Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well, I have that spider I posted about here setup and left alone for about two and a half weeks. I haven't assist fed him anything during that time. I left a mouse furry live in is cage over night with him only to find it still there in the morning. He has a hide and the temps are 88.5 on the warm end and 82 on the cool end. He gets light and dark according to the sun outside. I turn no lights on in that room when it is dark outside.

Any other suggestions for getting him to eat and deficate on his own?

Thanks for the help,
J_

I'd try a live hopper- mine didn't even look at fuzzies. Actually, he might be big enough for a small adult unless he's a late hatch.

I assume that your spider was eating before he came to you? In which case, have patience for another week or two. Make sure that you are not trying to feed too often- once a week or you'll just stress him out. My spider sib took a couple weeks to settle in but she's been an eating machine ever since.

Don't worry about defecation, all in good time. Doesn't happen very often.

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice. My spider came from a guy that said it was feeding before I got him on hopper mice. I have since found out that the guy doesn't take good care of his animals. His skin was really loose and he looked dehydrated when I got him. I let him settle in for a couple of weeks before I even tried to feed him. I have been assit feeding him ever since.

I got some weight on him and from the advice of others, I let him sit for a couple of weeks again. I tried a furry because he is smaller and I didn't want a hopper to gnaw on him over night.

Temps and humidity are good but he just doesn't seem interested.

Thanks again,
J_

How old is the spider?
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He is about 3 months old, might be closer to 4 months now. He is very very tiny though.

I think oyu need to continue then with assist feeding eventually he will take on his own. If he is that small I wouldnt wait. Assist with fuzzy's. When you were assist feeding befor did he coil at all himself? I have one that is 5 months old just started on his own. He is way small than my other babies but finally is wating on his own. But he will only eat very small hoppers anything to big he is afraid of and he wont take prekill..As far as deficating he will do that on his own, They dont go offten like sadie said.. Best of luck.
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0.1 Het for Pied
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To many little critters list

What type of cage is he in, im sorry i dont remember from the last post, are you using tanks or racks. Like i said in the last post i keep my cages warmer, maybe if he had a warmer hot side it would help, 88 is low to me, but then again thats just me, We keep our hatchlings helix set at 92-94.
Kim

He is in a sterilite container still in quarentine. I did have him warmer on the warm end but I turned the heat on and it raised the ambient temps so I lowered it a few degrees.

He didn't coil when I assit fed him. He tries to spit them out every time. I have been using smaller prey than what I would normally because I have been having to work them down his throat.

a pic of him would really be good. good luck!

I will try to figure out how to post a pic on here and take one tonight.

Without knowing the full story behind the animal or even a picture of it - it really could be anything. I'd say leave it be - don't leave it's food in with it for more than 20 minutes. You might want to consider having a fecal done to eliminate the possibility of parasites. Last year I had two females less than 6 months old go off feed for the winter - it's possible that that is what is happening here. I would continue to try to feed an appropriate size food item once every couple of weeks - use a variety of food items - the animal might key on movement, scent, size, heat or color. If it continues to refuse to feed assist feed no more than once a month. How is it reacting when the item is introduced? Does it do any hunting at all? How does it react when you assist feed - does it willingly accept it or spit it out? Does it constrict the prey one you get it in the mouth?
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Tosha

I have tried geribel pups, mice, and rats of varying colors. I thought about it being off fed for the winter but it has never eaten for me at all. I have left him alone for two weeks without offering anything to him. The lighting stays off at night and rarely comes on during the day but sunlight does pass through the windows. He doesn't react to the food when it is placed in the cage. He doesn't coil the food when I have assit fed him and I have had to work them down his throat.

Thanks again for the help,
J_

I have two little ones that I was having exactly the same problems with. I was assist feeding fuzzies once a week. They weren't gaining any weight, and in fact the spider female was losing weight. I finally decided they were going to gain weight. I went to an every 3 days feeding schedule, and assist fed 2 fuzzies (chasing the second one). After a couple feedings, I started chasing with a hopper. Then to just a hopper. Weight gain started right away, and their strength increased dramatically. About 3 weeks in, the normal female started eating on her own, ravenously. I gradually, but quickly bumped her up to adult mice, and cut her back to once every 5 days. The spider still wasn't eating on her own, so I filled her tub with balled up newspaper. About a week after that, she started eating on her own, ravenously! She, too, went to adult mice right away, and cut back to every 5 days.

I ALWAYS offered a live fuzzy/hopper first, leaving it in for about 20 to 30 minutes before resorting to assist feeding.

So, my recomendation is to continue assist feeding (offering first) on a schedule that will build that little snake up. I really think the added weight/strength had a LOT to do with them starting on their own. Also fill the tub with balled up paper for added security. This has worked for me several times now with reluctant feeders.

Good luck!
Steve

I agree I had mine also wouldnt coil and would wrestle out the food no matter how far it was in his mouth. Eventually he took it on his own. Defiantly do what hoot said, every three days is what i did also. Eventually you will start to feel him trying to coil around your hand then let him finish on his own.
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1.5 normal balls
1.1 bearded dragons
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To many little critters list