Help! Dehydrated P. Metallica

[Colbymgeek]

Hey guys,
My pokie is coming up on 8-years-old. She hasn't molted for at least two years, and the last time she ate was a year and a half ago. I know adults can go quite awhile between molts and feeds, so I wasn't too worried until I found her with her abdomen crumpled and legs folded under her. We thought she had died but moved her into an ICU just in case. After three days in there, she was looking better and moved back into her cage. We offered her crickets, but nothing. She's just sat in the corner and is getting dehydrated again. We have water available in the cage, but she won't go to it. Is this normal? Is she just ready to die? I thought she would live a few more years. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Teal]

I'm sorry, but it does sound like the end ): You can try putting her fangs on the water dish, but I honestly don't think there is anything to be done at this point...

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Sounds bad did you check the fangs ?

Hey guys,
My pokie is coming up on 8-years-old. She hasn't molted for at least two years, and the last time she ate was a year and a half ago. I know adults can go quite awhile between molts and feeds, so I wasn't too worried until I found her with her abdomen crumpled and legs folded under her. We thought she had died but moved her into an ICU just in case. After three days in there, she was looking better and moved back into her cage. We offered her crickets, but nothing. She's just sat in the corner and is getting dehydrated again. We have water available in the cage, but she won't go to it. Is this normal? Is she just ready to die? I thought she would live a few more years. Any help would be greatly appreciated![/QUOTE

They can die of dehydration fast at any age , I’ve lost some that had full water dishes . Years ago but I suspected pesticides or something to kill flees that the cat had on it. Out cats are gone now rip I miss them .
Id like a new earth tiger and more pokies someday, can’t get a cat til I move out. My mom is sick of big dogs ,cats .

My most recent death king baboon had a broken fang so it couldn’t eat. I tried dead food too no avail . Didn’t notice fang broke til too late.

 

[Colbymgeek]

I considered trying that, but I've never handled her and am too nervous to try doing something like that.

I'm sorry, but it does sound like the end ): You can try putting her fangs on the water dish, but I honestly don't think there is anything to be done at this point...

How do you tell if the fangs are okay or broken?

Sounds bad did you check the fangs ?

They can die of dehydration fast at any age , I’ve lost some that had full water dishes . Years ago but I suspected pesticides or something to kill flees that the cat had on it. Out cats are gone now rip I miss them .
Id like a new earth tiger and more pokies someday, can’t get a cat til I move out. My mom is sick of big dogs ,cats .

My most recent death king baboon had a broken fang so it couldn’t eat. I tried dead food too no avail . Didn’t notice fang broke til too late.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

If it’s near death I doubt it would have strength to bite you. Try anything to get it to drink!!

I considered trying that, but I've never handled her and am too nervous to try doing something like that.[/QUOTE

How do you tell if the fangs are okay or broken?

Just put her in a clean container and look underneath or look at her fangs somehow. How responsive is she ?
Wish ida checked king baboon fangs never had a T break a fang in 15+ years til now.

 

[Colbymgeek]

Just put her in a clean container and look underneath or look at her fangs somehow. How responsive is she ?
Wish ida checked king baboon fangs never had a T break a fang in 15+ years til now.

She will kind of wiggle her legs if we blow on her, but that's it. Of course, she's been pretty unresponsive for the past couple years anyway. I guess they do that when they're nearing the end?

 

[Teal]

I considered trying that, but I've never handled her and am too nervous to try doing something like that.

You could use tongs to move the water bowl directly in front of her, use a plastic spoon or spatula to gently lift her front and move the water bowl underneath with the tongs.

 

[Greasylake]

Has she actually eaten since the last time she molted? If not, then I'm inclined to say this a sucking stomach issue and there's nothing you could do.

 

[Theneil]

What is the enclosure like? if a stereotypical ICU helped and it's normal enclosure is causing dehydration, i am guessing that all the sub is being kept dry. Pokies seem to do fine on dry sub with a water dish but can be kept on moist as well. I would keep the sub moist so that the tarantula can drink from the sub anywhere instead of just the water dish.

 

[Nightstalker47]

Considering her age and lengthy molt cycle, she may just be nearing the end of her lifespan.

This is not the longest lived genus.

 

[Colbymgeek]

Has she actually eaten since the last time she molted? If not, then I'm inclined to say this a sucking stomach issue and there's nothing you could do.

Yes, she's eaten once.

 

[Colbymgeek]

What is the enclosure like? if a stereotypical ICU helped and it's normal enclosure is causing dehydration, i am guessing that all the sub is being kept dry. Pokies seem to do fine on dry sub with a water dish but can be kept on moist as well. I would keep the sub moist so that the tarantula can drink from the sub anywhere instead of just the water dish.

We'll try that, thanks!

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Hey guys,
My pokie is coming up on 8-years-old. She hasn't molted for at least two years, and the last time she ate was a year and a half ago. I know adults can go quite awhile between molts and feeds, so I wasn't too worried until I found her with her abdomen crumpled and legs folded under her. We thought she had died but moved her into an ICU just in case. After three days in there, she was looking better and moved back into her cage. We offered her crickets, but nothing. She's just sat in the corner and is getting dehydrated again. We have water available in the cage, but she won't go to it. Is this normal? Is she just ready to die? I thought she would live a few more years. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Is she still alive?got a pic of her ? Or how she is sitting any luck
8 years is young for a pokie , but possibly if she’s was power fed.

 

[Colbymgeek]

I do have a picture but can't figure out how to load it. I think she's a goner, though I can't be sure. I thought 8 years was young, too. We did move her into the basement a couple of years ago, where it's much colder than the rest of the house. Could that have caused her to stop eating?

Is she still alive?got a pic of her ? Or how she is sitting any luck
8 years is young for a pokie , but possibly if she’s was power fed.

 

[Teal]

I do have a picture but can't figure out how to load it. I think she's a goner, though I can't be sure. I thought 8 years was young, too. We did move her into the basement a couple of years ago, where it's much colder than the rest of the house. Could that have caused her to stop eating?

You can send me the photo and I can post it, if you want.

What temperature range is the basement she was kept in? Too cold of temperatures will definitely have a negative impact on their metabolic rate and can kill them.

 

[Colbymgeek]

You can send me the photo and I can post it, if you want.

What temperature range is the basement she was kept in? Too cold of temperatures will definitely have a negative impact on their metabolic rate and can kill them.

I think it attached the photo now. We had a piece of bark for her to climb on or hide behind but took it out when we put her in the ICU. Temperature is probably around 60 degrees, give or take 5 degrees.

 

[Teal]

60°F is really low to keep a T at for an extended period of time ):

 

[Colbymgeek]

60°F is really low to keep a T at for an extended period of time ):

Do you think she'll get better if I move her now?

 

[Teal]

You could try warming her up and offering water, but I honestly don't know at what point permanent damage sets in...

 

[MetalMan2004]

The picture is a bit blurry, but the abdomen doesn’t look that bad to me for a spider that hasn’t eaten in a year and a half. Does it typically have some cork in the cage to climb on and hide behind? If not its probably stressed. 60 is pretty chilly but I wouldn’t think it’d be deadly.