is the substrate like? As Tliltocatl albopilosus prefer it dry, with just a water bowl & a little overflow. I move my water bowls around, so the areas under them dry out & thus different areas get overflow.

 

[hntaran]

Tarantulas can go many months without eating & 18 months is not unheard of.

I assume if you refer to bedding, that you mean Sphagnum moss? If so if that was wet, what is the substrate like? As Tliltocatl albopilosus prefer it dry, with just a water bowl & a little overflow. I move my water bowls around, so the areas under them dry out & thus different areas get overflow.

Yep the bedding is sphagnum and coconut husk. Which is now dry and with a water bowl like you say. I’m aware they can go a long time without eating. But at what point should I be worried ?

 

[Octrej]

Does she accept pre-killed food? She is definitely an adult being 10 years old and it is not uncommon that adult tarantulas refuse to eat for extended periods of time. She should be OK as long as she has enough water and her abdomen is not too small.

 

[m0lsx]

But at what point should I be worried ?

I am not sure at what point that happens. But you at 18 months are probably there, or very close to it. But as I said. 18 months is not unheard of & I have heard of T's going 2 years without food.

Try different foods. Several of my T's will only eat smaller prey. Put anything too big in for them & they simply refuse to eat it. Also try pre killed food. So crickets, beheaded morioworms & mealworms etc. And try leaving food in for more than 24 hours. I have a couple of T's who I know need 48 hours with food. Sometimes foods goes instantly, often overnight, when the room is dark & quiet is a good feeding time & sometimes, with some T's it just takes a little longer.

Not every T is the same. So just try different things & see if something works best for her.

 

[Lawrence b]

Sometimes fast moving prey triggers a feed response like crickets or red runners . Maybe A pic off your setup and Tarantula might help .

 

[hntaran]

I have added some photos of my T and it’s set up for reference, she still looks healthy but still not accepting food

 

[Ratmosphere]

That T is fat as heck... doesn't need food.

 

[Lawrence b]

It does look still healthy , sometime fast moving food gets a feeding response .All you can do is keep trying but it still looks in good shape for a T that has not eaten for 18 months.