Do you let your Ts "settle in" before feeding? And how long?

[xhexdx]

Well we know that most of the time, when they do their little 'food dance', they also tend to lay webbing. Does this kick-start their drive to begin remodeling and making themselves at home? I have no idea.

It would be interesting to run a controlled experiment or two - take ten individuals (slings), rehouse them in identical setups, and offer food to half of them.

[OphidianDelight]

I let them settle first but usually this involves leaving the T or sling in a dark room with fresh water for a few hours before offering food. I don't normally wait more than 24 hours before attempting a first feeding. If the animal refuses the first feeding then I try again on a regular feeding day for the rest of the Ts.

[Shell]

Why is the advice to wait frequently given?
And what is the basis for this?

I don't think it should be given as advice, but more as a possible reason as to why a spider may not be eating (when it's a new or recently rehoused spider).

When someone posts that their new spider isn't taking food, that *could* be one of the reasons why. It may be stressed and need a little more time to settle in. It could also not be eating for other reasons though, as we know.

I usually feed the same day with mine, and most will take food. I have had some that needed more time though, so I remove the uneaten food and try again a week later.

Like I said, I don't think it should be given as advice, but just offered as a possible explanation as to why a new spider may be refusing food, when the keeper is concerned.

For example, when someone posts that their new spider isn't eating, I will usually say that it could be not eating for a few different reasons, and that needing time to settle in could be one of them, so to give it a few days or so and try again.

I see no issue with offering food the same day, some will eat, some won't. No big deal if you remove what isn't eaten.

[mark e sic]

i think the whole "let them settle in" is more for newbies in order to keep them from ramming a cricket into his/her T.s face and stressing it out further than it might already be because of relocated or rehousing.. my opinion

[Jared781]

3 days to a week!... differing from their comfort level

[Tarac]

I feed same or next day, if I feel the spider will take it. After a while it's easy to tell which spiders are "freaked out" to the point where they won't take food. Obviously, with those, I wait a couple of days until they've appropriated their hide/burrow.

Same. If they scrunch up and hide somewhere I wait, if they're exploring and laying web I offer food.

---------- Post added 03-02-2012 at 12:53 PM ----------

Well we know that most of the time, when they do their little 'food dance', they also tend to lay webbing. Does this kick-start their drive to begin remodeling and making themselves at home? I have no idea.

It would be interesting to run a controlled experiment or two - take ten individuals (slings), rehouse them in identical setups, and offer food to half of them.

Hmm, that is an interesting idea- does the "victory dance" over dinner induce further web production? It would be hard to control though- I've had sets of slings that will act differently from the get go and never change. Half burrow/web, the other never even dig, often carrying through into adulthood. I guess "personality" of each individual might have something to do with it too which is of course very difficult to predict/control. Maybe you could use all slings of the same clutch that are already exhibiting the same behaviors and then re-house feed/don't feed. Would also have to compare to a random sample with both habits I suspect to make sure it isn't just noise since there are a number of other factors that could sway the mood of the slings at the time of rehousing and may not be uniform across the sample set, such as proximity to molt, etc. Sounds like a reasonable hypothesis, would be a neat experiment.

[grayzone]

for me the choice is purely circumstantial. depends on if its an existing t that im rehousing, a recently shipped one, size... lots of variables. i guess it depends on how im feeling at the time as well... i USUALLY wait a day or so, but i HAVE ALSO fed same day...

---------- Post added 03-02-2012 at 01:44 PM ----------

BTW... i usually pass on the "give it a week or so" advice as a pacifier to noobs... its noobs to the hobby that have to ask "how often should i feed, or why is it not eating"... MY reason behind this is basically to calm them down... we all know they're spiders and do weird things... we will never have all the answers. By "pacifying" a noob whos t is not eating, i usually see another thread a week-ISH later sayin it either ate, or molted. at least the new hobby member's (as well as the t's) stress level will be dissipated for a week

[jayefbe]

i think the whole "let them settle in" is more for newbies in order to keep them from ramming a cricket into his/her T.s face and stressing it out further than it might already be because of relocated or rehousing.. my opinion

Yup. I generally feed the day I get a new tarantula. If it's feeding day (which it always seems to be at my house) then they go in the rotation. But I'm also not sitting with my nose in the face of a new tarantula, I'm not showing it to all my friends and relatives, holding it every five minutes, or checking on it every 3 minutes. I also understand that if a tarantula won't eat, it's nothing to worry about and some tarantulas DO need that acclimation period. I get the impression that some new keepers worry when they're new pet doesn't eat, so they start sticking prey items in the tarantulas face every hour, which can only exacerbate the situation. In those situations, taking a deep breath, learning to leave the little guy alone for a few days, and understanding that a few weeks without food is not going to cause a problem is generally the best course of action.

[skar]

I have fed same day as a rehouse numerous times and they have ate as well.

Why is the advice to wait frequently given?
And what is the basis for this?

Does anyone believe that offering food will help them better settle in? Food = suitable home...?

I feed mine on the way home: Honey T don't care ! and if there's a shy one just see how it goes, ditto alot of above...
However alot of people receiving this answer are more likely just beginning. These individuals may not be able to tell if the spider appears stressed, premolt, dehydrated etc..
and may be. . . scared to remove said food.
May not be bad advice.