Amblypygid help

[Rosita1]

Hi all, I'm new here and to fabulous arachnids... I recently got a pair of d.diademas, male and female sub adults...they kept separate for the most part, a couple pincher flexing episodes, but nothing serious that I saw.
She has been a active, he has not for the most part. I had some heating issues the first couple days, but got a second heat mat and have had consistent 70s temps with good humidity. He kept to himself of in the corner, barely moved the last few days, then ate a large cricket last night and was moving around. I came home tonight and he was hanging by a leg from the cork bark...I thought molt maybe, but he dropped after a second and didn't move...for awhile. I'm pretty sure he is dead, but no idea what might have happened! Sorry, pics won't upload.
Any ideas from more experienced ambly owners?? Injury? My red rump is eating the same batch of crickets, so I was ruling that out, but am really sad that I lost my male and before I seek out a replacement, wanted some answers or ideas....any help and guidance would be appreciated!

 

[chanda]

That is strange. I had a similar experience with a mature male that I'd put in with one of my females in the hope of mating them. I checked in on them in the morning to find him flat on his back, dead, on the bottom of the cage - and not a mark on him, no damage to any of his appendages, so I don't think she killed him.

I do keep my subadult/adult whip spiders in separate tanks when I'm not trying to mate them, to prevent cannibalism. While it doesn't happen all that often, I have lost a few that way - particularly the larger juveniles/subadults. They seem to get more aggressive/territorial just before they mature. (I keep the babies communally, though - I just don't have enough cages, otherwise!)

Still, it's possible that he was attempting to molt. Leave him alone and keep an eye on him for a day or two to confirm that he's dead before touching him. While they're supposed to have to hang to molt, I have heard of a few surviving a molt on the ground, so maybe you'll get lucky?

 

[Rosita1]

Thanks Chanda, will do. Its a good size tank with lots of bark to climb and hide, so while I knew there was potential for cannibalism, they seemed to have enough "get away" space so i wasnt super worried because yes i was hoping to mate. And there isn't a mark on him, either!! I will leave him alone and see if anything happens.
Thanks again.