My first potential loss

DanJ

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 21, 2019
Messages
37
So I came home from work about 12 hours yesterday and seen my N Incei out, it's a pet hole so thought it was strange. Took a closer look and it looks like its started molting upright, away from its hide and poped its carapace... legs all bent and crooked. Could of been like that for 24 hours

Checked again this morning and its moved slightly, I removed the fake plants and its definetly a bad molt. No idea, could be something more sinister as its molted in a place I've never seen it go before...

Literally nothing I can do to help, nothing is out just a slightly poped carapace... feel so useless now and looks like I'm just waiting for it to pass. 20190813_050256.jpg 20190813_050238.jpg 20190813_050256.jpg 20190813_050302.jpg
 

DanJ

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 21, 2019
Messages
37
Just one of them things I guess. I wish it progressed slightly further so I could help it

My guess is it tried to molt in front of its burrow and fell down and couldn't correct itself. It has a hide, but decided to burrow there instead...

You might be able to see on this were its popped its carapace
 

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Tenebrarius

Arachnoangel
Joined
Sep 8, 2018
Messages
912
dang, looks pretty wet to me. that's unfortunate. It might try and pop off the more gnarly ones, but im just being an optimist here cause they're all gnarly.
looks really bad man, like leg spaghetti.
is the T still wet? how fresh is the molt?
I wonder if it's possible to straighten out the legs, but im don't know enough about T biology.
 

DanJ

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 21, 2019
Messages
37
The T never got out of the molt. All it did was pop its carapace and got stuck from there on.

I'm back home in a few hours. My guess its passed.
 

Arachnophoric

Arachnoangel
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Aug 29, 2016
Messages
947
Are you completely sure it was trying to molt? I'm looking at the picture where you say the carapace is popped, but all I'm seeing is the connective tissue between the chelicerae and the carapace. If it was trying to molt upright, I wouldn't expect the feet to be partially curled under like that either...

Regardless, so sorry for the loss. :( The first one is never easy.
 

DanJ

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 21, 2019
Messages
37
Update... bare with me please...

20190812_194333.jpg
4pm yesterday T was all messed up, legs all over the place and barely moving

20190813_050238.jpg
5am this morning T looked worse than it did last night... legs curled under the lot, literally thought it popped its carapace (first time having a chance to inspect a T that doesnt bolt on me made me see things that weren't there I guess ). Literally thought it was a goner...

4pm this afternoon, T in the exact same spot legs out but looked like they where in a complete mess.

Just now the T is fine. Wasnt a molt, I have no idea what happened . Literally from when I found it at 4pm yesterday to a normal T webbing up its entrance to its burrow like usual and bolting when I checked up on it. Mind blown. Showing no sign of DKS symptoms or pre-molt or molting like I thought . - like nothings happened...

Thanks all, still no idea what happened?
 

EtienneN

Arachno-enigma
Joined
Jul 15, 2017
Messages
1,038
Update... bare with me please...

View attachment 317598
4pm yesterday T was all messed up, legs all over the place and barely moving

View attachment 317600
5am this morning T looked worse than it did last night... legs curled under the lot, literally thought it popped its carapace (first time having a chance to inspect a T that doesnt bolt on me made me see things that weren't there I guess ). Literally thought it was a goner...

4pm this afternoon, T in the exact same spot legs out but looked like they where in a complete mess.

Just now the T is fine. Wasnt a molt, I have no idea what happened . Literally from when I found it at 4pm yesterday to a normal T webbing up its entrance to its burrow like usual and bolting when I checked up on it. Mind blown. Showing no sign of DKS symptoms or pre-molt or molting like I thought . - like nothings happened...

Thanks all, still no idea what happened?
Not joking, but maybe the spider was constipated? And it just needed to poop? That's a reach, but it's the only thing that came to mind as for a reason. Anyhow, I'm glad your spider is better!
 

DanJ

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 21, 2019
Messages
37
I tried to see if I could see a sign of any impaction but looked completely fine to me, quite easy to tell aswell with the colour of the T.

Dehydrated possibly? Never seen it out if its hide and webbed up area until I found it yesterday. Feel like a right idiot, everydays a learning curve...

Thank you all for your help aswell. Appreciated
 

Arthroverts

Arachnoking
Joined
Jul 11, 2016
Messages
2,462
That is crazy. I'm super happy that your tarantula is O.K though it seems!
@Ungoliant, should we add this to the tarantula yoga pose book?

