# Disaster - Need Advice!



## JdC (Jul 31, 2005)

I woke up this morning to find the tall glass terrarium housing my 5" P. Regalis lying on the floor smashed into pieces. Presumably my girlfriend's cat knocked the terrarium off of its shelf in the night, and I slept right through the noise! Of course the spider was nowhere to be found, being too smart to stick around and play with the kitty.
Upon closer inspection of the wreckage I discovered a single, unattached, leg pinned to the glass by the large piece of dried grapevine that had leaned against the other side of the enclosure. It looks like when the case fell, the impact sent the piece of vine smashing into my girl's web and caught her by surprise there. Either she detached the leg or it was ripped out, I have no idea. To make a terrible story worse, the person who actually managed to find my Regalis was my girlfriend, who loves spiders when they're behind glass but definitely not on the loose. The spider was on the bottom of a long curtain and scrambled when my gf lifted the fabric up. She freaked out and dropped the curtain, sending the little Regalis on a four ft. fall to the hardwood floor. After the harrowing chase and capture that followed, I noticed that the leg immediately adjacent to the now-empty socket was completely limp and useless.  
Amazingly still alive after its ordeal, the spider is now resting in a dark, ventilated deli container.
So my questions are:
A) Are there any special measures I should take? 
B) Should I rehouse her right away?
C) Do you think she'll detach the injured leg? Or will I have to do something about it myself?
D) How do you console a tarantula after a traumatic incident?!?!?!


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## becca81 (Jul 31, 2005)

JdC said:
			
		

> I woke up this morning to find the tall glass terrarium housing my 5" P. Regalis lying on the floor smashed into pieces. Presumably my girlfriend's cat knocked the terrarium off of its shelf in the night, and I slept right through the noise!


My first piece of advice is to get rid of the cat.  



> B) Should I rehouse her right away?


At this point, it's best to just contain her in the most appropriate place available at the moment and worry about a nice, big enclosure later when she's recovered.



> C) Do you think she'll detach the injured leg? Or will I have to do something about it myself?


If the leg is going to cause her problems, she'll throw it off herself.



> D) How do you console a tarantula after a traumatic incident?!?!?!


By leaving it alone.    Best thing to do now is make sure it has access to water and a dark place to feel secure.  Avoid high-traffic areas of your house.  A room that is rarely used (and kept comfortably warm) would be ideal - you may also want to drape a towel over part of the container so that it feels more secure.


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## cryptly (Jul 31, 2005)

JdC said:
			
		

> Amazingly still alive after its ordeal, the spider is now resting in a dark, ventilated deli container.
> So my questions are:
> A) Are there any special measures I should take?
> B) Should I rehouse her right away?
> ...


A) Make sure she has access to a full water dish, and lots of peace and quiet.  If any part is bleeding, put liquid bandage or superglue over the bleeding area.

B) I would wait and give her some time to recover.  Moving is stressful, and I'm sure her little "adventure" was pretty stressful too.  When I had an injured T, I waited until I knew it could catch a cricket on its own before moving it out of ICU.

C)  If it bothers her, or gets in her way, she'll throw the leg off herself.  If it's bleeding, put a drop of liquid bandage or super glue over the bleeding area.  I've read about people removing injured legs, but I've never done it myself, and it seems like something that would just add more stress to an already stressed T.

D) Give her lots of peace and quiet, and maybe a cricket or two to munch.


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## brachymad (Jul 31, 2005)

Have you thought about building yourself a nice cabinet for your T's with a nice glass door in front of the viv it makes it near impossible for your other pets to cause any more problems. It would be for the cats safety as much as the Tarantulas as they are said to be a lot less resistant to the effects of T venom than we are .

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Gesticulator (Aug 2, 2005)

Definately "ICU" for a while, then think about a housing made of plexi or plastic that won"t shatter. A large plastic storage container with a screw on lid could work if put some rocks or more substrate in it to weigh it down and place it lower to the ground. 
and...maybe...keep the door closed so kitty can find a different toy....


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## Imegnixs_Cinder (Aug 2, 2005)

Is the cat ok?
I have 2 cats and often wonder about the effect a tara bite could have on them, Im guessing the cat wasn't bitten but with broken glass etc too, not a good mix really.

Reactions: Like 1


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## greenbay1 (Aug 2, 2005)

Sorry to hear about the incident. I'm not a cat person so it wouldn't be hard for me to correct any chances of future disasters.   Good luck with your regalis. They are awesome Ts.


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## Bigboy (Aug 2, 2005)

rehouse it in a dark place witgh a nice crevice/hide for it to snugly fit itself into.  Make sure it has a good amount of water and time will heal its wounds.  Offer it some food in about a week but until then leave it be except for refilling it's water dish.  Don't even bother to check on it, you won't be able to do anything for it anyways.


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## JdC (Aug 2, 2005)

Thanks for all the advice guys.  My Regalis is now resting in a deli container on a very high shelf, in the darkest closet of my apartment. I've checked in on her periodically and she is still alive and has webbed up the whole top of the container. Now the only problem is getting water in to her.... maybe i'll just lift the lid and let some trickle down the corner of the jar. There is no substrate or water dish in the jar, since it was an emergency situation when I put her in. I didn't want to stress her more by throwing in a bunch of random stuff after her.


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## Gesticulator (Aug 2, 2005)

If she's webbed up the jar, mist the webbing right through the air holes, if u can. She NEEDS water!!!


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## Luise (Sep 24, 2007)

*My G. Rosea won't eat.*

Hi to everyone: my Grammostola Rosea hasn't eaten for a month. I'm starting to get a little worried because it has never happened before (2 weeks without eating maximum). So could someone please post any ideas, I'll be very thankful. Thanks a lot.


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## Cirith Ungol (Sep 24, 2007)

Luise said:


> Hi to everyone: my Grammostola Rosea hasn't eaten for a month. I'm starting to get a little worried because it has never happened before (2 weeks without eating maximum). So could someone please post any ideas, I'll be very thankful. Thanks a lot.


Why don't you start a new thread on it rather than digging up this corpse that's not even on the same topic as yours?  A mistake I presume?

But here's an answer: A well fed T that has access to water can survive over a year without food. Roseas are notorious for going on fasts so just try to feed it every 2-4 weeks and once it takes food, toss a few more crickets in and it will all be ok. Nothing to worry about.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## funnylori (Sep 24, 2007)

Luise said:


> Hi to everyone: my Grammostola Rosea hasn't eaten for a month. I'm starting to get a little worried because it has never happened before (2 weeks without eating maximum). So could someone please post any ideas, I'll be very thankful. Thanks a lot.


Usually it is helpful to search the forums for answers to your questions before posting in an unrelated thread. There is a rose hair care guide sticky HERE.

That said, rose hairs often go for long periods without eating. A healthy rose can go a year without eating. It is nothing to worry about. 

Ha! Cirth, you beat me.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## LoveSalesman (Sep 24, 2007)

you could use a syringe to inject water into the deli cup. you wouldn't even have to take the lid off then. just make sure u don't skewer your T.


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## Sandman (Jan 10, 2008)

*Cats and Venom*

I have read that cats react particularly badly to spider venom and can only assume that T venom especially from an Asian or African type is potentially dangerous.  
Being a feline owner I take extra precautions by keeping my office door (where I keep my inverts) shut when I am not home and if I see the cat getting too curious my mister bottle usually deters any further investigation by the cat.


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## Mushroom Spore (Jan 10, 2008)

Double thread necromancy - is this a new record?


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## xhexdx (Jan 10, 2008)

I wasn't even going to post in hopes it would bump back down and off, but oh well.  Let's just leave it and let it drift away...


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