Impacted Theraphosa stirmi

[Aherclarke]

Hello all,

I am a new tarantula owner, and unfortunately it seems my burgundy goliath is impacted. She has not taken food in about a month. I assumed she was in premolt, the timing seemed right, but she hasn't webbed at all since she stopped eating, her abdomen is enlarged (not terribly), and now she has a bunch of white around her anus and spinerettes, it actually looks like she cannot move her spinerettes. She has had water, humidity and heat. Please tell me what you would do and what has worked! She has never been handled and I don't want to stress her out unnecessarily

 

[Venom1080]

We need better pics than that. Even then, if impacted, your spider is very likely going to die.

That spider is also in very heavy premolt. I'd leave it be and hope for the best. A molt can fix alot of things.

What kind of substrate is that?

What do you mean by "heat"? Do you mean lamps or mats? If so you need to rethink how you're heating your spider, heat mats can cause burns and lights dry things out and are stressful.

A space heat is the best option, by far.

Can you post pics of the full setup please?

If you ever tried handling, you wouldn't again. Theraphosa have the worst urticating hairs I've ever experienced. By far. IME, it's almost like stinging nettle, but not as much pain as itching. Depending where you get haired.

 

[cold blood]

Look at another thread...like this one...from just yesterday.

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/so...p-hanumavilasumica.301315/page-2#post-2716176

 

[boina]

This tarantula looks in very heavy premolt, so I wouldn't attempt any treatment of any possibly impaction at this point in time. You really need to wait until it has molted. With luck any potential blockage may be removed with the molt.

 

[Ran]

As mentioned above whatever substrate it is on is loose and not likely to be able to retain moisture for any length of time. If you can put her on moist not wet coco fiber/coco coir which holds moisture when packed down before she molts. This species requires high humidity combined with warm temps...a hide helps with humidity retention.

 

[Aherclarke]

Thanks for your input,

I guess i should preface that I've had t's for over a year, so i guess I'm not that new, i just haven't had many issues! I'm keeping everything from Avic Avic slings, to Pelinobius muticus {not that I've seen her since I got her, just occasional toes }, t. Stirmi, p. Bara, obt... ect.

I have never handled any of my T's. Just waiting for that day, I'll need to get experience if I do want to treat medical issues! I don't think I have a single "docile" species.

I do use heat mats, the T's are raised off the glass, on a tank liner, I have a thermostat, hygrometer, ect. I am very happy with my heating system. I understand some people don't agree with heat mats but I've able to control a great habitat with them. My house is cold, 50-60 degrees, I do not have a T room. I am also happy with the coconut bark substrate because it will set out quickly if I want it to (when I feel it could get fungal), I keep a bowl of water in the larger enclosure and just drench the tanks once a week.

She molted! I soaked her substrate and made sure the heat was up around 78. I am so relieved, moral of the story, sometimes spiders have poop on their butts

 

[darkness975]

Thanks for your input,

I guess i should preface that I've had t's for over a year, so i guess I'm not that new, i just haven't had many issues! I'm keeping everything from Avic Avic slings, to Pelinobius muticus {not that I've seen her since I got her, just occasional toes }, t. Stirmi, p. Bara, obt... ect.

I have never handled any of my T's. Just waiting for that day, I'll need to get experience if I do want to treat medical issues! I don't think I have a single "docile" species.

I do use heat mats, the T's are raised off the glass, on a tank liner, I have a thermostat, hygrometer, ect. I am very happy with my heating system. I understand some people don't agree with heat mats but I've able to control a great habitat with them. My house is cold, 50-60 degrees, I do not have a T room. I am also happy with the coconut bark substrate because it will set out quickly if I want it to (when I feel it could get fungal), I keep a bowl of water in the larger enclosure and just drench the tanks once a week.

She molted! I soaked her substrate and made sure the heat was up around 78. I am so relieved, moral of the story, sometimes spiders have poop on their butts

Does it have a hide?

 

[Aherclarke]

Does it have a hide?

Haha well she did have a nice hide but she destroyed her entire cage and burried her bark

 

[darkness975]

It looks a but dry in there. When it recovers, it needs a hide.

If it buries it, dig it out. Hopefully eventually it will burrow into it and you won't have that issue anymore.