First sling might not make it...

[Raiju]

Hello,

Sorry to bother you all. Just needed some peeps to talk to.
I finally got my hands on one of my favorite T's, being p. Irminia. I have had him for a couple months, doing fine. He's about the size of my pinky nail, for reference. Today, as I was doing my feeding, the sling was starting to curl. I don't know what could have caused it, but I moved him to a really small enclosure to see if I could save him (to better watch over him). He was still kind of moving his legs, but not much. I also just noticed the sling has a white spot where the spinnerets are, not sure if that is what caused this... It's been an hour, and it's starting to curl again. I fear he won't make it.
My very first sling is doing really well. But the irminia, my second, well... It's saddening. It hadn't even molted with me yet.
Sorry to be a downer, everyone. At least all my other T's are doing fine. It just hurts to lose a family member...
Any tips to make it easier?
Anywho, I hope you all and your T's are doing good!

 

[MikeC]

Some photos would really help!

Hoping for the best.

 

[Raiju]

Some photos would really help!

Hoping for the best.

Thank you! I just added a photo. I appreciate the your help. Didn't think to include one before. I appreciate your kind words.

 

[ThorsCarapace22]

Man this really sucks. It dont look to well. I know some people don't get attached to Ts. I get attached to certain Ts for certain reasons. Watching a sling grow into this beautiful adult is so satisfying, it's hard not to get attached. Kinda like growing a plant you know. We have plants all around us, but WE grew that one. I would just keep your head held high and remember you gave it the best life you could have.

 

[MikeC]

Thank you! I just added a photo. I appreciate the your help. Didn't think to include one before. I appreciate your kind words.

My first thought would be dehydration, his abdomen is looking a little shriveled.

Did he have access to a water dish in the prior enclosure? Current enclosure?

White spot on the spinnerets is usually poop, internal fluids are clear, but that can’t always rule out a physical injury.
Is it wet?



I know how it feels to be losing a pet, you get my empathy, sympathy, whatever you need.

 

[Raiju]

Man this really sucks. It dont look to well. I know some people don't get attached to Ts. I get attached to certain Ts for certain reasons. Watching a sling grow into this beautiful adult is so satisfying, it's hard not to get attached. Kinda like growing a plant you know. We have plants all around us, but WE grew that one. I would just keep your head held high and remember you gave it the best life you could have.

Thank you for the kind words. I am quite the same! I am attached to only a few others in my collection, because they have all done something to stand out from the rest. I was really happy seeing my very first sling grow so big (and quite the eater!), and to see only my second one not do so well... And lol, I also have a thousand plants that I've raised as well. I feel sad when one of them don't make it either... I've gotta stop feeling so much! Thank you again. You've helped a lot.

 

[Raiju]

My first thought would be dehydration, his abdomen is looking a little shriveled.

Did he have access to a water dish in the prior enclosure? Current enclosure?

White spot on the spinnerets is usually poop, internal fluids are clear, but that can’t always rule out a physical injury.
Is it wet?



I know how it feels to be losing a pet, you get my empathy, sympathy, whatever you need.

Thank you for the reply. It could be the picture (I had to use the extra zoom feature on my phone), but when looked at with the naked eye, the abdomen is quite rounded, the same size as the carapace. He did not have a water dish, but substrate was damp, and I'd pool some water on the leaves/sides of the enclosure (at least for the leaves, it kind of acted like a water dish). The enclosure was too small for a water dish. Current enclosure, I had one set up next to him, with the substrate damp (since moved him to an ICU, just in case, if he is dehydrated). It does not seem wet, at least to me. Before this occurred, he liked to bolt around when I looked at him. He could have fallen from the small piece of cork bark that was in the previous enclosure, as it was set up to lean against the side to give him some place to climb. He doesn't seem injured, but it's hard to tell with such a tiny sling... I really do appreciate your kind words. If it is dehydration, I hope moving him to the ICU will revive him. Only time will tell, I guess. Thank you!

 

[Thekla]

I have no experience with the Psalmopoeus genus, but ICU is almost always no help, but a quicker way to kill your little one. So, get it out of there ASAP.

If it's indeed dehydration try to put its mouthparts into a water dish (something that should be there no matter what), or - if its already unresponsive - flip it on its back and administer tiny drops of water directly onto its mouth.

The other very important part is to have good cross ventilation. Especially with species that require somewhat moist substrate or you will create stuffy conditions that will kill your sling.

Could you post a picture of the enclosure you had it in? Otherwise it's difficult to give proper advice or to determine what's wrong with it.

