Son's Brazilian Pink Toe In Molt or Dead?

[Polenth]

I havent pulled it out, just moved some web out of the way to get a better look at it.

At this point, if it were me, I'd bring the spider out carefully. If the spider is dead or dying, you're not going to make things worse. It's one thing to leave a spider alone that everyone reckons is alive, but when the consensus is leaning towards dead... you need to know one way or the other.

 

[Tenebrarius]

I genuinely can't tell if this is sarcasm or not. If so, do not do this. She is new and does not know you or enough about the hobby to see that what you are saying is a bit wrong. @Codename Colorado, many species of tarantulas are very easy to care for, you just happened to pick one that has more specific care requirements. I would recommend B. hamorii, very easy to care for and, in my experience, very visible which should be a plus.

it was crude sarcasm, but it is true most Ts are not forgiving unless they are beginner Ts. however, beginner Ts often get "confused" and people end up spraying avics. sure a B albo is basically immortal but bad care can still risk it and like I said, "Ts are not very forgiving pets" you drop a dog a few feet in the air it is fine, you drop a terrestrial it's dead.

also I do NOT recommend B hamorii, at least as a sling they take eons to grow and kick hairs often.

I will not redact my statement. also the last bit was a sarcastic reference to spontaneous sling death and wet molts, the worse things to happen ever . I sympathize with someone who's T dies from a wet molt, but if they handle it and drop it I do not have sympathy.

maybe I was a bit discouraging

 

[Thekla]

What I don't understand is why everybody seems to think the spider might be dead?

The timeline - as I understand it - would be (I leave any enclosure issues out for now):

- Around mid-November OP gets his T and it ate normally until mid-December. Then it started fasting and got reclusive (as in hiding in that log).
- About a month later OP came to the boards and asked for advice because his T wasn't eating. The overall opinion was that it's normal for Ts to fast and that it might be in premoult.
- Just a week later Op showed us pictures of a T that was very possibly in a moulting position, and in a heavily webbed up place at that.
- And only two days later we get to see a picture of a T that has obviously moulted (including the old exoskeleton at its side).

So, please, explain to me why everybody seems to think it's dead? :wideyed: IMHO that's a textbook moulting process. Of course, it won't be running around just yet and it might not for another week or two (or even longer).

My A. merianae moulted 3 1/2 weeks ago and he's still very reclusive (as he always is after a moult). He still stays in the webbed up part of the enclosure where he moulted most of the time, only his front legs sticking out of there show me that he's ready to hunt and eat. And he did eat twice so far, but he's still very skittish and those legs disappear as soon as I touch the enclosure.

@Codename Colorado I would try to very, very carefully remove the old exoskeleton with some long tweezers. For one, to see if anything's stuck and to check whether its sucking stomach successfully moulted as well. This will also most possibly show you whether your T is indeed alive or not. It should move at least a bit. Then I'd put that log back into the enclosure at an upwards angle (if it's not already there), make sure the water dish is full and leave it alone to harden up. Don't try to feed it right now, wait at least a week or 10 days.

And please let us know what's going on. I'd really like to know the end of the story.

Well, these are just my two cents on the matter.

 

[Codename Colorado]

I genuinely can't tell if this is sarcasm or not. If so, do not do this. She is new and does not know you or enough about the hobby to see that what you are saying is a bit wrong. @Codename Colorado, many species of tarantulas are very easy to care for, you just happened to pick one that has more specific care requirements. I would recommend B. hamorii, very easy to care for and, in my experience, very visible which should be a plus.

Yea thanks man, a lot nicer than what was going to say...

Anyways, finally took her all the way out. Looks like she melted ok, just didn't survive I guess. No response, not moving at all.

What I don't understand is why everybody seems to think the spider might be dead?

The timeline - as I understand it - would be (I leave any enclosure issues out for now):

- Around mid-November OP gets his T and it ate normally until mid-December. Then it started fasting and got reclusive (as in hiding in that log).
- About a month later OP came to the boards and asked for advice because his T wasn't eating. The overall opinion was that it's normal for Ts to fast and that it might be in premoult.
- Just a week later Op showed us pictures of a T that was very possibly in a moulting position, and in a heavily webbed up place at that.
- And only two days later we get to see a picture of a T that has obviously moulted (including the old exoskeleton at its side).

So, please, explain to me why everybody seems to think it's dead? :wideyed: IMHO that's a textbook moulting process. Of course, it won't be running around just yet and it might not for another week or two (or even longer).

My A. merianae moulted 3 1/2 weeks ago and he's still very reclusive (as he always is after a moult). He still stays in the webbed up part of the enclosure where he moulted most of the time, only his front legs sticking out of there show me that he's ready to hunt and eat. And he did eat twice so far, but he's still very skittish and those legs disappear as soon as I touch the enclosure.

@Codename Colorado I would try to very, very carefully remove the old exoskeleton with some long tweezers. For one, to see if anything's stuck and to check whether its sucking stomach successfully moulted as well. This will also most possibly show you whether your T is indeed alive or not. It should move at least a bit. Then I'd put that log back into the enclosure at an upwards angle (if it's not already there), make sure the water dish is full and leave it alone to harden up. Don't try to feed it right now, wait at least a week or 10 days.

