H. Venosa won't eat!

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crabbypatty

aka Mad Mantis
Joined
Aug 8, 2016
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Laguna Niguel, CA
I have a sub adult h. venosa and she's not eating. Last time she ate was five days ago, then three days ago she threw up some brown stuff and she passed a large watery poop, she might have eaten too much. Her poop right now isn't a pellet which is what she normally poops, she's pooping what looks like green jelly blobs, she's otherwise fine, still moves around and is drinking water. This is my first time with a sub adult, so not familiar with a lot of things. She's currently hanging on the lid of her enclosure. Is this normal? I'm starting to worry:(

 
The not eating could be a sign that she is about to molt but the other symptoms you mentioned be be indicative of another issue. Unfortunately these things happen and we really don't know the causes. Perhaps disinfect her enclosure and make sure she is at the correct temperatures and wait to see if she recovers. 

 
Her hanging on the lid of her enclosure is normal, the rest isn't.

Often if they overeat they will vomit some of it back up, likely to clear room; however, if she basically has diarrhea (not normal frass, and much more wet) that means whatever she last ate did not agree with her stomach. The best you can do to help is keep her hydrated as diarrhea causes fluid loss - do that by misting her enclosure a bit more than normal ensuring there are water droplets she can drink too. As I read you said she is drinking, and that is great.

The other thing is to calm her digestive system to return her to normal. A easy way to do that is to give her 100% real honey (I'd suggest buying from a local beekeeper if possible, often at local farmer's markets, or at a apple tree/orchard farm store the kind that sell apple cider (in my area that is Applacres and Melton's Orchard) as they stock real unfiltered honey often with the honeycomb; however, if you are stuck with the fake honey at most grocery stores (highly filtered and with additives even though the label will list 100% honey) then it should still work but not as well.

Anyway use a toothpick and dip it into the honey and offer it to your girl, if she won't eat then rub a tiny amount on her arms or mouth and she should want more after she cleans it off. The honey has antibacterial properties and is great for calming upset stomachs and other aliments.

Keep offering her feeders once a day, I'd suggest start with something small and that doesn't cause issues, like houseflies or bottle flies. Hopefully in a few days she should be returning to normal.

The green jelly blobs you refer to however I must admit is a new one I haven't seen or heard before. It could very well be partially digested food, her stomach fluids, or similar material - which is likely showing from the diarrhea as her system is passing the material too quickly to process.

 
Ok I've been giving her water and honey and she's drinking both, I also cut up a small superworm and gave her half and she ate that too. I misted her enclosure a little more than usual too, she's still pooping those jelly blobs though, but they look smaller and she's not pooping them as frequently. Our house is normally a little over room temperature so I think that's ok. Unfortunately I don't have any flies on hand, just superworms and the occasional moth that flies in. She's still very alert, hopefully she gets better :/

 
Sounds really good, especially her eating the superworm already! Just keep at it, sounds like she will be back to normal soon. :)

 
She molted! I thought she was sick but she was getting ready to molt, the vomit and weird poops threw me off, but she's pooping normally now and she's currently enjoying a meal! She turned a pretty pink ^.^ Thanks for the advice :D

 
She molted! I thought she was sick but she was getting ready to molt, the vomit and weird poops threw me off, but she's pooping normally now and she's currently enjoying a meal! She turned a pretty pink ^.^ Thanks for the advice :D
Well hopefully that is the end of the problems then. Glad to hear she molted, and turned a lovely color as a bonus too.
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