Help! Burgundy Goliath abdomen looks sick

Xenohunt

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 18, 2016
Messages
33
I recently moved and transferred the tarantula in a 20 minute drive. I live in Michigan and it was kinda cold out. I brought her back and noticed she was very slow and the abdomen has turned to this after being very healthy looking. how could this happen in one day? what should I do? she is just "face first" in the water. She is moving but not fast.
https://imgur.com/a/1I0gX
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
have you had it long? Is it wild caught? Almost looks like somethings living in there. There are many parasites that can use a t as their host....not saying thats it, just a possibility....or a bacterial or fungal issue...doesnt look pretty.
 

boina

Lady of the mites
Active Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
Another possibility is that the abdomen somehow got injured during the drive. A small injury with leaking hemolymph may result in an abdomen looking like that. Tarantulas have a hemolymph clotting system, so a small injury may not kill the spider. It would also explain why she's drinking so much to replace lost fluids.
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
Did you take her in the enclosure when travelling? I can see stones and hard stuff in the enclosure. Although good for display, hard objects are a health hazard for Ts.

If has shrunk rapidly in the course of a day then I would suspect it has suffered a trauma during travel resulting a rupture on the abdomen. This species have fairly delicate abdomens due to their size.

Check your specimen over and see if you can see any leaking. If you find the injury then you could apply petroleum jelly or corn flour as a sealant. After doing this place her mouthparts over the water dish so she can rehydrate. If untreated this kind of injury is fatal. But that said, the damage may already be done and it is possibly too late.

I hope you can save her. Fingers crossed for you.
 
Last edited:

NukaMedia Exotics

#1 Tarantula Vendor in the USA! Ships Nationwide.
Joined
Jul 31, 2017
Messages
695
What first came to mind for me was as well was the abdomen possibly rupturing, hopefully not the case but if so then follow what the users above me said to try and fix it enough for it to survive.
 

Xenohunt

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 18, 2016
Messages
33
Did you take her in the enclosure when travelling? I can see stones and hard stuff in the enclosure. Although good for display, hard objects are a health hazard for Ts.

If has shrunk rapidly in the course of a day then I would suspect it has suffered a trauma during travel resulting a rupture on the abdomen. This species have fairly delicate abdomens due to their size.

Check your specimen over and see if you can see any leaking. If you find the injury then you could apply petroleum jelly or corn flour as a sealant. After doing this place her mouthparts over the water dish so she can rehydrate. If untreated this kind of injury is fatal. But that said, the damage may already be done and it is possibly too late.

I hope you can save her. Fingers crossed for you.

Do you have any suggestions on how to flip it over? It is a very aggressive tarantula as you know and I dont want to risk her freaking out.

have you had it long? Is it wild caught? Almost looks like somethings living in there. There are many parasites that can use a t as their host....not saying thats it, just a possibility....or a bacterial or fungal issue...doesnt look pretty.
That could be a bacterial problem if the abdomen was hurt during the drive. It happened fast so it has to be some kind of injury.... sadly
 
Last edited by a moderator:

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
Do you have any suggestions on how to flip it over? It is a very aggressive tarantula as you know and I dont want to risk her freaking out.
In this scenario I would pinch grab the specimen in order to apply.

This would be easiest and most practical method
 

Xenohunt

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 18, 2016
Messages
33
She didn't make it. :(
ugh. Sucks to lose a T.
but thanks everyone for the help. I appreciate this site and the community.
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
She didn't make it. :(
ugh. Sucks to lose a T.
but thanks everyone for the help. I appreciate this site and the community.
Sorry to hear that, I was hoping for the best. When these things happen there is not much you can do, unfortunately.
 
Top