Help!? what is tarantula doing?

[Hadley]

is anyone able to confirm what exactly my tarantula is doing? Is it molting wrong side up? Sick?

She started acting weird about a week ago. She all of a sudden became very active and constantly walking around the tank. I thought maybe she was hungry and looking for food. Fed her and wouldn't eat. Then after a few days of a lot of movement. It looked to me like she was starting to do the death curl. I put her in ICU and legs un curled. Put her back in home after 24 hours in ICU, and now she's doing this. Lying on her carapace and abdomen with some legs sticking up towards the sky. Not the best picture, But I don't want to stress her out anymore.

Anyone have any info or advice?

 

[Flexzone]

Whats the sp.? cause that's way to wet of substrate for any T even for moisture dependent ones like Hysterocrates or Theraphosa, Putting it in an ICU for humidity when you have the soil as wet as that would serve no useful gain. The reason as to why she was active was probably because she didn't feel comfortable laying on the wet substrate you provided. I suspect she's possibly suffering from mycosis due to the amount of moisture in there or could have scaled the enclosure and fell which could of caused an internal injury.

 

[Tenevanica]

That's not a death curl, though some specimens don't curl when they die. She's not dehydrated, as the substrate looks rather damp. Is this the only symptom? Tarantulas have been know to rest in all kinds of strange ways. Did she fall from a great height? It's possible there's an internal problem we can't see.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I can't figure out well now by your pics, but i assume your is one of the classic NW Theraphosidae, so, as others said, that substrate is really too wet. Post a picture of the whole enclosure and set up if you can. Could help.

 

[Tenevanica]

I can't figure out well now by your pics, but i assume your is a NW Theraphosidae, so, as others said, that substrate is really too wet. Post a picture of the whole enclosure and set up if you can. Could help.

Although Chris is correct, and NW terrestrials should be kept on dry substrate, I don't think that's what's causing the problem. T's will usually climb the sides of an enclosure or onto decorations is they feel the substrate is too damp.

That looks like a spiderling. Although damp substrate may be somewhat beneficial now, you should provide dry substrate as it gets older.

 

[darkness975]

As others have said post some pictures of the whole enclosure. An internal rupture from a bad fall is a likely possibility, especially given that it was climbing as much as you said it was.
Agreed with others too that the substrate in there is way too wet.

Not enough substrate + too damp of substrate = not the safest environment. Based on the limited view of the pic you already posted it seems like there is a lot of space from the top of the enclosure to the floor. It could have fallen on top of that hide or the water dish.

 

[lalberts9310]

Agree with others, that substrate really is too wet. Pics of the whole enclosure would be very helpful.

What specie is your T and how large is it?

 

[Hadley]

So I know her subtrate is to wet, but it wasn't always like that. Was actually the complete opposite. It was so dry it was like the desert, she never used her water dish so I took it out a long time ago. It was way to dry and I thought maybe she was dehydrated, so after I put her in ICU, I put water in her tank but it was to much. I just need it to dry up a bit.

She is a Chilean Rose. I bought almost 2 years ago. It was a tiny spiderling. She has molted 2x since I have had her. I'm assuming it's still a spiderling? This is my first T. and still learning.

Here's more pictures.

 

[Hadley]

Also, she has moved a couple times even though she looks like this. Every time I go checkup on her she is usually in a different spot.

 

[Flexzone]

So I know her subtrate is to wet, but it wasn't always like that. Was actually the complete opposite. It was so dry it was like the desert, she never used her water dish so I took it out a long time ago. It was way to dry and I thought maybe she was dehydrated, so after I put her in ICU, I put water in her tank but it was to much. I just need it to dry up a bit.

She is a Chilean Rose. I bought almost 2 years ago. It was a tiny spiderling. She has molted 2x since I have had her. I'm assuming it's still a spiderling? This is my first T. and still learning.

Here's more pictures.

Sub adult/adult Grammostola rosea prefer bone dry substrate as they evolved on it in their native arid chelian habitat, tiny slings I would keep on slightly moist sub as they are more susceptible to dehydration and juvies I keep keep on dry substrate with a bottle cap to drink from, Sub adult/adult Grammostola rosea will do fine with a water-dish as a source of humidity and to quench themselves and unless you watch them 24/7-7 days a week for all you know she could have been using the water-dish.

 

[Hadley]

Sub adult/adult Grammostola rosea prefer bone dry substrate as they evolved on it in their native arid chelian habitat, tiny slings I would keep on slightly moist sub as they are more susceptible to dehydration and juvies I keep keep on dry substrate with a bottle cap to drink from, Sub adult/adult Grammostola rosea will do fine with a water-dish as a source of humidity and to quench themselves and unless you watch them 24/7-7 days a week for all you know she could have been using the water-dish.

Don't have any advice then on what may be going on? Do you think she's going to die? Is she still considered a spiderling?

 

[Hadley]

Is it a good sign she's still moving? I shouldn't move her again right? To a dryer home?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I suggest a bone dry substrate, a water dish always full, the hide. With a little enclosure (IMO it's better, less stress, more control of T's needs) those enclosure walls are too high, seriously.

What i would do is: a simply, right size, KK (or a clean storage box like the ones you have in US) with that set up, just dry substrate.

 

[Envoirment]

My advice would be to put it into a drier home/dry out the substrate and put the water dish back into the enclosure. Just because you don't see a tarantula using a water dish doesn't mean they don't use it. Most of the time they're active at night so it could be drinking when you're asleep. I usually stay up late at night and have seen almost all of my tarantulas drink. It seems to me that the tarantula is stressed out as well, so once you put it on drier out substrate with a water dish, leave it be for a while.

 

[Flexzone]

Don't have any advice then on what may be going on? Do you think she's going to die? Is she still considered a spiderling?

I've already said what I thought might be going on in my very first comment under your original post @Hadley , I can't say for sure if she's gonna die I mean only time will tell. Whats its size? Based solely on the photo I would say juvie. I would take it out of that soggy substrate and put her in a smaller enclosure with dry substrate/waterdish/a hide and leave her be cause stress for T's can be deadly.

 

[Hadley]

Thanks everyone. I'll move her and hope for the best

 

[darkness975]

Drier substrate , smaller water dish, and much more substrate to decrease the distance from the ground to the top. A fall from that height would be bad.

 

[viper69]

she never used her water dish so I took it out a long time ago

I have to know...How do you know the above???

Always provide a T with a water dish, they will drink, regardless of age, regardless of their satiety level.

For general Rose Hair info http://people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/spiders.html

 

[louise f]

she never used her water dish so I took it out a long time ago.

Bad idea to take the water dish out. IME they always drink when you dont look, likely at night, when you sleep. Do your spider a favor and give that water dish back.

 

[cold blood]

I would keep an area of the sub damp...its still a sling, its just starting to get its adult colors, after that point, I would go with bone dry sub as suggested.

Definitely keep the water dish in there.