6" Acanthoscurria geniculata stuck in molt

[Fred Draven]

Guys this is a very depressing post. My 6" female Acanthoscurria geniculata is stuck in her molt for 3 days. Only her pedipalps are stuck but she's extremely weak after the molt. You can see her legs are somewhat deformed and she showed no sign of aggression even days after the molt. My other Ts happened to survive a pedipalp stuck but they were not in this critical condition. She haven't dropped her palps yet as opposed to my slings. I read a post saying you can grab the femur and twist the legs off but I'm not sure whether you can do this after hardening up and whether this could result in a sudden death (as I said earlier, she's in critical condition). Btw what are the white spots on top of her abdomen? Does it look like an infection or tumor?
What should I do with her? Can she be saved or euthanized?

 

[ThatsUnpossible]

Have you read this guide to helping a stuck T?

Tarantula Stuck in Its Molt? Look Here for Advice

Tarantulas sometimes get stuck during molting – it happens, nobody really knows why. Accordingly there are a lot of threads that go “Help, my tarantula is stuck, what should I do?” More often than not the advice is to do nothing because ‘the tarantula knows best how to be a tarantula’. I think...

arachnoboards.com

Sorry I have no experience of this at all, but I wouldn’t euthanise her just yet. I hope someone more experienced comes along soon. Best of luck.

 

[Fred Draven]

Have you read this guide to helping a stuck T?

Tarantula Stuck in Its Molt? Look Here for Advice

Tarantulas sometimes get stuck during molting – it happens, nobody really knows why. Accordingly there are a lot of threads that go “Help, my tarantula is stuck, what should I do?” More often than not the advice is to do nothing because ‘the tarantula knows best how to be a tarantula’. I think...

arachnoboards.com

Sorry I have no experience of this at all, but I wouldn’t euthanise her just yet. I hope someone more experienced comes along soon. Best of luck.

Yeah but my T is stuck there for 3 days so the skin becomes hard. She's also too weak to be bothered if not a successful way. Thanks tho.

 

[The Spider House]

The link shared covers pretty much every scenario during a moult.
Your situation is slightly different as 3 days have already passed and so the hardening process is well and truly in full force so the deformities and chances of casting appendiges are regrettably very slim.

Best I can offer would be to remove any excess shed from the front of the spider as it looks as though what's left will prevent your spider from catching prey. Having said that when the full hardening process has taken place, the deformities look as though they would prevent free movement and prey will need to be immobilised I expect.

The best case scenario is that she can still eat and drink and 'corrects' herself quicker than the usual moult cycle which at that size would probably be 9 to 12 months is regularly fed/watered.

You could try damp cotton buds and brushes to try and loosen but I think after 3 days, it's stuck and will take too much effort and stress to what is still a recovering spider.

Mother nature can be brutal at times.

Have you had her long? Any previous moult issues?

 

[Fred Draven]

The link shared covers pretty much every scenario during a moult.
Your situation is slightly different as 3 days have already passed and so the hardening process is well and truly in full force so the deformities and chances of casting appendiges are regrettably very slim.

Best I can offer would be to remove any excess shed from the front of the spider as it looks as though what's left will prevent your spider from catching prey. Having said that when the full hardening process has taken place, the deformities look as though they would prevent free movement and prey will need to be immobilised I expect.

The best case scenario is that she can still eat and drink and 'corrects' herself quicker than the usual moult cycle which at that size would probably be 9 to 12 months is regularly fed/watered.

You could try damp cotton buds and brushes to try and loosen but I think after 3 days, it's stuck and will take too much effort and stress to what is still a recovering spider.

Mother nature can be brutal at times.

Have you had her long? Any previous moult issues?

So you mean I should leave the unmolted palps on? Will that block her hemolymph circulation?
I've had her for 5 years and bought her as a baby that's why I'm super worried. No previous molt issues, despite she's been lethargic for roughly 1 week prior to molt probably due to dehydration but brought back in time as she was healthy 1 day before the molt. Her exoskeleton has some white spots since last molt but no concerning issues.

 

[Charliemum]

This video is about bad moults usually I don't recommend utube but it may help your situation, I hope she recovers there is nothing I can add as the others have already said it good luck for her and you.

 

[The Spider House]

So you mean I should leave the unmolted palps on? Will that block her hemolymph circulation?
I've had her for 5 years and bought her as a baby that's why I'm super worried. No previous molt issues, despite she's been lethargic for roughly 1 week prior to molt probably due to dehydration but brought back in time as she was healthy 1 day before the molt. Her exoskeleton has some white spots since last molt but no concerning issues.

I don't think there is a one size fits all and so an element of judgement comes in to play.

You could remove the palps completely and treat the wound with corn flour and hope she doesn't "bleed" out but that would be an extreme measure and IMO the last resort.

My initial view would be to clear off any skin that's not actually attached to the palps and see what you are left with.

Palps are the main way a T grabs prey and moves towards the fangs and so cutting the palps off is like basically cutting off access to food.

 

[Fred Draven]

I don't think there is a one size fits all and so an element of judgement comes in to play.

You could remove the palps completely and treat the wound with corn flour and hope she doesn't "bleed" out but that would be an extreme measure and IMO the last resort.

My initial view would be to clear off any skin that's not actually attached to the palps and see what you are left with.

Palps are the main way a T grabs prey and moves towards the fangs and so cutting the palps off is like basically cutting off access to food.

