Tarantula heart attack/ stroke

Charliexxfang

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 13, 2019
Messages
4
So this morning my g.rosea that ive had for 8 years was stumbling around, and it quickly got worse. She was “running” around freaking out with little control of her legs, fangs out, and at one point she bit the substrate and held on for 10ish seconds. After that she slowly stumbled into her water dish on top of the sponge, and was like “standing” with the tip of her abdomen on the sponge and her back against the water dish rim so she was vertical instead of horizontal. She stayed like that twitching, which sort of made me think she molting. About 5 hours later she seemed to be in a death curl (pictured). But now she is sitting normally where she always does. She seems a little bit disoriented and not really moving, anyone else ever seen something like this? Is there anything i should fo?
 

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Patherophis

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 24, 2017
Messages
407
So this morning my g.rosea that ive had for 8 years was stumbling around, and it quickly got worse. She was “running” around freaking out with little control of her legs, fangs out, and at one point she bit the substrate and held on for 10ish seconds. After that she slowly stumbled into her water dish on top of the sponge, and was like “standing” with the tip of her abdomen on the sponge and her back against the water dish rim so she was vertical instead of horizontal. She stayed like that twitching, which sort of made me think she molting. About 5 hours later she seemed to be in a death curl (pictured). But now she is sitting normally where she always does. She seems a little bit disoriented and not really moving, anyone else ever seen something like this? Is there anything i should fo?
That possition is truly quite unusual. Anyway
1. Throw away that sponge, they are unnecessary and potentially harmfull.
2. Add several centimeters inches of substrate.
3. Let it do crazy things if it wants. :D (Any chance it got spooked or irritated by something?)
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
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In addition to the suggestions already made, has anyone been spraying any pesticides around outside? Do you have any animals who have recently been treated topically for fleas/ticks or other external parasites? Do you have snakes that have been given mite treatment recently?
It sounds to me more like acute chemical poisoning.
 

EtienneN

Arachno-enigma
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Jul 15, 2017
Messages
1,038
Never use sponges in tarantula water dishes. That being said, this is not classic dehydration behaviour. It seems more like a chemical contamination of some sort. Or the tarantula is a mature male in death throes. But I’ve had several male tarantulas over the years and they don’t exhibit the flailing symptoms you describe. I’d wonder if it didn’t come into contact with some sort of pesticide.:(
 
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NukaMedia Exotics

#1 Tarantula Vendor in the USA! Ships Nationwide.
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695
You kept this T for 8 years yet you still have a sponge in the water dish?? Wouldn't be surprised if it is dying for one reason or another since you obviously haven't researched its proper care very much if at all...
 

Charliexxfang

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 13, 2019
Messages
4
In addition to the suggestions already made, has anyone been spraying any pesticides around outside? Do you have any animals who have recently been treated topically for fleas/ticks or other external parasites? Do you have snakes that have been given mite treatment recently?
It sounds to me more like acute chemical poisoning.
There shouldn’t be anything dangerous, as she isn't around any other animals and the only time i really open up the cage is to feed her and give her water
 

Vanisher

Arachnoking
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Oct 2, 2004
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2,533
It sounds like pesticides or food poisoning as stated above. Poisons makes them twitching and loose bodypart control like that! I haveheard that biting the substrate can be a sign that they are in pain? I have no idea if this is true?

Cold blood, is ut true that biting substrate is because of pain??
 
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RezonantVoid

Hollow Knight
Joined
Jan 7, 2018
Messages
1,354
Sometimes wild caught prey, like a house cockroach, can have pesticides on them which transfer to the tarantula when you feed it to them. I'm not sure if that's happened any time recently, but it could be a likely cause if so
 

EtienneN

Arachno-enigma
Joined
Jul 15, 2017
Messages
1,038
Again, because this will help us pinpoint why this happened...What PREY ITEM was being fed??? Was it a dubia roach, cricket, or a mealworm?
 

Mirandarachnid

Arachnobaron
Joined
Nov 11, 2017
Messages
532
the only time i really open up the cage is to feed her and give her water
The only way that could be relevant is if there was no air exchange with the cage closed, which is obviously not the case.

You would do yourself a service if you directly answered the questions people are asking you.

If you live close to other humans, it's possible that they may be spraying something. You need to think a little further than yourself and your actions.

Do you live in an apartment complex that routinely treats with pesticides? Do you have a neighbor that hates bugs and sprays religiously? Do you leave your windows open?

Do you live with someone that may have cleaned the room your T is in? Have you started using a new air freshener?

Also, what did it last eat, has it eaten prey items from that group before or did you just buy them?
 

Charliexxfang

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 13, 2019
Messages
4
You kept this T for 8 years yet you still have a sponge in the water dish?? Wouldn't be surprised if it is dying for one reason or another since you obviously haven't researched its proper care very much if at all...
Again, because this will help us pinpoint why this happened...What PREY ITEM was being fed??? Was it a dubia roach, cricket, or a mealworm?
So this morning my g.rosea that ive had for 8 years was stumbling around, and it quickly got worse. She was “running” around freaking out with little control of her legs, fangs out, and at one point she bit the substrate and held on for 10ish seconds. After that she slowly stumbled into her water dish on top of the sponge, and was like “standing” with the tip of her abdomen on the sponge and her back against the water dish rim so she was vertical instead of horizontal. She stayed like that twitching, which sort of made me think she molting. About 5 hours later she seemed to be in a death curl (pictured). But now she is sitting normally where she always does. She seems a little bit disoriented and not really moving, anyone else ever seen something like this? Is there anything i should fo?
decided to see if she was hungry because she started walking around normally, and she ate a cricket without twitching or showing signs of uncontrollability. Glad to see that she is acting normally again, will update if further issues occur
 

T Lurksalot

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 3, 2018
Messages
21
Just to address the title of this thread real quick, spiders have open circulatory systems that work differently from vertebrates so they can’t have strokes, and while I’m not sure if they can have heart issues I doubt any such problem would look anything like what you described. Erratic leg movements and stumbling indicate something has gone wrong in the nervous system, and I agree with what several others are posting here that your rosie was exposed to some kind of toxin.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
The picture>> subject not in focus, so useless.

Sure sounds like a toxin is in the air to me.

I haveheard that biting the substrate can be a sign that they are in pain? I have no idea if this is true?
I find this unlikely.
 
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