Bad molt. What can I do?

[Emmaalyse]

My pink toe molted her abdomen is all messed up plus I think there is substrate stuck to her underneath. Is there anything I can do? Will she make it?

 

[Vanessa]

Is her anus blocked by it? It looks like there is a lot of feces in the area. How long ago did she moult?
You can try taking a small cotton swab and wiping the area a bit with some water. Also, a small, very soft bristled, brush dipped in water would work. You have to be very gentle.

 

[Emmaalyse]

Is her anus blocked by it? It looks like there is a lot of feces in the area. How long ago did she moult?
You can try taking a small cotton swab and wiping the area a bit with some water. Also, a small, very soft bristled, brush dipped in water would work. You have to be very gentle.

I do not know how long ago. This was a complete surprise molt from her which is common with her cause she eats almost up until she molts and never shows sign of premolt. Im afraid to touch her and scare her and stress her out. I don’t know if the anus is blocked or not or if that is poop or scabbing.

 

[Vanessa]

Was it within the last 24 hours?
If her anus is blocked by left over exuvia, that can kill her. You need to take a brush, cotton ball, cotton swab, and try to gently wipe the area and see if you can remove whatever is there.

 

[nicodimus22]

Definitely need to gently clear that stuff off with a wet Q-tip or cloth. You want to avoid impaction at all costs. The only T I've ever had to euthanize was shipped to me impacted. Tried to save her for 2 weeks before putting her out of her misery.

Getting her into a catch cup is probably the way to go...much harder to do if she can run away deeper into the enclosure.

 

[Emmaalyse]

Definitely need to gently clear that stuff off with a wet Q-tip or cloth. You want to avoid impaction at all costs. The only T I've ever had to euthanize was shipped to me impacted. Tried to save her for 2 weeks before putting her out of her misery.

Getting her into a catch cup is probably the way to go...much harder to do if she can run away deeper into the enclosure.

Okay, im so worried to do this but i will try and hope she doesn’t get too stressed.
Any tips on how to approach this to make this as easy as possible on her, she is very skittish and hates being touched.

So i got her out and she was able to web just fine, nothing seemed to be blocked. I think she had a wet molt.

 

[nicodimus22]

So i got her out and she was able to web just fine, nothing seemed to be blocked. I think she had a wet molt.

That's good, but the danger comes from not being able to poop.

 

[Emmaalyse]

That's good, but the danger comes from not being able to poop.

Im so nervous to mess with that area. Is there a good or better way of doing this?

 

[Teal]

Is there a good or better way of doing this?

A wet cotton swab IS the best way.

 

[Emmaalyse]

I used a warm wet cotton swab and me and boyfriend spent like 20 mins trying to get it off, nothing came off, i have her in an ICU. Im so heartbroken, i dont think there is anything else I can do. If you have any other suggestions let me know.

Edit: i took her out and she is back in her original enclosure

 

[Teal]

i have her in an ICU

That is a sure fire way to KILL HER. Avics die in stuffy, moist conditions quickly.

Leave her in her normal enclosure and ensure she has water. That's all you can do until she hardens, then you can see if she'll eat.

 

[Emmaalyse]

That is a sure fire way to KILL HER. Avics die in stuffy, moist conditions quickly.

Leave her in her normal enclosure and ensure she has water. That's all you can do until she hardens, then you can see if she'll eat.

Okay i going to put her back immediately. Thank you for the tip. I know some people do icu’s for this cause of dehydration so I thought that would help

I did move her to a slightly warmer room to make her more comfortable.

 

[Crone Returns]

I used a warm wet cotton swab and me and boyfriend spent like 20 mins trying to get it off, nothing came off, i have her in an ICU. Im so heartbroken, i dont think there is anything else I can do. If you have any other suggestions let me know.

No ICU, it'll kill her. Sorry about the 1st post.
But get her out of there. Keep trying with the warm water cotton ball tecnique.

 

[Emmaalyse]

No ICU, it'll kill her. Sorry about the 1st post.
But get her out of there. Keep trying with the warm water cotton ball tecnique.

