problem feeding king baboon

[vincent winyard]

hi everyone i need help. i have an adult female king baboon who's kept herself hidden away for months now about 5 months to be precise. i know they stay hidden in there burrows best part of the time the trouble is i cant get any food items to her as when a make a small hole to pop a cricket in she refills the entrance by this time the crickets back out and again she hasn't eaten. her water dish is never disturbed either so she's not even coming out at night to hunt or hydrate herself. do you think it might be a good idea to dig her out and rearrange the hide or just leave her alone. i must say i am starting to get worried about her hopefully someone can put my mind at rest thank you. by the way i don't even know it this has something to do with an up and coming molt as i very rarely see her it's hard to find out exactly whats going on thanks again.

[Peter Roach]

So what happens when you dig her up and she's in mid moult ?

If she is reblocking the entrance after you open it, then she obviously doesnt want to be disturbed.

Leave her alone, she will come out when she wants to and not before.

PS. Five months is nothing. I have 3 that havent been seen in almost 26 months. !

[vincent winyard]

Christ that's a long time pete. what you say makes perfect sense i was just concerned for her well being. it just seems so long to go without food and water.like you say she would soon dig herself out if she wanted to. i just needed some reassurance thanks pete.

[Peter Roach]

it just seems so long to go without food and water.like you say she would soon dig herself out if she wanted to. .

Dont forget that if she does come out it will be at night when all is quiet in the area and you wouldnt know if she has or hasnt had any water.

[Stephen jordan]

I've got two Cyriopagopus schioedtei females, If it werent for the fact that every year they throw out a moult I wouldnt even know they were there. But if I sneak into the spider room at 3am with a red headlamp on and am very very quiet I might just see a leg or two before they dash back into their burrows.

[vincent winyard]

thanks pete. it's just such a shame she stays hidden because on the rare occasion i have seen her she is very impressive .

[vincent winyard]

hi stephen. how frustrating it is to have these beautiful spiders and only get to see a glimpse of leg once in a blue moon. thanks for your reply.

[Mike_Strick]

I love late night spider spotting. Almost as exciting as going out in the field catching a 2am glimpse of a spider that's twice the size it was last time you saw it.

[Ryan White]

I love late night spider spotting. Almost as exciting as going out in the field catching a 2am glimpse of a spider that's twice the size it was last time you saw it.

I agree with this, it is an exciting thing.. I get around this by digging a small hole in one side of the enclosure, which they adapt and now I can view them through this.