Why am I finding dead crickets?

[Barbara Gittings]

Hi All

I've been off line for some weeks so its nice to get back.

Can anyone tell me why crickets are dying? I have to keep removing dead crickets from my G.rosea tank. This all started about six weeks ago. I put three crickets in for her and checked back every day, some days I could not see any left so assumed she had eaten them, so thought nothing of it until I put another three in there 5days later, the next day I noticed she was hiding in the corner. On closer examination of the tank I noticed that they crickets were dead! I checked all around the cage and eventually found the six crickets all dead only one looked like it had been eaten alittle the other were all intact but dead. I removed all the crickets and thoroughly cleaned out her tank and made it clean again, with fresh substrate.

This has not helped and I keep finding dead crickets, she has eaten about 4 in the last month any other are found dead . I am at a loss to know what to do or what is happening. Can anyone out there enlighten me?

I'm concerned would she kill them and not eat them if she was approaching a moult? Please help

All theories greatly appreciated
Barbara

[Chris Wheeler (Gigus)]

Grammostola are a strange genus, they will often not eat for months at a time and, during that time they can sometimes kill but not eat prey. Because of this finicky way of feeding I do not feed my rosea for 4-6months every year (Winter) and when summer rolls round she readily accepts meals and stops leaving battered crickets lying around.

[Barbara Gittings]

Hi Chris

Many thanks, she was eating huge amounts when I first got her back in April, I guess she needs a break. That's a relief.

Barbara

[Nicola Dolby]

Another reason tarantulas kill crickets and noteat them is for (believe it or not) protection! When tarantulas moult their exoskeleton is soft and a cricket bite can kill them. So they kill all the crickets and other critters near before they moult so they will be safe. Or at least thats what all my lot do! You could be in for a moult.