 

[Dev1lZ]

Looks like you may have a pre molt on your hands to me. My B. Hamorii sling is in pre molt and stands exactly like that.

 

[Liquifin]

That enclosure looks very terrestrial and not arboreal to me based on that photo. White stuff on the spinnerets are either poop or some sort of impaction on spinnerets.

Looks like you may have a pre molt on your hands to me. My B. Hamorii sling is in pre molt and stands exactly like that.

That position is a death curl (legs tucked in and folded under the body). So unless your T. is dying I wouldn't call it a premolt position. Also those pictures show no sign of premolt.

 

[Dev1lZ]

That enclosure looks very terrestrial and not arboreal to me based on that photo. White stuff on the spinnerets are either poop or some sort of impaction on spinnerets.


That position is a death curl (legs tucked in and folded under the body). So unless your T. is dying I wouldn't call it a premolt position. Also those pictures show no sign of premolt.

I’m sorry I didn’t see the curled up front legs due to the substrate color and the size of the pic on my telephone.

 

[Liquifin]

I’m sorry I didn’t see the curled up front legs due to the substrate color and the size of the pic on my telephone.

It's okay I struggle with the same issue most times.

 

[ThatsUnpossible]

Can slings get impaction or just adults? (Not suggesting this sling has impaction, just asking).

 

[Dev1lZ]

If it were me in that situation, I would try to rub the white spot with a warm water q tip just in case, then try to give it some water.

 

[Raiju]

I have no experience with the Psalmopoeus genus, but ICU is almost always no help, but a quicker way to kill your little one. So, get it out of there ASAP.

If it's indeed dehydration try to put its mouthparts into a water dish (something that should be there no matter what), or - if its already unresponsive - flip it on its back and administer tiny drops of water directly onto its mouth.

The other very important part is to have good cross ventilation. Especially with species that require somewhat moist substrate or you will create stuffy conditions that will kill your sling.

Could you post a picture of the enclosure you had it in? Otherwise it's difficult to give proper advice or to determine what's wrong with it.

Thank you for your reply. I'll try and get a picture of the enclosure up as soon as I can. Before I could get the little guy in the ICU, he had already passed... Upon closer inspection this morning, the white spot on his spinnerets had tripled in size. I'm guessing a fungal infection of some sort? There was nothing growing in the enclosure, so I'm not sure where it came from. The other T's are fine, as well. I appreciate your feedback. Is it alright to have a bigger enclosure for a sling to fit in a water dish? Still a relative newbie, unfortunately. Only been keeping for a little over a year. Thank you!

 

[Raiju]

Can slings get impaction or just adults? (Not suggesting this sling has impaction, just asking).

Hmm, I have no idea. I didn't even know tarantulas could get impaction! It might be, because the white spot has since tripled in size just overnight. Not sure if excess excrement was released due to it passing... I'm also curious if slings can get it, and if so, if this is a case of that.

 

[Raiju]

That enclosure looks very terrestrial and not arboreal to me based on that photo. White stuff on the spinnerets are either poop or some sort of impaction on spinnerets.

That position is a death curl (legs tucked in and folded under the body). So unless your T. is dying I wouldn't call it a premolt position. Also those pictures show no sign of premolt.

Thank you for your reply! Indeed, it's a terrestrial setup as I moved him into one to better keep an eye on him. He was living in a taller setup that had some cork bark and leaves for him to climb and web on. Would an impaction on the spinnerets cause death? I had noticed him not webbing as much, but my other sling was like that when he was small, so I thought nothing of it... I'll know better next time, as much as it hurts to say it. Thank you for your help!

 

[Raiju]

If it were me in that situation, I would try to rub the white spot with a warm water q tip just in case, then try to give it some water.

Thank you for your response! I appreciate it. I'll keep this in mind in case it happens again... Unfortunately, the little guy already passed. The white spot also tripled in size, not sure if that's the cause it not. Thank you!

 

[Raiju]

I’m sorry I didn’t see the curled up front legs due to the substrate color and the size of the pic on my telephone.

It's alright! My phone didn't take too good of a picture with my shaky hands... Plus, the sling blends in really well. I appreciate your response! Thank you!

 

[Dev1lZ]

Thank you for your response! I appreciate it. I'll keep this in mind in case it happens again... Unfortunately, the little guy already passed. The white spot also tripled in size, not sure if that's the cause it not. Thank you!

I’m sorry to hear about your loss. I have wanted one of those slings for a while.