Thanks,

Arthroverts
 

DanJ

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 21, 2019
Messages
37
That is crazy. I'm super happy that your tarantula is O.K though it seems!
@Ungoliant, should we add this to the tarantula yoga pose book?

Thanks,

Arthroverts
I know I seen it at 5am this morning and thought this is going to be dead by tonight. I walk in just before I posted this seeing it web up its burrow and said out loud wtf... literally thought it was the walking dead. So pleased its recovered, hopefully stays that way aswell.
 

PidderPeets

Arachnoprince
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May 27, 2017
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I have a stretch of a theory, but a theory nonetheless. As we've determined, it was not trying to molt. I think you were mistaking the hairless part at the base of the fangs as a popped carapace, but that's normal depending on how the fangs are positioned. But I digress.

Anyway, in the one closeup picture of the carapace, I noticed a small wet speck that resembles hemolymph (spider blood). Is it possible the spider was climbing and fell, doing a bit of damage externally and possibly internally? Then perhaps it was too hurt or disoriented to move from that position until it recovered some.

N. incei are some serious webbers and I wouldn't be even remotely surprised if it was climbing to expand upon its webbing. My two certainly did.

Regardless, I'm glad it seems to better shape now. Just keep an eye on it now and hope for the best
 

Arachnophoric

Arachnoangel
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Aug 29, 2016
Messages
947
I have a stretch of a theory, but a theory nonetheless. As we've determined, it was not trying to molt. I think you were mistaking the hairless part at the base of the fangs as a popped carapace, but that's normal depending on how the fangs are positioned. But I digress.

Anyway, in the one closeup picture of the carapace, I noticed a small wet speck that resembles hemolymph (spider blood). Is it possible the spider was climbing and fell, doing a bit of damage externally and possibly internally? Then perhaps it was too hurt or disoriented to move from that position until it recovered some.

N. incei are some serious webbers and I wouldn't be even remotely surprised if it was climbing to expand upon its webbing. My two certainly did.

Regardless, I'm glad it seems to better shape now. Just keep an eye on it now and hope for the best
Considering that we have no clue, your theory could be as good as any. However I'm not seeing the wet spec you're speaking of.

The theory I had looking through the photos is that the substrate looks pretty dang wet, even for a species that appreciates moisture such as N. incei, and I'm not seeing any ventilation in the sides of the enclosure. Perhaps there's some on the lid, but if not and the substrate is as wet as it looks, it could have gotten too humid/stuffy in there and the T was on the decline in health until OP opened the enclosure and allowed some fresh air/airflow into the enclosure, helping the T recover.
 

Tenebrarius

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Sep 8, 2018
Messages
912
Considering that we have no clue, your theory could be as good as any. However I'm not seeing the wet spec you're speaking of.

The theory I had looking through the photos is that the substrate looks pretty dang wet, even for a species that appreciates moisture such as N. incei, and I'm not seeing any ventilation in the sides of the enclosure. Perhaps there's some on the lid, but if not and the substrate is as wet as it looks, it could have gotten too humid/stuffy in there and the T was on the decline in health until OP opened the enclosure and allowed some fresh air/airflow into the enclosure, helping the T recover.
this could be true. I see no significant side ventilation. This odd behavior could have been a symptom of poor ventilation. I wouldn't know I've never had such an issue.
 

MetalMan2004

Arachnodemon
Joined
Oct 14, 2016
Messages
676
Well this is one of the crazier ones I’ve read. T looks sick and on the verge then poof just fine. Good luck and hopefully it stays just fine!
 

Purple Bloom Lady

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 15, 2019
Messages
3
It's a hell of a stretch and highly unlikely, but if this were not a tarantula I'd almost suspect parasites. Being paralyzed by a host, then fine for a while, then dying. Tarantula hawks/spider wasps frequent the southern and western USA. They can't fit through tiny holes, although I've seen them drawn into my home and around the area where I keep my T's. Other than nematodes, I can't think of any other parasite. This is the picture being discussed above, where it looks like the T is wounded.

Edit: And even then, I believe tarantulas do not recover at all from wasps. They remain paralyzed, not my strongest suit of armor.
 

Arthroverts

Arachnoking
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Jul 11, 2016
Messages
2,462
@Purple Bloom Lady, considering he lives in Wales, I don't think it was a tarantula hawk.
However, parasites is a good guess. I just don't think the tarantula would have recovered like it did.

Thanks,

Arthroverts
 
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