fasting avic

[James Box]

i have an Avicularia avicularia (sp "Guyana"?) who to my knowlege hasn't eaten in over a month. i am not sure because the crickets tended to escape under the Exo Terra background and die, before i noticed.
she is still active and fast, she is a bit slim but not what i'd think was dangerously so...i suppose she MIGHT be up for a moult, but this is quite a while now.
her temp is about 70 and i've tried to keep humidity up by sealing the tp with cling film. there is a tub with three superworms and she doesn't seem interested at all.
does anyone have experience with this kind of thing? i'm a bit worried, though it was suggested to me she might believe this to be an off season for food.
should i be worried? how can i help?

[Colin D Wilson]

Hi Matey,

It's possible that the temp and humidity dropped low enough for a couple of days to lead her to believe a change of season was occuring.
If your scenario follows along the same line as i've experienced then i would remove all the cling film and allow full ventilation, keep the temp a little lower for a couple of weeks and just provide a water dish, take all the food out too.
After a few weeks up the temp & humidity slowly over a couple of days and when back to normal wait a few more days then pop a cricket in for her.
In my experience Avics can be affected by climate change and sometimes seem to benefit from a wet and dry season (not unlike pokies)

If she is coming up for a moult there will be enough humidity there with the water dish, i've had them moult successfully in quite baron conditions (always with a dish though)

[James Box]

interesting! thanks for the confirmation it may be seasonal.

i only added the cling film the other day...maybe too soon?
also upping the humidity and was hoping the warmth as well.
perhaps i should keep her cooler for a bit longer?

it's possible i inadvertently provided her with a dry season already, and am now coming out of it, in which case she may be ready to warm up a bit...and perhaps eat again.
i believe she's adult, so perhaps it's also too early for another moult...i believe it was October she moulted before.

learning the seasonal aspects of T care may be the next big step in my education...as all T's have them to some degree

thanks Colin!

[James Box]

well, i've been raising humidity and heat for a while, and adding food. yesterday i saw her with a chunk of cricket dangling from her fangs. very proud! she never got dangerously thin, though, but i was still concerned. nice she's interested in food again.
cheers for the advice Colin and Louise

[Louise~Nichols]

Nice one James....and you're welcome, as always, I'm sure she'll be eating like a fiend for sometime to come now!

[Colin D Wilson]

Good news matey.

Glad all's sorted