I see. But I haven't come across cases in which the T survived with the unshed skin still attached to it.
Personally I think missing palps are not a problem, as she's accepted dead prey before. Ts can still grab immobile preys with their fangs tho. But by leaving the palps on like I said the risk is unknown.

 

[Dorifto]

Right now there isn't much you can do, but for the next time, all those tropical species they need moisture (humidity) in order to not have those problems. You had a previous bad molt, you should have learned it.

Raise the moisture level and keep her well feed and hydrated

 

[Fred Draven]

This video is about bad moults usually I don't recommend utube but it may help your situation, I hope she recovers there is nothing I can add as the others have already said it good luck for her and you.

This video is fascinating but also disturbing to watch even tho she's not my T. This T's even in a more critical condition than mine. It gives me hope I'll try using his method hopefully that'll work. Surprised that Tom Moran is death metalhead too.

 

[cold blood]

Any time you see a stuck molt, it is absolutely imperative to act quickly...the sooner you act, the easier it will be to help and the higher success rate you will have...wait just 2 days and you really lose all hope of being able to help as everything hardens up.

For future reference.

. But I haven't come across cases in which the T survived with the unshed skin still attached to it.

happens all the time, but it really depends on where the stuck part is.

 

[The Spider House]

I see. But I haven't come across cases in which the T survived with the unshed skin still attached to it.
Personally I think missing palps are not a problem, as she's accepted dead prey before. Ts can still grab immobile preys with their fangs tho. But by leaving the palps on like I said the risk is unknown.

I wish you and her all the best. Hope she pulls through.

 

[Fred Draven]

Any time you see a stuck molt, it is absolutely imperative to act quickly...the sooner you act, the easier it will be to help and the higher success rate you will have...wait just 2 days and you really lose all hope of being able to help as everything hardens up.

For future reference.


happens all the time, but it really depends on where the stuck part is.

Yep :'(
The reason why she's been through "limbo" for 3 days before I posted this is that I'm currently at school bc my semester starts so my Ts could only be left to my mom. Recently she traveled due to work and just came back today and found her still lying with the molt. Bad timing :'( hopefully she'll make it.

 

[Charliemum]

This video is fascinating but also disturbing to watch even tho she's not my T. This T's even in a more critical condition than mine. It gives me hope I'll try using his method hopefully that'll work. Surprised that Tom Moran is death metalhead too.

The video is upsetting to me too but has useful info if your stuck in that situation I only shared it out of a hope to help somehow, I have a soft spot for geniculata as they are my S.O's favourite species and I also have a male that was badly treated before I got him and has movement issues because of it so i had to try n help I really hope she pulls through please keep us posted best of luck to the both of you

I have spoken to Tom since this video was posted and this girl is still going and is catching her own food and climbing now he is very hopeful she will pull through so there is always hope my friend

 

[Fred Draven]

UPDATE:

I (actually my mom since I'm at college) tried every method to soften the skin in hope of shedding it but no luck. It still sticks to her like glue. Then we tried to pinch her femur at the joint to get her through self amputation but she just doesn't let it go. That's odd because I've had other Ts that had legs stuck and they dropped them immediately using this method. She can still walk but like an octopus, as her legs are soft and deformed.
My assumption is that she's too weak somehow to do a self-amputation currently. Is it possible for a hardened T to drop their legs? I looked through a couple of other board posts that all discourage manual amputation. So will she survive if she can't get rid of them at the current stage?

 

[Charliemum]

I honestly don't know all any one can do now is hope and pray.

 

[Dorifto]

That's odd because I've had other Ts that had legs stuck and they dropped them immediately using this method.

Seriously you should start to reconsider your husbandry.

How many molting issues you had previous to this?

Where the heck you read to pinch grabbing a member to amputate it. If the T needs to get rid of any member, it will do it when it considers it neccesary. There is no reason to force nothing.

I'd start thinking the reason behind those issues, and looking to your images is pretty obvious. Lack of humidity. Those species need some moistute in the substrate in order to not have such issues.

With one issue, I'd start thinking what could have gone wrong, with two I wouldn't stop until I find the issue, with three ...

 

[Fred Draven]

Seriously you should start to reconsider your husbandry.

How many molting issues you had previous to this?

Where the heck you read to pinch grabbing a member to amputate it. If the T needs to get rid of any member, it will do it when it considers it neccesary. There is no reason to force nothing.

I'd start thinking the reason behind those issues, and looking to your images is pretty obvious. Lack of humidity. Those species need some moistute in the substrate in order to not have such issues.

With one issue, I'd start thinking what could have gone wrong, with two I wouldn't stop until I find the issue, with three ...

I admit that I'm not an experienced keeper, but I think there's a couple of posts that saying A. geniculata isn't a moisture dependent species as long as they have access to a water dish?

 

[antinous]

I admit that I'm not an experienced keeper, but I think there's a couple of posts that saying A. geniculata isn't a moisture dependent species as long as they have access to a water dish?

Part of the substrate for this species should always be moistened, even if it has a water dish.

 

[Dorifto]

I admit that I'm not an experienced keeper, but I think there's a couple of posts that saying A. geniculata isn't a moisture dependent species as long as they have access to a water dish?

Any tropical species needs moisture in a certain degree. Water dishes only hydrate, moist substrate, hence humid air, prevents dehydration and molting issues, as this humid air will absorb way less moisture from them.

If you accept a suggestion, learn about your Ts habitat. Do not follow blindly every care sheet.