Pet shop rescue - tarantula in death curl

sasker

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Today I went to the pet shop to buy some roaches, but I noticed some 'new additions' to the owner's collection. Among them was a tarantula (G. porteri, I think) in death curl. The owner thought the tarantula is suffering from a mold infection, but my best guess is dehydration. I asked the owner if I can have it because it was clearly about to kick the bucket. He gave it to me for free.

So, I brought this poor tarantula home, but I have not given up hope just yet. The tarantula is somewhat responsive in that it tried to crawl over my hand, but it just can't stretch its legs.

I put it on its back for now and put a drop of water on its mouth parts. I can't say if it is drinking. The drop may have gotten smaller in the past half an hour or so, but this could be my wishful thinking. I will make some more pictures later on for comparison.

Does anyone have any tips? Any ideas about this poor creature's chances of survival?


Ps. it's not in an ICU. This is just the box I transported it in with some dry paper towels.


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sasker

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Update: she is no longer on her back. She flipped herself right side up. I think that's a hopeful sign. I placed her with her mouth parts into a very shallow bowl and she is crawling in and out of it as if searching for the right position to drink. I think she will pull through!
 

Tenebrarius

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She is a very beautiful spider. Hope the gorgeous gal pulls through.

hopefully it is just water she needs.
 

sasker

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She is walking about somewhat. It is a bit sad to see because she cannot stretch her legs, but she manages to get in and out of the water bowl just fine. It is evening here, so we'll see tomorrow if she has improved. It's a G. pulchripes, by the way.

This is what she looks like now...

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EtienneN

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Awww! I love my big girl G. pulchripes (Muffin) and it makes me so sad to see someone treat a T so neglectfully. I really hope she keeps getting better. They are such gentle and inquisitive spiders.
 

cold blood

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Awww! I love my big girl G. pulchripes (Muffin) and it makes me so sad to see someone treat a T so neglectfully. I really hope she keeps getting better. They are such gentle and inquisitive spiders.
This t does appear to be a G. pulchripes.
 

sasker

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A new morning, but not much change. Still, she looks much better than when I got her. She is not walking around and keeps her legs curled under her. But at least she is a bit more responsive.

A little bit of back story on how this tarantula got into this state: a client brought some of his animals to the pet shop. There was also the skinniest leopard gecko I have ever seen. Its tail was tiny, the hip bones were sticking out and his eyes were swollen. The pet shop owner said the poor thing drank for ten minutes when he put a water bowl in and he had to keep refilling the water. I was tempted to get this one as well, but I decided to leave it with the shop. The owner is friend of mine who knows his reptiles quite well (tarantulas not so much, but he is trying). Both animals were in a homemade glass terrarium with literally zero ventilation.

Anyway, how long is it likely to take for the tarantula to fully recover? Or may the damage done be too great already?
 

cold blood

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i would expect in time as it hydrates it should be fine.

I would dampen a good portion of the substrate for a while.
 

EtienneN

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Are you comfortable flipping her to syringe out some water onto her mouth? I’d do that like twice a day. Hopefully over the course of the next week she should get better.
 

sasker

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I would dampen a good portion of the substrate for a while.
Thanks, I will do that. She is now in a dry enclosure with a shallow water dish that she can easily crawl into and out, but today I will setup a more permanent enclosure with a bit more humidity.


Are you comfortable flipping her to syringe out some water onto her mouth? I’d do that like twice a day.
I think she is a bit too lively to be put on her back right now (which is a good thing). But thanks. The first thing I did was flipping her on her back and put a large drop of water on her mouth parts with a syringe. I think she drank some of it, but she managed to flip back about an hour later. For now I will keep her on damp substrate with access to water.
 

viper69

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T is not out of the woods, wouldn’t be surprised if it lives or dies
 

Teal

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Keeping my fingers crossed for you and that lovely T! I agree with cold blood... if she is just dehydrated, then she shouldn't have any lasting issues once she hydrates. If she is drinking and starting to move about on her own, hopefully that means she wasn't too far gone!

T is not out of the woods, wouldn’t be surprised if it lives or dies
Well that is thoroughly unhelpful and pointless to say :rofl:
 

viper69

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Keeping my fingers crossed for you and that lovely T! I agree with cold blood... if she is just dehydrated, then she shouldn't have any lasting issues once she hydrates. If she is drinking and starting to move about on her own, hopefully that means she wasn't too far gone!



Well that is thoroughly unhelpful and pointless to say :rofl:
The same is true for your reply :p:rolleyes:
 
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