Second ever Tarantula death

[Perentie]

I recently had my second tarantula die, out of the twenty or so that I have kept/keep. (The first being a very small P. cambridgei that didn't make it out of a molt. This one was an A. diversipes, and passed after several days of strange behavior. It was in a vial, with a small amount of substrate and a small plastic plant. I found it "chewing" on the plant, almost like it couldn't control it's movements, like a seizure. This went on for quite a while. I got it to move, and it seemed very disoriented, almost drunk. It went to the bottom of the cage and died about two days later. Thoughts? Potential causes?

 

[lalberts9310]

Could you post a picture of the vial it was kept in? Also, if it had spastic movements that's usually a sign of exposure to chemicals or pesticides.

Was there fumes, smoke, was your house (inside or outside) treated with pesticides, dogs/cats with flea treatment, do you rinse your hands thoroughly with clean water before feeding, was the feeders exposed to anything etc?

 

[Perentie]

Could you post a picture of the vial it was kept in? Also, if it had spastic movements that's usually a sign of exposure to chemicals or pesticides.

Was there fumes, smoke, was your house (inside or outside) treated with pesticides, dogs/cats with flea treatment, do you rinse your hands thoroughly with clean water before feeding, was the feeders exposed to anything etc?

I'm pretty sure its last feeder was a cricket that we'd had over a week. I can get a picture a bit later, the substrate was one of my first thoughts, since it was somewhat recently changed, but it's in another tarantula's setup, and quite a few dart frog enclosures, with no issues thus far. I also culture isopods on it... I have quite a few other tarantulas, including two avics, and none have had these issues, which I would expect if they were exposed to chemicals outside the enclosure.

 

[Sam_Peanuts]

The first thing that comes to mind is a lack of fresh air since it was in a vial and proper ventilation is often an issue with those.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I'm 100% sure. Pesticides. Feeders. Somewhat "drunk", legs no more in control... no more able to eat. Then death. I would buy crickets elsewhere. Same symptoms that a 'GBB' of a friend had a decade ago thanks to a WC cricket.

This, or the lack of cross ventilation since 'Avics' are delicate but those symptoms...

 

[Ellenantula]

Vial keeping was my first concern too. I suppose it's possible to add enough cross-ventilation in a vial but a deli cup would be so much easier to vent -- for avics -- cross ventilation is needed -- no vents in top required (to help create a micro-environment). There are experienced keepers who use vials with great success but I prefer deli cups or small juvie enclosures for slings/juvies and ESPECIALLY for avics, whose needs are fairly exacting.
Also, avics don't like things too damp -- I use dry substrate and water bowl only for humidity in an avic enclosure.
An avic staying in bottom of enclosure is usually not a good sign (unless waiting for a food drop or drinking its water).
I cannot judge the 'strange' behaviour' you describe, but a sick sling may act 'out of sorts' when not kept properly.
This isn't a lecture -- just help for your next avic sling. I hope you try again and have great success.
And yes, a picture would help (be amazing if you had a video too of its actual behaviour -- plant chewing -- um, sorta unusual -- fang damage???).
Anyway, very sorry for your loss.

 

[viper69]

I suppose it's possible to add enough cross-ventilation in a vial

It is. I've raised many Avics in Thornton vials, increasing the size of vial over time. There's nothing wrong with vials. All of my vials have drilled holes in the walls.