And please let us know what's going on. I'd really like to know the end of the story.

Well, these are just my two cents on the matter.

We took her out this morning and this is how she looks. Not moving at all. I put a little drop of water around her mouth and put her back in her leg securely. Take a look and post thought.s.

 

[Thekla]

I'm so sorry. Seems I've been too optimistic. That spider looks indeed dead.

I can't say what went wrong. Sometimes it's just not meant to be. Although that moult looks kinda weird...

 

[EtienneN]

I'm sorry to see the the worst happened. I also lost an A. avic due to a bad moult or rather a failed moult attempt. It flipped onto its back and never had the right fluid pressure to begin the moulting process. IMO these guys have the propensity to be more fragile than some other T. species. But then you could also get ten A. avics and have nine healthy spider and one that dies for seemingly no reason. I hope you stay in the hobby and get to enjoy tarantula keeping. It's not usually like this, I promise.

 

[Codename Colorado]

So

I'm sorry to see the the worst happened. I also lost an A. avic due to a bad moult or rather a failed moult attempt. It flipped onto its back and never had the right fluid pressure to begin the moulting process. IMO these guys have the propensity to be more fragile than some other T. species. But then you could also get ten A. avics and have nine healthy spider and one that dies for seemingly no reason. I hope you stay in the hobby and get to enjoy tarantula keeping. It's not usually like this, I promise.

I guess I'll ask the questions I should a asked before we got this T. What's a good starter? Where should we get it from? We bought this one from a place I thought had their stuff wired tight, but I guess not cuz the T "expert" gave me the whole speech about misting her enclosure and stuff. Is Jamie's Tarantulas a good place to order from?

My son is determined to not give up and wants to have a T for a long time.

 

[EtienneN]

I've never ordered from her but have heard mixed things. Take a look at the Classifieds Section here and you can get a feel for what is available and at what prices. Personally, if your son doesn't mind a ground dwelling T, I'd highly recommend either a G. pulchra which was my very first tarantula back in '09. He lived for nine years and just passed away this past April. I now have a baby G. pulchra again that I got from a local exotic animal and reptile expo. Also I love my female G. pulchripes. She is totally chill and sweet. Right now she's decently sized about 6 inches. They might burrow when they are tiny but even my .75" spiderling is out and about in its cup and is fun to watch. Other good starter tarantulas are Aphonopelma chalcodes and Brachypelma albopilosum. If you want to try an arboreal T again, maybe go for a Caribena versicolor? Keep it dry with a water cup you might overflow a little like once or maybe twice a week if the air is super dry and with lots of ventilation and vertical climbing space.

 

[Rigor Mortis]

So

I guess I'll ask the questions I should a asked before we got this T. What's a good starter? Where should we get it from? We bought this one from a place I thought had their sh#t wired tight, but I guess not cuz the T "expert" gave me the whole speech about misting her enclosure and stuff. Is Jamie's Tarantulas a good place to order from?

My son is determined to not give up and wants to have a T for a long time.

First off, my condolences about your spider.

Second off, most people will recommend a New World (hailing from the Americas) terrestrial tarantula as a very first tarantula as a lot of those do not have intricate husbandry requirements. This thread will have a lot of good information on how to keep a lot of these species. Highly recommended beginner Ts include the aforementioned B. hamorii, A. chalcodes (at this point I could write a thesis paper on how much I adore this species) G. rosea/porteri (essentially pet rocks, almost impossible to disrupt with husbandry issues) and B. albopilosum. Honestly any from the Brachypelma genus shouldn't be bad.

I've heard pretty good things about Jamie's but I would also recommend a trip to the Classifieds here on AB. You can find a many great spiders for a pretty good price and check reviews on the forums.

 

[Tenebrarius]

you know I could totally be tactless right now especially from this

Yea thanks man, a lot nicer than what was going to say..

but I am a nice guy and when a T dies things get said, so me being such a polite person: I apologize for any indecency I might have gave off. so I repeat, "sorry for your lose"

when a T dies it sucks, molt complications are the saddest, because 80% of the time you cant do anything and anything you try is just an out the ball park grasp for hope. I normally get my Ts from moronic reptile guys, sometimes they put things up super high priced and others super low, so I normally grief off the cheap ones. I have gotten a lot for cheap doing this: P. met, P "platyomma", p "machala", h pulchripes. I hope your son takes the death well, when my favorite T died (P met) I cried...in a MANLY way though.

best regards Tene.

 

[Ungoliant]

What's a good starter?

Nearly any reasonably priced Homoeomma, Grammostola, Aphonopelma, or Brachypelma is a fine option for beginners, though I am partial to my Grammostola pulchra.

EulersK made these videos highlighting some beginner species:

Tomoran also has these recommendations for beginner species:

For first-time keepers (especially kids), I often recommend a juvenile, because it's past the more fragile sling stage, and many new keepers want to start with something that actually looks like a tarantula and not just a large brown spider.