I did get her out of there. I will try again tomorrow.

 

[Teal]

Okay i going to put her back immediately. Thank you for the tip. I know some people do icu’s for this cause of dehydration so I thought that would help

First, your T doesn't look dehydrated. Second, putting a dehydrated spider's mouthparts over a water bowl or flipping them over and dripping water onto the mouth parts are effective ways of providing hydration. Tarantulas cannot draw moisture from the air (humidity) for hydration. The perkiness/activity people see from Ts in ICUs likely is the spider trying to escape the inhospitable environement.

 

[Emmaalyse]

First, your T doesn't look dehydrated. Second, putting a dehydrated spider's mouthparts over a water bowl or flipping them over and dripping water onto the mouth parts are effective ways of providing hydration. Tarantulas cannot draw moisture from the air (humidity) for hydration. The perkiness/activity people see from Ts in ICUs likely is the spider trying to escape the inhospitable environement.

Okay thank you. Ive been told so many different things by different people. Ive been keeping tarantulas for 4 years (i know its not a lot but its not like this is my first time around). Boots was the first one i ever got. I really appreciate all your guys help. I want to do whats best for her so im leaving her alone and i will try more swabbing later if you guys think thats best.

 

[Andrea82]

She looks a bit wobbly but that is not unusual for an Avicularia species after a moult. You did what you could, keep an eye on her abdomen for signs of poo. If she is impacted (something blocking the way in the anus) there is not much yoi can do aside from what you are already doing. Keeping her warm is okay, but keep her ventilated as well, you want to avoid moist/warm/stuffy conditions. ICU's are a death trap for this species. She doesn't look dehydrated or skinny. What colour are her fangs? Of they're red, she probably moulted last week. If they're black, it was definitely more than a week ago. When was the last time you fed her?

 

[Emmaalyse]

She looks a bit wobbly but that is not unusual for an Avicularia species after a moult. You did what you could, keep an eye on her abdomen for signs of poo. If she is impacted (something blocking the way in the anus) there is not much yoi can do aside from what you are already doing. Keeping her warm is okay, but keep her ventilated as well, you want to avoid moist/warm/stuffy conditions. ICU's are a death trap for this species. She doesn't look dehydrated or skinny. What colour are her fangs? Of they're red, she probably moulted last week. If they're black, it was definitely more than a week ago. When was the last time you fed her?

Her fangs were white yesterday so this is fresh. I had no idea ICUs were death traps for this species. The room she is in fluctuates from 75-80. She is moving around a bit just adjusting her position. I don’t remember the last time she ate. A couple week maybe a month for sure.

 

[Andrea82]

Her fangs were white yesterday so this is fresh. I had no idea ICUs were death traps for this species. The room she is in fluctuates from 75-80. She is moving around a bit just adjusting her position. I don’t remember the last time she ate. A couple week maybe a month for sure.

That's good, that she moulted probably just a day or two ago, it accounts for her looking wobbly
It wasn't the best idea to move her around so much, being soft and vulnerable right after the moult but you didn't really have a lot of options.
Just keep a close eye on her without disturbing her, and keep her waterdish full. There won't be much poo because her last meal was a while ago and she just moulted but keep an eye out for it regardless.
I don't think it is a wet moult, spiders who go through that usually look much, much worse.

 

[Emmaalyse]

That's good, that she moulted probably just a day or two ago, it accounts for her looking wobbly
It wasn't the best idea to move her around so much, being soft and vulnerable right after the moult but you didn't really have a lot of options.
Just keep a close eye on her without disturbing her, and keep her waterdish full. There won't be much poo because her last meal was a while ago and she just moulted but keep an eye out for it regardless.
I don't think it is a wet moult, spiders who go through that usually look much, much worse.

Okay thank you so much, i never ever touch or mess with at all a tarantula right after they have molted, i wait weeks. I rarely take them out unless i clean or im checking for anything weird on them anyways and especially Boots cause she hates being held and seems to be more sensitive than my other ones. She has been moving around a little bit. Im definitely keeping a close eye on her.

This is what her butt hole looks like up close.