A Avicularia's been molting for 3 days

[warhorse333]

I have no idea what to do. It's area to molt is vertical and cramped and it's legs are tucked under itself. I sprayes a bit of water to try and rehydrate it and I might try turning the enclosure on it's side to help it molt.

 

[Dman]

Are you sure it is alive? Have you seen it move? If you know it is alive I would recommend leaving it alone. Let the molt run its course. Rarely is an attempt to assist a T molting successful. If anything the potential to harm it further is more of a worry. Sometimes bad molts happen and they do not make it. Hope it works out for you and all is okay.

 

[moricollins]

I had this happen a number of years ago (it wasn't 3 days in molt, but much longer than any other molt I had seen). I put the enclosure into the bathroom and ran the shower at its hottest to increase the humidity in the room. It turned out ok for me (mine was also an Avicularia they had this issue), hope it turns out ok for you

 

[warhorse333]

Are you sure it is alive? Have you seen it move? If you know it is alive I would recommend leaving it alone. Let the molt run its course. Rarely is an attempt to assist a T molting successful. If anything the potential to harm it further is more of a worry. Sometimes bad molts happen and they do not make it. Hope it works out for you and all is okay.

I had this happen a number of years ago (it wasn't 3 days in molt, but much longer than any other molt I had seen). I put the enclosure into the bathroom and ran the shower at its hottest to increase the humidity in the room. It turned out ok for me (mine was also an Avicularia they had this issue), hope it turns out ok for you

It hasn't moved much since the first day. I'll try what moricollins said though.

 

[EtienneN]

I’m sorry but three days mid-moult sounds like a dead T to me.

 

[warhorse333]

Rn it's in a lil makeshift ICU, i'm trying to drip it sugar water every couple minutes.

 

[Vanessa]

Rn it's in a lil makeshift ICU, i'm trying to drip it sugar water every couple minutes.

An ICU is not going to help. The tarantula has already dried up in that moult. If caught sooner, there might have been a chance to help them out by applying some water directly to their stuck limbs. Three days is a done deal, sorry.
They don't drink sugar water, sugar is of no benefit to insectivores. If you have to give them water manually in the future, it needs to be plain, fresh, water.

 

[warhorse333]

completely unresponsive, a little discolored, i might call it here.

An ICU is not going to help. The tarantula has already dried up in that moult. If caught sooner, there might have been a chance to help them out by applying some water directly to their stuck limbs. Three days is a done deal, sorry.
They don't drink sugar water, sugar is of no benefit to insectivores. If you have to give them water manually in the future, it needs to be plain, fresh, water.

Well dang, I guess that's that then. It was a good year with it.

 

[checkmate]

Mature male?

 

[Teal]

I cannot tell in those photos how much of the spider made it out of the molt. Can you post photos, since you moved it?

For future reference, ICUs are a good way to kill spiders as is any other method of "upping humidity"... spiders need dry air, and some need moist substrate. Avics do not. A water bowl or misting a bit onto their web for drinking opportunities is all they need. Lack of ventilation combined with too much moisture in the enclosure WILL kill a spider.

 

[warhorse333]

I cannot tell in those photos how much of the spider made it out of the molt. Can you post photos, since you moved it?

For future reference, ICUs are a good way to kill spiders as is any other method of "upping humidity"... spiders need dry air, and some need moist substrate. Avics do not. A water bowl or misting a bit onto their web for drinking opportunities is all they need. Lack of ventilation combined with too much moisture in the enclosure WILL kill a spider.

Sorry, I already buried it. If it helps I don't think my little ICU would've helped much if it was still alive. I'll use this for future reference though.
I know it's dead because it had a deformed, upturned abdomen and the carapace was discolored brown with what looked like visible veins. I'm assuming it's because it didn't live long enough to harden its carapace. It was not a mature male yet, but I'm 90% it was a male, judging from a previous molt.
After that molt (last July) I noticed it was a lot less fuzzy. Was this a sign of poor health or just part of growing? If there's any more you can tell me that might help me improve my care of T's I'll definitely listen. Thank you for your time.

 

[Teal]

Sorry, I already buried it. If it helps I don't think my little ICU would've helped much if it was still alive. I'll use this for future reference though.

An ICU would have helped kill it quicker.

I know it's dead because it had a deformed, upturned abdomen and the carapace was discolored brown with what looked like visible veins. I'm assuming it's because it didn't live long enough to harden its carapace.

Sounds like a bad molt, which can happen seemingly without reason.

It was not a mature male yet, but I'm 90% it was a male, judging from a previous molt.
After that molt (last July) I noticed it was a lot less fuzzy. Was this a sign of poor health or just part of growing? If there's any more you can tell me that might help me improve my care of T's I'll definitely listen. Thank you for your time.

Being a lot less fuzzy after the last molt makes me wonder if it had a "wet molt"... some Ts recover, but most do not.