# Blind tarantula



## tangoblue37 (Jul 10, 2013)

Hi all, here's a strange one for you,

I think my tarantula is blind.  She is a Chilean rose and she seems to only have one eye.  I have had her for years and I have just noticed this today while trying (and as usual failing) to get her to eat.  

She has always been strange in the sense that no matter what I put in her cage - even food - she will run away from it and she always likes to stay in one very particular corner.  I have always found this strange and maybe her being blind would explain it? 

I'm worried about her eating pattern just now as well.  With her being a Chilean she is very, very good at fasting (she went a year without eating, ate two locusts in one week and hasn't eaten again for another year) but its not the fasting that's got me worried.  Just recently she has started running away from EVERYTHING I put in with her: locusts of all sizes, crickets and recently, mealworms, and I mean running, as in the opposite side of the tank and if I don't take it out and it goes near her she will scurry onto the roof of the tank or as far away from the 'food' as possible. Why?

Anyway, thank you for reading my rant and I'm looking forward to reading the replies 

---------- Post added 07-10-2013 at 04:33 PM ----------

Sorry, I have just noticed that I say she usually runs away form stuff I put in the tank then say she has just recently started it so I should probably clear that up.  She used to just move away from anything I put in the tank but she now RUNS away.


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## lancej (Jul 10, 2013)

How is your setup?  Temps, substrate, hide, etc.  What sex is it?  Any pics?


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## Ximmanis (Jul 10, 2013)

Tarantulas ARE practically blind (at least as far as we know!) and rely heavily on their sensitive "hairs" to pick up vibrations, changes in the air, etc. There are, however, some indications that tarantulas are capable of differentiating between light and dark (examples: light sources, silhouettes...). Arboreals appear to have [possibly even far] more advanced eyesight than what they've been given credit for in the past. Time will tell, I guess.  

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Ziolizard (Jul 10, 2013)

I think it's possible for tarantulas to go blind. My really old G. pulchripes no longer responds to light the way he used to, and his eyes do not shine like my other, younger Ts' eyes do. But are you sure she only has one eye? Most spiders have six to ten eyes. Mine all have eight eyes in a little pile on their heads.

But if it's not blindness, then I don't know what's causing your T to act like that. I've never had a Rosie before.


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## rob0t (Jul 10, 2013)

It's probably just not hungry and doesn't want to be bothered.  Could be coming up on a molt.

As far as the eyes, do you have a picture?


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## tangoblue37 (Jul 10, 2013)

Ok so when I look at these pictures it seems she is not blind after all!  but it does seem her eyes have got something on them.  Should I just leave it or try to get it off? If I should try to get it off how should I go about that? 

Thanks again for the replies it's appreciated.


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## goodoldneon (Jul 10, 2013)

rob0t said:


> It's probably just not hungry and doesn't want to be bothered.


^This - your "pet rock" is behaving like a "pet rock."

---------- Post added 07-10-2013 at 12:33 PM ----------

Those are "hairs" - I wouldn't recommend operating (or doing anything at all).


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## Hydrazine (Jul 10, 2013)

Might be just the lighting in the pic but this is by far the most grey (or gray, depending on where you're from) G.rosea I've seen. 
There doesn't seem to be anything out of ordinary with her, though.


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## Kodi (Jul 10, 2013)

She has 8 eyes just like every other tarantula. Sometimes our T's do things that we can't always explain, but trust me there's nothing to worry about. 
Most spiders, including tarantulas, mainly rely on their sense of touch (the vibrations they get from their surroundings). If they could see us they would probably try to escape 24/7. Imagine being a little creature being in a clear box with a giant fleshy mammal looming over you and trying to force feed you.


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## lancej (Jul 10, 2013)

It looks healthy.  What temps are you keeping it at?  Does it have a hide?  A pic of its enclosure and what temps you keep it at would be very helpful.


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## tangoblue37 (Jul 10, 2013)

Haha yes she really is that grey

---------- Post added 07-10-2013 at 06:44 PM ----------

And to answer you, lancej she is at about 20 something Celsius as that's the temp atm. She has a kind of cut out from a box for a hide - not ideal but it seems to do her fine.


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## Ziolizard (Jul 10, 2013)

Yeah, the fibers between her eyes are little hairs. =) Mine have those, too. Sort of like eyelashes, I guess.


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## lancej (Jul 10, 2013)

Temps seem ok.  You could raise them a little and that should stimulate her appetite, but she looks healthy, so there really isn't anything to worry about.


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## Scoolman (Jul 10, 2013)

She looks very healthy. Just keep a small dish with fresh water available, and you have nothing to worry about. I would say offer a prey item (roach, cricket, locust....) once each month. When she is ready she will eat.
Here eyes are fine, don't mess with them.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Naga (Jul 11, 2013)

While my rose hair is only a sling, it had the exact same behavior for awhile, but eventually began eating again on its own. But at the time,... Food in the containment = RUUUN!!! It's definitely a rose hair thing. As others have said, just try to feed like once a month, and don't be too persistent if it doesn't eat right away. Just put the food in, let your T see it, and if it runs after maybe 2 or 3 touches, just take it out, put it back in the food stock, and try again next month. They're quite picky eaters at times!