That being said, slings are also a fine option if your son doesn't require the instant gratification of a larger spider. Some qualities of each:

slings

• inexpensive (some less than $10)
• initially requires minimal space and money for a setup (they're commonly kept in condiment cups until they reach 1")
• the satisfaction of watching them grow up
• a little more fragile than juveniles
• tend to be nondescript-looking brown spiders
• tend to be skittish/reclusive (keeping it in a condiment cup will mitigate this)

juveniles and adults

• more expensive (especially if it's been sexed as female)
• will already have its adult coloring and temperament

Not sure whether you want a sling or an adult? Try a juvenile. You'll still have the experience of watching it grow, but it will be past the more fragile sling stage.

Where should we get it from?

Moderator note: We don't allow links to online stores, dealers, or ads on the discussion boards (as they are akin to endorsements or advertisements), although members are free to share such links via private message.

Check out our Classifieds section. You'll find lots of spiders for sale by businesses and hobbyists. (You can't post replies in the Classifieds section. Contact the seller by sending a private message or using whatever contact method is specified in the thread or on the reviews page.)

If you are looking for a particular species, search Classifieds for the scientific name. The genus name is often abbreviated to the first initial, so if you are not finding results with the binomial, such as Grammostola pulchra, try just the species name, such as pulchra. (Be aware that there are some species that share the same species name but belong to different genera, so check the genus before ordering.)

Whether you're buying from someone here or another Web site, you should read reviews here before ordering. (When you're reading a classified ad, you can quickly find the seller's review page by clicking the user name and then clicking "Reviews & Reports Page.") Don't forget to post a review after the transaction is complete.

Google is another way to find red flags, but I would disregard positive reviews on any site where the company being reviewed has editorial control (for example, on the company's Web site or on a Facebook page owned or moderated by the company).

Note: Many people recommend against buying spiders from stores that primarily deal in reptiles, as they often don't know what they are doing, and it's anyone's guess whether you will receive the species and sex you ordered.

 

[The Seraph]

Also, should mention, unless you have the patience of ten saints I would not get B. hamorii or G. rosea as a sling because they take an eternity to reach adult hood. I have had my B. hamorii for 5 years and it is still a juvenile (close to adulthood though!).

 

[Codename Colorado]

you know I could totally be tactless right now especially from this


but I am a nice guy and when a T dies things get said, so me being such a polite person: I apologize for any indecency I might have gave off. so I repeat, "sorry for your lose"

when a T dies it sucks, molt complications are the saddest, because 80% of the time you cant do anything and anything you try is just an out the ball park grasp for hope. I normally get my Ts from moronic reptile guys, sometimes they put things up super high priced and others super low, so I normally grief off the cheap ones. I have gotten a lot for cheap doing this: P. met, P "platyomma", p "machala", h pulchripes. I hope your son takes the death well, when my favorite T died (P met) I cried...in a MANLY way though.

best regards Tene.

Yea no worries man. It was my kids first T and he was very upset about it. As a dad I dont like seeing any of my kids upset, know what I mean? I appreciate the advice.

 

[Codename Colorado]

Thought on B Smithi juvenile as a replacement?

 

[The Seraph]

Thought on B Smithi juvenile as a replacement?

That would be perfect. They are very hardy tarantulas, even as juveniles. Also, sorry for calling you "she". I thought you were a mother for some reason.

 

[Codename Colorado]

That would be perfect. They are very hardy tarantulas, even as juveniles. Also, sorry for calling you "she". I thought you were a mother for some reason.

HA! no sir, pappa bear here.

My son thinks that what he wants to go with. Really, the reason we went with the Avic was because the girl at the store said that was a good starter. I really with I had been smarter about this and done some research and found a place like this site to get some help. I hate to see any animal not survive.

 

[The Seraph]

HA! no sir, pappa bear here.

My son thinks that what he wants to go with. Really, the reason we went with the Avic was because the girl at the store said that was a good starter. I really with I had been smarter about this and done some research and found a place like this site to get some help. I hate to see any animal not survive.

Well your son picked a good choice. There are others but a B. hamorii is a very good choice. Just make sure it is confirmed female. You don't want to drop money on something that is going to mature and die soon. Also, B. smithi is now B. hamorii after a recent reclassification.

 

[Codename Colorado]

Well your son picked a good choice. There are others but a B. hamorii is a very good choice. Just make sure it is confirmed female. You don't want to drop money on something that is going to mature and die soon. Also, B. smithi is now B. hamorii after a recent reclassification.

Well cool. Thanks man, I appreciate all the good input Im receiving on these boards.

Does the B Hamorii burrow or does it just need a hide of some kind?

 

[The Seraph]

Does the B Hamorii burrow or does it just need a hide of some kind?

In my experience, it does not burrow and mine does not really use the hide often but it is best to provide a hide in case it wants it.

 

[boina]

First of all: I'm really sorry for your loss.

Then onto the B. hamorii:

1. Good choice. They look nice, move a little more then some other beginner species, and eat a bit more, too.
2. They need mostly dry substrate and I always provide a hide for anyone of my spiders. Juveniles may burrow, so I'd give it a few inches, but I've yet to see an adult doing more than hanging out and looking pretty .