I dont know if my tarantula is Dead!!!

[SenoritaSarah]

Hello all, I am new to the tarantula ownership thing, and I noticed just now that my tarantula isnt moving and is in the upright position. No where in my book did it say anything about the behaviors attributed to molting, so I dont know if they are supposed to move or not. I was moving the cage around and then it started shaking its arm, almost like a quivering thing. I dont know what to do. She hasnt been eating at all lately and she didnt seem to be dringing any water, but I assumed that she was going to mold soon, but weeks passed by and she hadnt molted. Never did she seem less active or anything to that matter, so it didnt occur to me that anything else could be wrong.

Sarah

 

[shogun804]

yes i edit we need a little more info. they can molt without flipping on there back. is it a mature male??

 

[CIRE]

Hello all, I am new to the tarantula ownership thing, and I noticed just now that my tarantula isnt moving and is in the upright position. No where in my book did it say anything about the behaviors attributed to molting, so I dont know if they are supposed to move or not. I was moving the cage around and then it started shaking its arm, almost like a quivering thing. I dont know what to do. She hasnt been eating at all lately and she didnt seem to be dringing any water, but I assumed that she was going to mold soon, but weeks passed by and she hadnt molted. Never did she seem less active or anything to that matter, so it didnt occur to me that anything else could be wrong.

Sarah

Maybe if you could give a little more info about what kind of tarantula it is and what other behaviours it's been displaying...and if its legs aren't curled under and if it was doing that "quivering thing" you alluded to (which was it probably kicking hairs at you, if it was its back leg "quivering" near its abdomen) then it should be fine...several weeks isn't a long time, especially if it's a large female T...

 

[knottyduke]

Yep need more input!!!

LOL

I would agree that if it was moving its more then likely alright.

But let us know more about the T.

Thanks

 

[SenoritaSarah]

Ok, its a Vesricolor, Female...Not that old, certainly not full grown and it wasnt moving in sych a way that it was angry, it was more of a slight shivering motion. It wasnt that noticable, AND it hasnt moved AT ALL sense yesterday. PLUS it is stiff as a board and when I picked it up, there was nothing. Its just crimpled up with all of its legs under itself which is the typical sign of death, its sprawled out on its tummy. I think that it got stuck in its molt. It might have been dehydrated.

 

[brokenpole]

Not sure either

Just thought I'd leave a quick post. I'm sot sure whether it is just having a problem with the molt or if it has indeed died. My wife (cricket54) and daughter (xanadu1015) are the real experts in the house. When one of them gets a chance I'll tell them to leave a reply. We have a versicolor and love it.

Good luck...

Jon

 

[Vanisher]

Hello all, I am new to the tarantula ownership thing, and I noticed just now that my tarantula isnt moving and is in the upright position. No where in my book did it say anything about the behaviors attributed to molting, so I dont know if they are supposed to move or not. I was moving the cage around and then it started shaking its arm, almost like a quivering thing. I dont know what to do. She hasnt been eating at all lately and she didnt seem to be dringing any water, but I assumed that she was going to mold soon, but weeks passed by and she hadnt molted. Never did she seem less active or anything to that matter, so it didnt occur to me that anything else could be wrong.

Sarah

Hi. She is moulting. Do not desterb the spider./ Johan Öistämö

 

[8SEXYLEGS]

Fro what you described-it's legs are under it and it is not moving at all-it sounds dead. Could you maybe post a picture of it in this state?

 

[xanadu1015]

You can try keeping the enclosure moist, keep it warm and hope for the best, just in case it is in fact moulting. Sometimes T's can take a while. But if the legs are all curled up underneath it, there is a good chance of it dying or already dead.


Laura

 

[metzgerzoo]

Ok, its a Vesricolor, Female...Not that old, certainly not full grown and it wasnt moving in sych a way that it was angry, it was more of a slight shivering motion. It wasnt that noticable, AND it hasnt moved AT ALL sense yesterday. PLUS it is stiff as a board and when I picked it up, there was nothing. Its just crimpled up with all of its legs under itself which is the typical sign of death, its sprawled out on its tummy. I think that it got stuck in its molt. It might have been dehydrated.

That sounds like a dead T. Defiently NOT molting, not after that long and yes, Ts do move when they molt, they have to in order to get out of the old exo. If it's stiff and all curled up under its self, I would say it's a gonner.

 

[becca81]

Ok, its a Vesricolor, Female...Not that old, certainly not full grown and it wasnt moving in sych a way that it was angry, it was more of a slight shivering motion. It wasnt that noticable, AND it hasnt moved AT ALL sense yesterday. PLUS it is stiff as a board and when I picked it up, there was nothing. Its just crimpled up with all of its legs under itself which is the typical sign of death, its sprawled out on its tummy. I think that it got stuck in its molt. It might have been dehydrated.

The abdomen will become soft in a few days if it is in fact dead and it will begin to smell.

If the legs are crimped up with no movement, I would say dead.

Why would it have been dehydrated? Was there access to water?

 

[SenoritaSarah]

Ok so yea...Its dead. There was access to water, but for a couple of weeks it wasnt drinking anything or eating. Its not curled up under itself, but its abdomen is really week and yesterday when I picked it up to further inspect my versi, its abdomen almost broke. The odor also isnt so great. Well I gave it a shot. I have talked to others and they said that it most likely died of a bad moult and it got stuck inside of it. Thankyou all for your help, I just wish something could have been done. Thanks again

~Sarah~

 

[David Burns]

Could have been Sudden avic death syndrome, happens sometimes. Sorry for your loss! We're all behind you. Time to get another.

 

[8leggedrobot]

Ack!! I'm so sorry. That's how my first rose hair, Gremlin, died years ago -- got stuck in his moult and I had no idea what to do. I was 15 at the time and had no access to the net and more information about them.

 

[Sandra]

Sorry about your loss, Sarah.

 

[Lochala]

Well, Sarah, don't let that loss stop you from Tarantula keeping.

 

[jw73]

For consolation get another one. Sorry about your loss.

 

[brokenpole]

Sorry

Sorry to hear the T died. As the others have said don't let this discourage you. My wife and daughter have had a couple do a header and land on the floor and die while they were handling them. The lastest was the blondi I got my son-in-law for Christmas. So they went to the Maryland show and got another one. That's what we all do.

Is it time for a spider road trip?

Jon

 

[jw73]

Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...Don't handle...

 

[Ladabug]

my pink toe is acting weird

hi, so i have had Gizmo for about 9 month now, he is a pink toe tarantula. Anyways, he has gone through his first molt and did pretty well, only took him 1 month. ABout mid December he bilt his shelter ( which you cannot see through) and entered his second molt. Since then - no sign of him. So today, i took a flash light and glanced in there for a second. he is curled kinda, but the thing is HE IS ALWAYS CURLED, it's like he loves being like that, so seeing him curled didnt bother me at first. That was until i signed in here and read your advice on how if it's curled it's dead. Now i'm freaking out big time. does anyone know how i can be sure? Lada