please really need help with sling

[Bibster]

Hello, I just joined this forum and hope you can help me with my problem. I just got my first T, a Brachypelma Smithi (2cm leg span) a small sling. I got it on 26 sep, and it travelled 1 week in trasnit and until now it makes almost 3 weeks since it hasnt eaten. I figured out it was in premolt when the T burrowed its self and blocked all the entrances, but this happened like 1 week ago. Havent seen the T in 5 days and i started to worry because i read that when it will be ready to eat, the T will open the burrow. 3 days ago i saw that the t opened the burrow, tried to feed her with prekilled mealworms or prekilled ****roach but nothing worked, i went to the store to buy crickets and i will try with them. The reason why i tried to feed her prekilled prey is because it still may be in the molting process and i dont wanna get her stressed out by a roaming roach or something. I dont know if i should wait a little more, or try to dig her out which i know its bad cuz if the T is molting she will probably stop and die. Hope you can help me with this, i really dont want it to die of hunger, here are some photos of the T, you can spot the shiny abdomen and the black spot on it, signs of premolt. The photos are not so good but i think its enough.
https://ibb.co/fLZe1z
https://ibb.co/dczq8e

 

[MassExodus]

You have nothing to worry about You see how fat the abdomen is? It's fine, I'd just let it settle and molt. Only worry about food if their abdomen is small. Cheers man, for doing your research about molting Definitely don't dig her out.

 

[Bibster]

haha thank you, well i guess i will just wait for now

 

[Arachnoclown]

What size enclosure do you have for your little guy? A sling the size you mentioned shouldn't have that much substrate yet. At that size I keep all my slings in condiment cups just for that reason.

 

[Bibster]

What size enclosure do you have for your little guy? A sling the size you mentioned shouldn't have that much substrate yet. At that size I keep all my slings in condiment cups just for that reason. View attachment 32730

i think the eclosure is a little bit too big, compare it to the bottle cap. But i can't move the T into a smaller one because it still may be in the molting process. Yersterday i tried to feed her a prekilled cricket, but nothing moved, still waiting

 

[Phil]

What size enclosure do you have for your little guy? A sling the size you mentioned shouldn't have that much substrate yet. At that size I keep all my slings in condiment cups just for that reason. View attachment 32730

looks like a bit of OCD there to me....pmsl

 

[Dave Jay]

looks like a bit of OCD there to me....pmsl

I really wouldn't be able to leave his house without making a couple of uneven stacks!

To the O.P. ,some of my slings have been buried for months but they haven't moulted. Their butts are still plump so I'm not worried , I just stick to my usual "watering" routine but skip the food.

 

[Phil]

I really wouldn't be able to leave his house without making a couple of uneven stacks!

To the O.P. ,some of my slings have been buried for months but they haven't moulted. Their butts are still plump so I'm not worried , I just stick to my usual "watering" routine but skip the food.

I agree, mine is nowhere near as tidy....

 

[Bibster]

I really wouldn't be able to leave his house without making a couple of uneven stacks!

To the O.P. ,some of my slings have been buried for months but they haven't moulted. Their butts are still plump so I'm not worried , I just stick to my usual "watering" routine but skip the food.

Months?! huh wasnt expecting that much, but it's fine. About the watering, how often and how much water should i drop on the ground to keep the T hydrated without getting mold, because as it seems the water dish is useless if the sling is burried.

 

[MassExodus]

Nope, it aint useless. Every T should have one. Watering substrate is for "tropical" spp, and is a controversial topic, not from opinion, but from observations of behavior and conditions. Its a matter of getting "used" to what your spiders want.

 

[Bibster]

Nope, it aint useless. Every T should have one. Watering substrate is for "tropical" spp, and is a controversial topic, not from opinion, but from observations of behavior and conditions. Its a matter of getting "used" to what your spiders want.

ok i understand that, but if the T wont leave the burrow to get water from dish, how it will get water if not from ground?

 

[MassExodus]

ok i understand that, but if the T wont leave the burrow to get water from dish, how it will get water if not from ground?

For the most part, every tarantula gets water from its prey..they'll drink from a dish in a pinch though, if they need it..and if theyre burrowed, they're in hiding mode. You wont see them come out at night..or reseal their web upon entering their burrow. Sometimes they leave it unsealed though..

 

[Arachnoclown]

Months?! huh wasnt expecting that much, but it's fine. About the watering, how often and how much water should i drop on the ground to keep the T hydrated without getting mold, because as it seems the water dish is useless if the sling is burried.

Tiny slings actually do really well with Sphagnum moss moistened every few days. I've got a few hundred slings and they all drink from moss. Water dishes are best though...especially if your only caring for one sling

 

[Arachnoclown]

looks like a bit of OCD there to me....pmsl

Yeah...only in the T room.

 

[Arachnoclown]

I really wouldn't be able to leave his house without making a couple of uneven stacks!

To the O.P. ,some of my slings have been buried for months but they haven't moulted. Their butts are still plump so I'm not worried , I just stick to my usual "watering" routine but skip the food.

Theres uneven stacks....

 

[MassExodus]

Theres uneven stacks....View attachment 32755

Nice set up AC!

 

[Bibster]

hello everyone, i have an update to my little guy. Got the first sign from it in weeks, it drank the whole water dish(no it didnt evaporate), could it mean it finished the molt, or its preparing for it?