hmm...molt?

[iBaman]

so, I fed The Beldam yesterday, and while she normally eats her entire cricket, she only ate MAYBE half of this one. pre molt blues?

[Rogue628]

No clue. Being a beginner myself and not having experienced a molt yet, I cannot help you with this one. lol

I've read plenty about molting but IIRC, they usually won't eat and they're not active at all. Some even say they appear dead. Don't know for sure though!

Hopefully a more experienced T keeper can enlighten us! :D

[iBaman]

Yeah, but how long before the molt do they do this? She's very young, so a molt doesn't surprise me...i was just curious at her lack of appetite

[Rogue628]

I can't answer that either. Mine eats everything I put in his enclosure lol

[DragonsEye]

so, I fed The Beldam yesterday, and while she normally eats her entire cricket, she only ate MAYBE half of this one. pre molt blues?

Doubtful. Typically T's quit eating (not just cut down) as they enter a molt phase. I'd guess it just wasn't terribly hungry. How often are you feeding it?

Slings usually don't go off their feed for very long with an impending molt but older T's may fast for a considerable time. My G. rosea went about a year without eating then molted and is back to scarfing down crickets or roaches with vigor.

It should be noted that just because a T refuses food doesn't mean a molt is impending either. My G. rosea typically will stop feeding in Nov/Dec and not eat until March or April. I suspect this corresponds to what would be a dormancy period in its native enviroment.

With some T's, an impending molt is signified by a darkening of the abdomen. If you suspect that yours is nearing molt, pay attention to its behavior. If it shows no interest in prey, then remove the prey item(s) and wait a week or two before offering food again. Once you T does molt, do NOT offer prey for 5 days to a week at least. T's need that time for their new exoskeleton -- including fangs -- to harden. The old/bigger the T, the longer the process takes.

[lady_bug87]

Doubtful. Typically T's quit eating (not just cut down) as they enter a molt phase. I'd guess it just wasn't terribly hungry. How often are you feeding it?

Slings usually don't go off their feed for very long with an impending molt but older T's may fast for a considerable time. My G. rosea went about a year without eating then molted and is back to scarfing down crickets or roaches with vigor.

It should be noted that just because a T refuses food doesn't mean a molt is impending either. My G. rosea typically will stop feeding in Nov/Dec and not eat until March or April. I suspect this corresponds to what would be a dormancy period in its native enviroment.

With some T's, an impending molt is signified by a darkening of the abdomen. If you suspect that yours is nearing molt, pay attention to its behavior. If it shows no interest in prey, then remove the prey item(s) and wait a week or two before offering food again. Once you T does molt, do NOT offer prey for 5 days to a week at least. T's need that time for their new exoskeleton -- including fangs -- to harden. The old/bigger the T, the longer the process takes.

I like reading your T posts..

My husband's curly haired has never refused anything (to my knowledge I am stilll terrified of it)

[Rogue628]

Thanks for the info! I learned something as well :)

[iBaman]

Doubtful. Typically T's quit eating (not just cut down) as they enter a molt phase. I'd guess it just wasn't terribly hungry. How often are you feeding it?

Slings usually don't go off their feed for very long with an impending molt but older T's may fast for a considerable time. My G. rosea went about a year without eating then molted and is back to scarfing down crickets or roaches with vigor.

It should be noted that just because a T refuses food doesn't mean a molt is impending either. My G. rosea typically will stop feeding in Nov/Dec and not eat until March or April. I suspect this corresponds to what would be a dormancy period in its native enviroment.

With some T's, an impending molt is signified by a darkening of the abdomen. If you suspect that yours is nearing molt, pay attention to its behavior. If it shows no interest in prey, then remove the prey item(s) and wait a week or two before offering food again. Once you T does molt, do NOT offer prey for 5 days to a week at least. T's need that time for their new exoskeleton -- including fangs -- to harden. The old/bigger the T, the longer the process takes.

I feed her every other day, as she's young, and was eating them voraciously. I guess I could make it every 2 days now, though. I wonder if she will stop feeding for dormancy...instincts are crazy. And it's hard to see her abdomen get darker, as she's an iridescent black color.