A. Opacum...eating?

[Melmo]

My juvenile A. Opacum is eating pinheads, usually not in my sight, but the crickets disappear. It only ate crickets once in front of me, other wise it ignores them. The problem is, I try to feed it small earthworms and chopped up earthworms, but it ignores them. They wriggle a lot, but nothing. I tried by hand and I tried with tongs. Is there anything else I can do?

 

[Jennewt]

Have you tried leaving the wiggling pieces of worm near the sal (preferably under cover), then leaving the room? Try this at various times of the day, and leave the sal in a quiet room for as long as possible. A. opacum are really shy morphs, so I'm not surprised it refuses to feed in front of you.

 

[tonymontanaflows]

another thing you may want to try if not already doing so is place the worm on something that contrast with the substrate like a paper towel or small lid. the worms will eventually crawl off/out of them, but if for time it helps you sal see the food better give it a shot

 

[jbherpin]

I would also like to say that they don't like large disturbances. What I mean is a new tank, any handling, etc., and will retire to a secluded spot for a while if stressed. We all know what stress does to appetite. I wish you the best of luck, and also try small rollie-pollies(potato bugs), mine will take them at night when offered.

These are just a few photos of my juvies...

-jbherpin-

 

[Melmo]

Alright, thanks everyone. I'll try putting on the back end parts of the worms on a cap, because they wriggle around for a while. I will also try putting in rollie pollies. Thanks again.

 

[jbherpin]

Please keep us posted, I really would like this particular species do well over-all. Whether wild or captive...

-jbherpin-

 

[Greatwtehunter]

Try feeding them at night, right as you turn out the lights. I feed my juveniles white worms and really small nightcrawlers that I sit in a petri dish lid. Your lucky to see yours eat at all, as long as they look plump and healthy then assume they are eating what you put in there.

 

[Melmo]

I'm pretty sure it is eating its pinheads, I just want it to get used to me, if that is the problem. I keep it in my basement for the summer, so it stays dark most of time. Here are some pictures (New camera!!!!)

 

[Greatwtehunter]

I seriously doubt you will be able to get an opacum to get used to you, they are just to shy. Are you trying to get it to eat from tongs? If so, with LOTS of time and patience you might get lucky.

 

[jbherpin]

I seriously doubt you will be able to get an opacum to get used to you, they are just to shy. Are you trying to get it to eat from tongs? If so, with LOTS of time and patience you might get lucky.

I am very lucky in the sense that mine will feed in my presence. They are not at all bothered by light, and even poke their heads out throughout the day! I attribute it to my 2 times a day feeding schedule (1 during the afternoon, 1 at like 1am). They have been on this schedule since I got them, and are fat little things.

Note: I always drop the food prey very close to the individual, and the strike response ussually prevails.

Keep us posted with more lovely pics ( looked great to me!), and thank you for showing your little beast off!

-jbherpin-

 

[ReiDragon]

My four are actually pretty even tempered. I have fed them with tongs from the beginning and tempted them with waxworms at first. Then switched to chopped earthworms which they absolutely adore. One of them which I affectionately call Fatty even begs at the glass. *needs to post pics of her babies x3*

 

[Melmo]

I put in a little cap and put a waxworm in. Then, I moved the cap under the Marbled's hide and I checked later. The waxworm seemed to have disappeared, so I hope it ate it.

 

[jbherpin]

A Waxworm is a good choice to induce that needed feed, but I think your opacum looks great.

I wouldn't worry about it eating visibly in front of unless it's weight drops significantly.

It looks well fed, and otherwise content. What were the temps you are keeping it's tank? The lower the temp, less demand for food. Also, is it a single inhabitant, or is there competition of sorts?

-jbherpin-

 

[Melmo]

It is in a ten gallon, so food should be able to be found easily. It is around 60-65 degrees in my basement where the tank is kept. It is the only predator in the tank, so nothing is going to compete with it. I've been trying to feed earthworm chunks on toothpicks , or just tiny earthworms, but there hasn't been much progress. I did put in some rollie pollies in, they help eat mold, and they can also be a decent snack, and they seem to have been disappearing slowly. I assume my Marb is eating, but I'll keep everyone posted until I see progress in the earthworm chunks.