Lasiodora Parahybana not eaten for 10 months

[Simon Bateson]

Hi,

My LP hasn't eaten for 10 months now. She looks okay but continually refuses roaches and crickets.

Here is a pic, anyone any thoughts?

She is about 7" and molted last April

[Jacob Fredrickson]

No need to worry buddy, Ts can go for quite a while without eating.
My previous B.Smithi used to moult, eat a cricket everyday for about 12 days, then not touch another thing for 12-14 months. She would then moult and start the same process again .

Unless there is an obvious ailment I think she is just fine.

Thanks,
Jacob

[Simon Bateson]

Thanks Jacob,

You just start wondering how long is tooo long?

Do you thing it is worth still popping food in occasionally or do you think she won't eat again until she moults?

[Phil Lilley]

If she wants to eat, she'll eat. I'd try her, one a week maybe, she if she takes it.

The best I heard was 18 months, but still healthy...they are little weirdos when it comes to eating.

[Simon Bateson]

Lol, she doesn't seem to be losing any weight so if she is dieting she must be pretty miffed

[Nick Ashley]

It is not uncommon for spiders to go for ages without eating, and there are many factors which can contribute to this (age, health, type of live food, etc..) I have found that some of my spiders are not overly keen on roaches, but you have covered the bases there by trying other types of food. When tarantulas moult they shed their sucking stomach. Sometimes this can go wrong which can stop them eating, however a healthy spider would kick in it's moult process to moult again and fix this. Either way, just make sure the tank isn't too dry and she has an open water dish to drink from if she wants and everything should be fine.

[Ray Hale]

I know this sounds mad but I once had an adult Aphonopelma seemanni go over a year and a half....yes thats what I said..... with out food. She was watered and active throughout. She finally took a cricket on Christmas Day 2002. She continued to ignore food for another two months and then shed her skin. She is still with me today....

figure that one guys...
best wishes

Ray

[Simon Bateson]

Thanks everyone for the reassurance

[Scott McGlone]

I've had my LP for about 21 years and she's still going strong! Throughout that time she stops feeding for weeks/months before and after a moult. Always had access to water and never a hint of trouble. A spider that's tough as old nails!

[Simon Bateson]

Thanks Scott,

Just out of interest how many times has she moulted?

My LP does seem to like water. I watched her drinking yesterday and her abdomen always looks nice and plump - a liquid diet it seems

[Leon Lane]

I had the same experience as Ray Hale but with a G.rosea. 18 months without food.

[Scott McGlone]

Moulted about five times after reaching maturity. Just a point about feeding - I think you can overfeed a tarantula. I lost a T. blondi many years ago after feeding it a few too many locusts. The final one it only half ate it and left the rest. Within two days the spider was dead and I can only summize that I took other people's poor advice regarding how much to feed a 'big' spider on face value. This also happened with an Emperor Scorpion. I only feed my T's little but often. I have never lost a T following the little but often rule.

[Kevin Lapp]

Do pay attention to its abdomen. The picture looks fine though. I have a B. smithi that developed an unknown problem over the last year. It used to be a great feeder and of good size but over the last year started eating less and less and its abdomen is shrinking substantially. I have no idea what the cause is but suspect parasites. I am almost considering freezing it to euthanize it. Not quite sure what to do with it but have essentially written it off. So not every fasting tarantula is just fine so be sure to see if other factors are becoming apparent. I have an A. hentzi I caught in Missouri that has similar eating habits (rare meals) and its abdomen looks just fine and it acts fine so I am not too concerned about it.

[Simon Bateson]

Hi Kevin. Thanks for your response. She still hasn't eaten but seems in good shape. Abdomen seems still to be a good size and not shrunken or shrivelled. I've caught her drinking a couple of times so I guess just have to offer food every couple of weeks and wait. Perhaps she'll moult on Christmas Day

[Simon Bateson]

Hi everyone. Happy New Year. Just thought I'd update you. My LP still not eaten. Checked my diary and her last crickets were 08.12.11 so she is now well past the year mark. Tried her with a dubia roach yesterday. She went for a look then walked off. She still looks healthy and has recently bundled up all her old webbing (so still house proud ). I was wondering whether to try and "kick start" her with a different food. I keep a young royal python who eats rat fluffs at the moment (frozen). Would it be worth offering one up to her as she has refused roaches, crickets etc. Or shall I just keep wait for the possible moult, or death...?

Pretty amazed any creature can live this long without food! Perhaps I have the first "fresh air" taranatula