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## JonArachnid01 (Aug 14, 2017)

can a flashlight harm tarantula's eyes ?
I've been using a flashlight to see my tarantulas at evening bcoz there is no lighting in the room where my T's are, so it's pretty dark during evening. will this harm my T's eyes ?


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## miss moxie (Aug 14, 2017)

JonArachnid01 said:


> can a flashlight harm tarantula's eyes ?
> I've been using a flashlight to see my tarantulas at evening bcoz there is no lighting in the room where my T's are, so it's pretty dark during evening. will this harm my T's eyes ?


This thread is old, but no. You will not harm your Ts eyes.


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## Trenor (Aug 15, 2017)

JonArachnid01 said:


> can a flashlight harm tarantula's eyes ?
> I've been using a flashlight to see my tarantulas at evening bcoz there is no lighting in the room where my T's are, so it's pretty dark during evening. will this harm my T's eyes ?


A lot of Ts are very skittish when you shine light one them but like @miss moxie said it won't hurt the Ts eyes. I like using a red LED flashlight because you can see well and it doesn't bother them as much when I use it.


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## Eboz1105 (Oct 16, 2020)

Kind of the same question as op. But here recently, my rose hair has been redecorating ber substrate and ended up flipping herself over, she managed to gef upright after about a minute or so. So, I helped her and got rid of the old substrate that was in there and now it's as if she's blind. She tried to catch a lizard and caught it with her legs but not ber fangs. So it got loose. But she freaks out when she tries to move as if something is stuck on her pedipalps. And she kind of panics. Her last molt was in August and she's 4 years old. Please help with advice. I held her for a while and she just sat there, in my hand barely moving.


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## Konstantin Konstantinov (Oct 17, 2020)

Hi
its the new substrate packed down.Ts dont like loose substrate. Is there any chance she has been exposed to chemicals such as flea treatments, paint fumes ,smoke ... .That can cause  erratic movements. Look up DKS .
Share some pics of the enclosure please. 
Regards Konstantin


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## Eboz1105 (Oct 17, 2020)

Konstantin Konstantinov said:


> Hi
> its the new substrate packed down.Ts dont like loose substrate. Is there any chance she has been exposed to chemicals such as flea treatments, paint fumes ,smoke ... .That can cause  erratic movements. Look up DKS .
> Share some pics of the enclosure please.
> Regards Konstantin


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## Eboz1105 (Oct 17, 2020)

The only thing that has been sprayed was a diluted lavender spray that we use on our pillows at night. Our bed is about 6 feet away from her enclosure and the spray is sprayed directly on our pillows, not in the air. I patted the substrate down but she's moved it again. Someone mentioned she is stuck in a molt but she gets up after a few minutes on her back. I was going to clean her tank before all this craziness started but I don't wanna stress her out anymore.


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## Polenth (Oct 18, 2020)

Eboz1105 said:


> The only thing that has been sprayed was a diluted lavender spray that we use on our pillows at night. Our bed is about 6 feet away from her enclosure and the spray is sprayed directly on our pillows, not in the air. I patted the substrate down but she's moved it again. Someone mentioned she is stuck in a molt but she gets up after a few minutes on her back. I was going to clean her tank before all this craziness started but I don't wanna stress her out anymore.


Lavender is not something you want around your pets. Natural is not the same as safe. I'd suggest moving her to a different room and see if that resolves it. This other room should have nothing like that: no sprays, scented candles, incense, air fresheners, essential oils... as scent free as it can be.

Remember your hands can also transfer stuff like that. There's no reason to touch her right now, but if there's an emergency, wash your hands well in plain water.

Also, where did this lizard come from? Do you breed them as feeders or use wild ones?


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## Jess S (Oct 18, 2020)

If you can manage to video her movements next time you try to feed her, that would be very helpful.

As it's hard to tell from a photo, it'd be a good idea for you to double check that your substrate is high enough to prevent a fall injury. Substrate to the lid should be no more than 1.5 times the diagonal leg span of the tarantula (diagonal leg span is the length of the tarantula from the tip of the back leg, to the tip of the front leg on the opposite side, when all the legs are stretched out. You'll probably have to estimate this measurement a bit).


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## Eboz1105 (Oct 19, 2020)

My fiance got the lizard from outside as like all of her meals. I don't really have anywhere to move her to. She has been on her back for the past couple days as if to molt. But her movements are starting to diminish. I am preparing myself for a funeral.  Thanks to all the help y'all gave me. I am also wondering if she is a MM. She/he is 4 years old.


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## Jess S (Oct 19, 2020)

We discourage against feeding anything that's been caught outside, as there is no way of knowing what that prey item may have come in contact with, possibly a contaminant, poison, insecticide or parasite that can harm a tarantula .

However, just want to say how sorry I am. All you can do is make your t comfortable now. Put a drop of water on the mouth daily. If it's being sucked in then repeat as she's drinking.
Then leave in peace and quiet, try to limit unnecessary disturbance.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Eboz1105 (Oct 19, 2020)

She passed a couple hours ago. She's no longer reacting to vibrations and she's in a death curl on her back. Had her for 4 years.

Reactions: Sad 1


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