Fed too soon?

Blueandbluer · May 3, 2015

My 1.5" GBB molted about 5 days ago. Her fangs looked nice and dark and she was showing very active feeding response, so I thought I'd try her on a cricket. She stalked it and pounced, but the immediately recoiled and squished herself in the edge of her cup like it hurt. Of course I pulled the cricket out immediately. I don't see any leaking fluids or anything, but she's been sitting with her knees over her eyes ever since. What are the chances that she actually hurt herself? I feel so bad...

Sorry the pic is crap but I keep forgetting to charge up my good camera, and I also didn't want to open the cup and disturb her.

Blueandbluer · May 3, 2015

She's taken less of an "ouch" posture, and I still see no fluids or obvious damage, so I'm guessing she's ok. Are there any other symptoms I should look for that could indicate problems?

It obviously did hurt though, poor thing.

lalberts9310 · May 3, 2015

Were the fangs reddish/brown or were they black? I usually wait a week before feeding and always offer small pre-killed food as a first after a molt.. usually when they need more time to harden they don't show feeding response, if she's completely harden up then I don't think you have anything to worry about, she could have just startled or may have had a defensive response rather than a feeding response.. try giving it pre killed, if she picks it up and eats it you can offer live prey for her next meal.. but make sure she's harden up completely (black fangs)

Blueandbluer · May 4, 2015

Hey, Lolla, thanks for the response. From what I could see, her fangs were black and she was definitely on the hunt. In fact, I saw her pull back some of her webbing in order to clear the way to get at the cricket when it kept going beneath her "hammock". I always had waited at least a week with my adult spides but thought since she was younger and since the fangs looked dark we'd be fine. Sometimes I'm not so great on that whole patience thing.

She looks 100% fine this morning so I'm guessing no permanent damage was done. But lesson learned!

lalberts9310 · May 4, 2015

If she's completely hardened I think she might have just been startled, I don't think any damage could have been done..

GG80 · May 4, 2015

lalberts9310 said:
Were the fangs reddish/brown or were they black? I usually wait a week before feeding and always offer small pre-killed food as a first after a molt.. usually when they need more time to harden they don't show feeding response, if she's completely harden up then I don't think you have anything to worry about, she could have just startled or may have had a defensive response rather than a feeding response.. try giving it pre killed, if she picks it up and eats it you can offer live prey for her next meal.. but make sure she's harden up completely (black fangs)

I also give a pre-killed meal 3-4 days after a molt. It's really just a precaution and the meal is always eaten. Then the next feeding is live and all is well.

Pokie Master · May 4, 2015

I've had gbb and multiple other species do this before. It's usually because the prey is too large for them. They feel the vibrations and pounce and then feel a "oh crap! It's too big!" Moment and run and hide. Try a smaller food item. Other than that your Gbb should be fine.

skar · May 4, 2015

I've made the mistake of waiting only a day before offering a meal, without any issues.
I'm sure your t is fine.

truecreature · May 4, 2015

I don't mean to hijack your thread Blue, but I was thinking about posting a somewhat similar question. I had a sling recently that ate a prekilled cricket immediately after a molt - as in, the spider was still translucent when I saw it with the cricket in its mouth. It couldn't have been more than two hours since I had last checked on it for it to flip, molt, and start eating. I had no idea it was planning on molting since it was new and didn't fast at all, hence the cricket being in there.

That was almost a week ago and I've since given it another cricket, which I think it ate so it should be fine, though I'm still paranoid its fangs may have warped from still being so soft. Do they even really use their fangs when scavenging or is it just to envenom and hold on to the prey as it dies?

lalberts9310 · May 4, 2015

raisinjelly said:
I don't mean to hijack your thread Blue, but I was thinking about posting a somewhat similar question. I had a sling recently that ate a prekilled cricket immediately after a molt - as in, the spider was still translucent when I saw it with the cricket in its mouth. It couldn't have been more than two hours since I had last checked on it for it to flip, molt, and start eating. I had no idea it was planning on molting since it was new and didn't fast at all, hence the cricket being in there.

That was almost a week ago and I've since given it another cricket, which I think it ate so it should be fine, though I'm still paranoid its fangs may have warped from still being so soft. Do they even really use their fangs when scavenging or is it just to envenom and hold on to the prey as it dies?

They do use their fangs when they eat, they'll constantly rotate and move around the prey item, sometimes dropping it, webbing over it and picking it up again afterwards.. it's best not to feed a T that's not hardened up completely since soft fangs are easily damaged...

truecreature · May 4, 2015

The feeding was accidental, I had no idea it was about to molt and the cricket was put there in the morning. In the late afternoon it molted

lalberts9310 · May 4, 2015

raisinjelly said:
The feeding was accidental, I had no idea it was about to molt and the cricket was put there in the morning. In the late afternoon it molted

I once made that mistake too.. but in my case the T didn't eat it, luckily

Blueandbluer · May 4, 2015

Since her fangs are definitely black, I gave her a pre-killed cricket and she took it as soon as it hit the silk, and then did a happy dance. I guess she really did just get spooked by the cricket somehow. It wasn't that large, but maybe it moved in a way she didn't expect or something? Weird, though, I've never seen a spider recoil from a prey item like that.

Tim Benzedrine · May 4, 2015

You could be right, I was just going to suggest that maybe the cricket got off a good kick and startled her...

lalberts9310 · May 4, 2015

Blueandbluer said:
Since her fangs are definitely black, I gave her a pre-killed cricket and she took it as soon as it hit the silk, and then did a happy dance. I guess she really did just get spooked by the cricket somehow. It wasn't that large, but maybe it moved in a way she didn't expect or something? Weird, though, I've never seen a spider recoil from a prey item like that.

my P. Irminia MM used to get startled by crickets, unless it really was hungry, otherwise he would keep on slapping it until he realises "Food!" hahaha

Ellenantula · May 5, 2015

I believe your sling might would have eaten the first cricket. I think the first quick attack was to inject some venom, then dart back and wait for the venom to take effect a bit before the final pounce. Some true spiders do this and I had an OBT sling who used this method when he was little. It was like he wanted an extra edge before the final attack. But he always finished the job....
Glad your little fellow wasn't hurt.

Angel Minkov · May 5, 2015

It didnt hurt, because Ts dont feel pain, but maybe they werent completely hardened and she felt some sort of damage.

Blueandbluer · May 5, 2015

Angel Minkov said:
It didnt hurt, because Ts dont feel pain, but maybe they werent completely hardened and she felt some sort of damage.

Ts don't feel pain? What's your source on that?

Angel Minkov · May 5, 2015

I really cannot be troubled with explaining this for the 1000th time to various people, so I will just link the topic.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?108108-Do-tarantula-s-have-brains

Blueandbluer · May 5, 2015

Angel Minkov said:
I really cannot be troubled with explaining this for the 1000th time to various people, so I will just link the topic.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?108108-Do-tarantula-s-have-brains

Ok, I read the whole thread, and they certainly make some interesting points, but the only published scientific research that is sourced there says the opposite.

So again, I gotta say anecdotal evidence does not make scientific fact.

Fed too soon?

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