Hi all,
First post simply because I couldnt find any real detailed info on greatly aged spiders... and im worried about my Fang. I hope this is posted to the correct section, i just found this board tonight.
Fang is a Rose tarantula that i acquired second (well, third, actually) hand about 8 years ago. She was the same size then that she is now, about 4" give or take, from front left to back right leg. In the 8 years that Ive had her, she has only molted once and did not visibly increase in size at all - that was several years ago.
This week she has not been quite as active as she normally is, patrolling her box, but i put it down to the weather being slightly cooler and her box being unheated, though it never drops below 60F in this room, even at night. She has not eaten her crickets this week, but being a rose, she sometimes does that.
Tonight, though, she is almost limp and nearly unresponsive. She's never been aggressive, but she doesnt particularly like to be handled. When i noticed she hadnt moved at all today, i reached in and gave her a gentle pet - no response. I picked her up and she barely waved a leg, she just sat in my hand like a fluffy rock, and was cool to the touch.
Her abdomen is not shrunken, her hairs look fine and glossy as ever, but she is acting like she's on the edge of the grave and she didnt do this the one and only time she shed while in my care... so im thinking she's just old and on her way out, but i want to know if there's anything else i can do or check for. right now ive got her very near, but not quite in her water. the window is closed tonight because id rather it be stuffy for me than chilly for her.
sorry for the long winded first post, but im worried about her - like i said, ive had this leggy lady for 8 years now, and im kind of attached. if it is just old age, i can deal with that because i know she's had all a spider can want these last 8 years, but if there's something i can do for her to perk her up and get her back to herself, i will happily do it.
The photo below is from 2005, before the molt - she had those bald patches when i got her from her previous owner - ruler and my hand for scale, if it helps with determining her age.
thanks for reading and for any knowledge or advice. i will post her condition, alive or not, tomorrow just to let you all know what happened.
First post simply because I couldnt find any real detailed info on greatly aged spiders... and im worried about my Fang. I hope this is posted to the correct section, i just found this board tonight.
Fang is a Rose tarantula that i acquired second (well, third, actually) hand about 8 years ago. She was the same size then that she is now, about 4" give or take, from front left to back right leg. In the 8 years that Ive had her, she has only molted once and did not visibly increase in size at all - that was several years ago.
This week she has not been quite as active as she normally is, patrolling her box, but i put it down to the weather being slightly cooler and her box being unheated, though it never drops below 60F in this room, even at night. She has not eaten her crickets this week, but being a rose, she sometimes does that.
Tonight, though, she is almost limp and nearly unresponsive. She's never been aggressive, but she doesnt particularly like to be handled. When i noticed she hadnt moved at all today, i reached in and gave her a gentle pet - no response. I picked her up and she barely waved a leg, she just sat in my hand like a fluffy rock, and was cool to the touch.
Her abdomen is not shrunken, her hairs look fine and glossy as ever, but she is acting like she's on the edge of the grave and she didnt do this the one and only time she shed while in my care... so im thinking she's just old and on her way out, but i want to know if there's anything else i can do or check for. right now ive got her very near, but not quite in her water. the window is closed tonight because id rather it be stuffy for me than chilly for her.
sorry for the long winded first post, but im worried about her - like i said, ive had this leggy lady for 8 years now, and im kind of attached. if it is just old age, i can deal with that because i know she's had all a spider can want these last 8 years, but if there's something i can do for her to perk her up and get her back to herself, i will happily do it.
The photo below is from 2005, before the molt - she had those bald patches when i got her from her previous owner - ruler and my hand for scale, if it helps with determining her age.
thanks for reading and for any knowledge or advice. i will post her condition, alive or not, tomorrow just to let you all know what happened.
