Haplopelma Lividum not eating and lost lots of weight!!

[Matthew Baines]

My adult H. Lividum has not eaten for a long time and from looking at her abdomen has lost lots of weight. She doesn't look horribly underweight and she is well hydrated too but I am slightly concerned with the fact that she is still wandering around on a night all be it not as often as a month ago. Could she be due for a moult? Do they lose weight prior to a moult ?

[Phil Rea]

Are you certain it's not a mature male?

[Matthew Baines]

absolutely 1000000% sure its is not male

[Phil Rea]

Fair enough

I haven't noticed any of my lividums losing weight prior to a moult, but then again I hardly ever see them.

[Mrs Linda Street]

You're lucky to see yours Mathew, we have'nt seen ours since before Christmas. As long as it's well hydrated, it could be due for a moult. Strange things these T's lol

[Matthew Baines]

Your telling me! At the moment i can just see the tips of her blue feet poking out of her burrow. Which at the moment is about as much as i see of her lately

[Nicola Dolby]

Hi Matthew. Has she covered up her burrow for any time since going off her food? I'm just thinging she might have moulted and what you've got now is her post-moult recovery. Also check her fangs are ok (no I don't meah get bitten!) in case they are damaged and this is inhibiting her. Aside from that keep the supply of water and food there and leave it up to her. there is little else I can think of. Good luck!

[Matthew Baines]

Only during the day does she web over the entrance to her burrow. Plus i have seen her this morning excavating some more of her burrow and she doesn't look too bad at all . Possibly has moulted but without a skin i can't really tell and without digging her out i can't check her fangs but last time i looked they were big and intact

[Nicola Dolby]

If she's digging then the chances are she's expanding her burrow for a moult. Thats why she won't eat, she's in pre-moult. All the Asian burrowers I've kept web over their burrow entrance during the day. I think its a natural instinct to stop predators coming down their burrows while they are napping, as might happen in the wild. When she covers it up to moult she will completely bury the entrance, anyone who'd not seen the burrow wouldn't be able to tell you where it was, they're that good! Hope she moults well soon.