Feeding question, How do I do it!??!

R

RickysReptiles

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 20, 2014
Messages
79
Hello,

I have a noob question.

I got a 2" Mexican Red Knee on Saturday. Today I tried feeding her, just dropped the cricket into her tank. It jumped all over the place, and when it jumped too close to my T, she ran away. Does this mean she isn't hungry, or does it mean something else? I believe she only recently molted, so I don't think thats the case (althoguh it very well could be... as I said, I'm a noob).

I keep Boas and Ball Pythons, and with those snakes I generally would wait a week or so to them to acclimate to a new setup before attempting to feed. Should I follow the same rule with my T, and only attempt to feed in a week or so?
 
gobey

gobey

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
290
If she ever recently molted she may still be soft and not ready to eat yet. Are her fangs still red? She may also just not be hungry or have a slow feeding response.
 
Amimia

Amimia

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 21, 2014
Messages
103
I'm new to the hobby myself, but as gobey said: if it recently molted it won't eat. Give it at least a week to harden up and make sure the fangs are black.
If its been over a week maybe try taking off one of the crickets back lege so it doesn't hop too much? I've done that a few times with my sling.
If it doesn't eat (and especially if it recently molted) be sure to remove the cricket.
 
N

NewAgePrimal

Arachnosquire
Joined
May 31, 2014
Messages
127
How big was the cricket compared to the T? A T that size will eat a medium cricket, but a full grown , panicking cricket will most likely scare it. Like Amimia said, you could try removing a back leg and see if that works.
 
cold blood

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,257
Pre-kill a fat one and leave it near the t, if its hungry it will be on it in no time. You're facing one of the difficulties of a large enclosure.
 
R

RickysReptiles

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 20, 2014
Messages
79
Thanks for the responses everyone. Her fangs aren't red and the cricket was smaller than her abdomen. I'll try taking a leg off of the cricket to slow it down.

Could it be that she's in a new enclosure and is just "nervous", or is that not something that happens to Ts?

---------- Post added 09-16-2014 at 07:14 AM ----------

SHE ATE!!!

Ok, so I chopped off one of his legs and then I dropped the cricket right near her, and she pounced on it and ate. I'm stoked!!

Thanks for the support and advice!
 
BobGrill

BobGrill

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 25, 2011
Messages
1,669
Try prekilled in the future if it won't take live prey. Simply crush the head of the cricket, that way it'll still twitch enough so that the tarantula will notice it.
 
Dizzle

Dizzle

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 3, 2013
Messages
230
I am also pretty new to T's but I have so far had pretty good success with prekilled prey for my slings. My about 2" B. albo munches down a small dubia roach with extreme prejudice every chance she gets now though. It's pretty great to witness, I must say. I use small enclosures which makes it easy for them to find prey. Like cold blood said, there are some difficulties that arise with larger enclosures.
 
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