How Long Can a Pinky Survive

Hello all,

Ok, so I just received a wonky wobbling Leopard Spider that was overnighted (tieing herself in knots). I purchased two live pinky mice 3-4 hours ago for her to eat. She is avoiding them and showing no interest. I currently have one pinky in with her that i put in a section of the cage that is 80F. The Leopard Spider is probably 1-2months old and 54 grams. She also has a lump at the base of the tail approximately the size of a pinky.

To be honest I suspect this breeder who will remain nameless at the moment assist fed her a pinky two days ago, boxed her up with a heat pack, scheduled for a driver to come pick her up on wednesday which didnt arrive, left this girl in the box in his house overnight, and then shipped her out on thursday to arrive today around 12pm.

Please advise me on where to go from here. Should I move the pinky to the cool side? How long can the pinky stay in with my girl? Should I attempt to feed off the pinky(s) to my 280+ females?

Appreciate any and all responses.

Thanks,

That sucks to read your girl is in the condition she is and if indeed the breeder did what you suspect, shame on them at the very least. As far as the pinky goes, I wouldn't leave it much longer than overnight. If it hasn't been eaten by that point, you could euthanize it via cervical dislocation or a sharp flick on the head to kill it and then freeze it for a later attempt at feeding. I would not offer it or the other pinky to your established collection once they've been offered/in contact with your new arrival. If the breeder treated that animal in the manner in which you suspect, I wouldn't count on their husbandry practices being up to par and why risk exposing your other animals to something if that new girl is a carrier? I would keep an eye on your new girl for a possible regurge but hopefully that won't come to pass. If it doesn't, I would try small live prey such as mouse crawlers or fuzzies even; that might stimulate more of a feeding response than what does a pinky, given how lethargic and inactive they can be and such a small heat/prey odor signature from them versus a slightly larger prey. Good luck with her and I hope she is and stays healthy for you and takes to feeding with no trouble.

Did you receive the snake today and try to feed the same day? It is no wonder it did not eat. Transportation can be fairly traumatic on a baby snake and you should give them at least a couple of days to settle in. Most people give them a week before attempting to feed.

Pinkies do not last very long, a couple days at most. Give it some time before feeding. Spiders will exhibit more sever wobble when nervous and this baby is very nervous from its trip.

I would let her be for a few days. Being shipped then getting a new home is alot to take in. And if you suspect the breeder force fed or even just fed it before being shipped why are you trying to feed it again? Give it time to relax and settle in. I would ask the breeder what the last feeding was regardless. That is just good to know. I would also ask what was being fed, f/t or live?

As for the pinks I agree with ubuibi, don't feed it to your collection, just kill and freeze.

False; pinkies can't survive.

Ah, really not looking forward to having to flick to euthanize. Only one of the two pinkies was given to the leopard spider. Should I attempt to feed the other pinky to my smallest girl? She is probably about 260g.

@Don - Yeah I know they usually do not eat after being shipped and about the wobble being worse when they get stressed. I figured I'd attempt to feed her because she is incredibly skinny with the exception of the bulge at the base of her tail which worries me. Our enchi bumblebee fed the first day she got in and also has never displayed any wobble. I understand it is a case by case thing though. I was just being optimistic and now I'm really regretting buying two pinkies.

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Originally Posted by TJ_Burton

False; pinkies can't survive.

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Originally Posted by KMG

I would let her be for a few days. Being shipped then getting a new home is alot to take in. And if you suspect the breeder force fed or even just fed it before being shipped why are you trying to feed it again? Give it time to relax and settle in. I would ask the breeder what the last feeding was regardless. That is just good to know. I would also ask what was being fed, f/t or live?

As for the pinks I agree with ubuibi, don't feed it to your collection, just kill and freeze.

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The reason we attempted to feed is that she is skin and bones. I suspect that he assist fed or force fed because of the lump at the base of her tail, it is hard which makes me worry it may be an impaction.

Also, this breeder isn't exactly the type to answer those questions, I have asked however. He owed me cash and couldn't come up with it over a 10 month timespan, so I finally got the leopard spider as a payment.

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Also, I'm a little suspicious that this isn't a leopard spider. Some of the streaks closer to the tail and spotting look like leopard but the majority of the pattern just seems to be a spider.

Pinks can survive up to about 3 days.

And don't feed it to your established collection. How many meals has the snake eaten since hatching?

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