My tarantula is twitching. Is she sick?

[Sannah]

This is my first tarantula and i have had her for about 2-3 months. I got her when she was 5 months. I think she is a b.smithi but it just said red knee on the tub. Anyway she has not molted since i got her, but i think she might be in premolt now. She has not eaten for almost a month but i cant tell if her abdomen in getting bigger. But she has been twitching her legs. Is this normal for premolt?

The substrate looks really wet but thats what it was like when i got it. I am going to get a better substrate for her.

 

[KezyGLA]

It looks very wet in there. This species should be kept dry.

It may have fallen ill due to stagnant conditions.

Can you post a picture of the full setup ?

 

[boina]

No, that twitching is not normal for premolt. You tarantula may very well be ill. It's kind of a miracle it survived on that wet substrate for as long as it did.

Oh, and it's not 5 months old - more like 5 years. A 5 months old red knee tarantula is the size of a penny, including legs.

 

[Nightstalker47]

Doesn't look that alarming to me, might just be reacting to the light from your phone...pre molt spiders can move around oddly.

I agree that its too moist in there though.

 

[Sannah]

It looks very wet in there. This species should be kept dry.

It may have fallen ill due to stagnant conditions.

Can you post a picture of the full setup ?

When you touch the substrate it doesnt feel wet and no watet gets on your hands. This is what the pet store owner gave me, and i have not wet it at all. I also searched it up and it has good reveiws

 

[boina]

When you touch the substrate it doesnt feel wet and no watet gets on your hands.

I needs to be dry - as in really, completely dry, maybe with one moist corner. Pet store owners usually have no clue.

'No water gets on you hands' is not an argument at all.

 

[antinous]

When you touch the substrate it doesnt feel wet and no watet gets on your hands. This is what the pet store owner gave me, and i have not wet it at all. I also searched it up and it has good reveiws

Pet stores are notorious for giving out wrong info. This is an arid species that isn’t found in moist environments, it’ll slowly die if kept in those conditions. Switch out the substrate to bone dry cocofiber/peat moss/etc. and the water dish will provide all the ‘moisture’ it needs.

 

[Sannah]

Pet stores are notorious for giving out wrong info. This is an arid species that isn’t found in moist environments, it’ll slowly die if kept in those conditions. Switch out the substrate to bone dry cocofiber/peat moss/etc. and the water dish will provide all the ‘moisture’ it needs.

Ok i will get a better substrate for her thanks

 

[MissouriArachnophile]

Couldn't you take the substrate out and dry it ? Throw it on a flat pan at 170 in the oven. Kill anything that may be in it and dry it out.

 

[Sannah]

Couldn't you take the substrate out and dry it ? Throw it on a flat pan at 170 in the oven. Kill anything that may be in it and dry it out.

Ok i will try that first and if it doesnt work i will get new substrate. Will it kill springtails? Because there in the enclosure too.

 

[MissouriArachnophile]

Ya it would , the enclosure doesn't need to be moist enough to need them I believe.

 

[boina]

Ok i will try that first and if it doesnt work i will get new substrate. Will it kill springtails? Because there in the enclosure too.

Yes, it will kill the springtails. But if the enclosure supports springtails then it is definitely bad for your spider...

Springtails -> high moisture
'Red knee' Brachpelma -> very little moisture
Ergo: they cannot possibly live in the same enclosure.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

This is a arid desert species , you don’t need anything but a waterdish and a log or cork bark to crawl on.
Very slow growing too, hope yours can recover never seen twitching in this species .
Dry it’s dirt out for sure !!!

 

[viper69]

The leg movement is similar to what I observed when a T is irritated by grain mites. Check your container for mites.

 

[Sannah]

The leg movement is similar to what I observed when a T is irritated by grain mites. Check your container for mites.

I have springtails in there it could be them.

 

[Andrea82]

Can you post pictures of the spider and of the whole set up? Petstore employees are notorious for giving bad advice.

 

[Nightstalker47]

I have springtails in there it could be them.

That wont work for a Brachypelma smithi as they require a dryer enclosure, which will not support springtails...save these for a moisture loving species.

 

[Sannah]

Pet stores are notorious for giving out wrong info. This is an arid species that isn’t found in moist environments, it’ll slowly die if kept in those conditions. Switch out the substrate to bone dry cocofiber/peat moss/etc. and the water dish will provide all the ‘moisture’ it needs.

My mum ordered some eco earth blocks. Would they be ok?

 

[Andrea82]

My mum ordered some eco earth blocks. Would they be ok?

Yes, but you need to soak them to expand, and after that you need to let the the substrate dry out which takes some time. Don't add too much water in one go. For one spider it would be easier to just get a bag of the stuff so it is already dry

 

[MrTwister]

Looks like it’s trying to flick a chunk of wet substrate off it’s foot.