When to worry about a sling not eating?

[InternetSwag]

Hi guys, thus far all of my 10 slings have eaten, except for 2.

One is really small, my smallest T I have. It is a L. Klugi. I got him on 24/07.
The other is my Smithi, who I also got on 24/07.

My Klugi kind of just sits around in his burrow all day doing nothing. Sometimes moving.
My Smithi however, just roams around a bit on top of substrate, but he never eats. He looks very skinny compared to my other slings.

I have tried feeding them, live, prekilled and slightly squished roaches/pinhead crickets. No dice. I always need to remove the moldy food 2 days later.

All my other slings ate at least once. I feed them usually every 4-7 days depending on how I feel. They all have water dish.
So if a sling is in premolt how long does it stay like that? Though I don't think they are, especially the Smithi - coz he looks so small.

Sorry for potato quality pic, I can't get my phone to focus on him.
His abdomen is about the size of his body.
Compare this to my Rosea

So when should I worry? A month? Two months?

 

[Nunua]

My Brachypelma auratum is a good example of a small spiderling T who just won't eat every now and then.
Last time it has a molt cycle of 72 days during which it refused from food for 57 days - Almost two months

Tarantulas are opportunistic eaters, but sometimes they just do not feel like it. Water is the most important thing in their life as they have no skeletons, but operate with hydraulic pressure - Therefore just keep the water dishes full and try not to worry too much. You can keep offering B. smithi (or is it mislabeled hamorii, formerly known as smithi?) food for example once a week and just take the food out after 24 hours.

I'd also advice to not feed your G. rosea anymore before molting because it is fat. A fat tarantula is more prone to get injuries like external and / or ruptures because they can't lift their abdomen from the ground when walking, fall down easier if climbing, or their internal tissues can't hold the pressure.
No need to get too worried now, though! It'll be most likely absolutely fine with that fat abdomen, and we'll all had fat slings at some point because it could be difficult to estimate the prey size compared to their abdomen.

I wish you a nice time with all your slings

 

[InternetSwag]

My Brachypelma auratum is a good example of a small spiderling T who just won't eat every now and then.
Last time it has a molt cycle of 72 days during which it refused from food for 57 days - Almost two months

Tarantulas are opportunistic eaters, but sometimes they just do not feel like it. Water is the most important thing in their life as they have no skeletons, but operate with hydraulic pressure - Therefore just keep the water dishes full and try not to worry too much. You can keep offering B. smithi (or is it mislabeled hamorii, formerly known as smithi?) food for example once a week and just take the food out after 24 hours.

I'd also advice to not feed your G. rosea anymore before molting because it is fat. A fat tarantula is more prone to get injuries like external and / or ruptures because they can't lift their abdomen from the ground when walking, fall down easier if climbing, or their internal tissues can't hold the pressure.
No need to get too worried now, though! It'll be most likely absolutely fine with that fat abdomen, and we'll all had fat slings at some point because it could be difficult to estimate the prey size compared to their abdomen.

I wish you a nice time with all your slings

Damn now I'm worried about my Rosea
She literally ate yesterday again and that was 7 days after that Pic above was taken.
Now I'm worried she gonna explode

Okay I got my Rosea about 2.5 weeks ago none of my slings have molted yet.

I didn't actually realize they can get fat. I'll stop feeding her for a while.
Until her next molt? That would be weeks? Months?

Okay I'll make sure my slings are hydrated and just keep trying every 7 days or so.

Thank you.

Also I read somewhere if your sling is climbing the walls of the enclosure it can be because the substrate is too moist.

My Pulchripes and my Smithi actually do this sometimes. Something to worry about?

Thanks so much

 

[Nunua]

Now I'm worried she gonna explode
>> No need to worry. They don't suddenly explode like that. It'll be absolutely fine. I have had slings that looked like overgrown ticks as well.

I didn't actually realize they can get fat.
>> That comes as a surprise to many

I'll stop feeding her for a while. Until her next molt? That would be weeks? Months?
>> This may take weeks or a month - two. Depending on the individual's molt cycle. No need to worry about that either - It could also be that the sling wouldn't even eat due to its size and just wait for the new exoskeleton develop under the old one.

Also I read somewhere if your sling is climbing the walls of the enclosure it can be because the substrate is too moist.
>> This is one possibility, yes

My Pulchripes and my Smithi actually do this sometimes. Something to worry about?
>> No need to worry. Tarantulas climb every now and then anyway. If they cling on the wall and you can see sub being super damp, then you should let it dry. Substrate in the photos is perfectly fine.

 

[InternetSwag]

That's a massiveee relief.
Thank you Your knowledge is very helpful

 

[spoooderman]

I actually had a similar problem and came looking for some info, thanks for asking the question, and thanks for the answers @Nunua

 

[m0lsx]

Personally, I have never worked out how to know when a sling is feeding & when it is not. I feed a deheaded mealworm twice a week at least & remove after 24 hours & assume that a small sling will have a tiny appetite. So unless the mealworm is pulled under the substrate, as sometimes happens. I never know if my slings eat or not. I just know they have fresh food available, if they want it.

 

[octanejunkie]

Underfeed vs overfeed

I am happy to share my observations, and philosophies, accumulated from keeping and feeding tarantulas in re feeding frequency. If you read no further; less is more when it comes to feeding tarantulas. Tarantulas are wild animals, they are not domesticated, and like most animals are...

tarantulaforum.com

Feed them less often and they will guaranteed eat when you do, unless they are premolt