An interesting story.

Lsal

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
7
So a couple of weeks ago I finally decided to purchase a couple of pokies, they were to be my first ever. Until now the only Old World species I've kept has been an OBT. I found a seller (who is very nice by the way ;)) and purchased two slings, a P. rufilata and a P. ornata. I was so excited, tracking the package, setting up enclosures, all of the usual stuff. Unfortunately it snowed the day of arrival, and I couldn't get the package until the following day (last Friday). Friday morning I was up and off, fish-tailing my car all the way to the post office! I picked up the box and raced for home. Opening the box was just like I knew it would be. The heated packing job was fantastic, even with the weather there was nothing to worry about.

I went for the P. ornata first, and was dismayed to find the sling in a severe death curl, motionless inside the damp paper towel. There was zero response, even with a very gentle touch. I set it aside in the paper towel so I could check on the P. rufilata. The P. rufilata was completely fine, practically letting itself out of the vial! I know now why people always talk of their speed! So I got the rufilata settled in, and cleaned up the packing. The last of everything was the P. ornata sling, which I checked again just to make sure. It was still curled and completely unresponsive. It was a little upsetting, but I understand that these things happen. I folded the paper towel and placed it in the trash with the packing.

Fast forward to late Sunday night. I'm talking to a friend on the phone, when I notice something walking along the wall, nearly on the ceiling. It is rather uncommon for me to get insects from outside in my apartment, but it's happened before. From the couch though, it looked like a spider. Kind of a big one for this area. I thought: "Cool it's a spider, let me check it out". I walked over for a closer look, and saw this:



The next words to my friend were: "Can I call you back in a second? I think there is a tarantula walking around on my ceiling." :D She was more than happy to let me go LOL. I quickly ran back to my room to confirm that all of my t's were still there, which they were. Back in the living room, the mystery guest sat quietly, daring me to come any closer with my catch cup:



After a bit of negotiation I managed to catch the little guy. Whereupon he moved into a stance that I had before seen only in my dreams, and in the Genus Poecilotheria thread in the tarantula pictures section of this forum:



I would appreciate if someone more knowledgeable than I could confirm this species for me, but I am nearly certain it is a Poecilotheria ornata. THE Poecilotheria ornata. And if that's the case, it has seemingly risen from the dead, dug its way out of the trash, and spent the weekend running around my house! I could not be happier with the sheer coincidence of this, finding it by total chance and in (so far) perfect health. I'm aware of my rookie mistake though, in my decision to not monitor it in an ICU setup just in case. That won't be happening again on my part. Perhaps it helped that the sling was wrapped in a damp paper towel? It came like that in the packing though :? so I don't really know why it was curled in the first place. At any rate, it looks great now! It is now in its new home, drinking water from the side of the enclosure.

I am slightly concerned though, if you look in the second picture, something seems to be stuck to its second left leg, and to the tip of its right front leg. Could this effect its next molt? I don't want to put the sling through the stress of trying to remove the particles if I don't have to, and I'm not sure how I would go about it anyway due to the small size of the sling. Any advice would be appreciated here.

I always enjoy reading the lost and found success stories of other people's t's here, but I never thought I would have one of my own. The capacity for survival that exists in these creatures is truly amazing.
 

Anastasia

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
1,846
never write bugs off unless they stinky and gooey or shriveled and crunchy or in someones belly {D
congrats on finding you garbage patch kid :D
 

jt39565

Arachnoknight
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
179
That's really good you got your T back! Just an FYI if you go to petcenter web site Paul has some tips posted , the one in particular would be listed under "care" look for reviving your T, it may not have been dehydrated, just cold. Its great that you now know you have a fighter on hand!
 

BQC123

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
May 8, 2010
Messages
413
Could it have been molting?
If you were mistaking molting for a death curl, that would explain a lot.
 

LPacker79

ArachnoSpaz
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Messages
1,054
Sometimes it takes a while for them to warm up after being so cold. I had some female Tapinauchenius mailed to me about 6 years ago to MI in December without a heat pack. It took several hours for them to start showing any signs of life, but they were fine in the long run.

Lesson learned, no harm done.
 

captmarga

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
339
I think one of the other posts nailed it... it may have tried to molt in transit... and what you are seeing is bits of old molt stuck on the leg.

I had one attempt to molt in transit. I kept her in an ICU and monitored her for a week, until she stank. Only then was I sure she was dead.

Congrats on your little Zombie...

Marga
 

Anastasia

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
1,846
I would appreciate if someone more knowledgeable than I could confirm this species for me, but I am nearly certain it is a Poecilotheria ornata. THE Poecilotheria ornata.
Absolutely is P. ornata
I am slightly concerned though, if you look in the second picture, something seems to be stuck to its second left leg, and to the tip of its right front leg. Could this effect its next molt? I don't want to put the sling through the stress of trying to remove the particles if I don't have to, and I'm not sure how I would go about it anyway due to the small size of the sling. Any advice would be appreciated here.
it remind me when someone coming out of bathroom with TP stuck to the show :}

Leon,
I wouldnt worry about to much, is longer you keep it hydrated and offer food is much is it will take
should molt with out problems
Haha, little trashy kid
Am glad your first Poecilotheria experience end up to be very happily eventful
now you need to name that one ;)
 

Toogledoo

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 3, 2011
Messages
258
Haha this is a pretty cool story. I'm wondering if it did for sure turn out to be an Ornata.
 

Bugmom

Arachnolord
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
646
This is the coolest thing I've read all week. Yay for happy endings!
 

Zeph

Arachnosquire
Joined
May 24, 2012
Messages
57
My first thought was that it could have been molting when you received it, I guess the trash was a fine place for it to be left alone. I'm so glad that not only did your T survive, but that you were able to retrieve it! I would be devastated to lose a T in transit, especially without a LAG. It's in the upper '90s here in TX and I'm always concerned that my T's will be cooked by the time they arrive on my doorstep. Last year we that three solid months of triple digit heat, if that repeats this year I'll have to stop order T's for awhile. :unsure:

Did you check the paper towel in the trash to see if there was a molting?
 

Toogledoo

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 3, 2011
Messages
258
Well that's cool. Oh and just to let you guys know, this is from December 2010 so I don't know if the OP is still an active member. I just stumbled across it and thought I'd comment. :D
 

Zeph

Arachnosquire
Joined
May 24, 2012
Messages
57
Well that's cool. Oh and just to let you guys know, this is from December 2010 so I don't know if the OP is still an active member. I just stumbled across it and thought I'd comment. :D
That makes sense, haha. I was wondering why it was snowing mid-June in Virginia!!!
 

catfishrod69

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
4,401
Cool story. Remember what Anna said, dont mark them off til they ARE dead. Also, id imagine its ornata, how many species of pokie are free ranging in virginia?
 

Anastasia

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
1,846
I get messages like that pretty often, just couple days ago very upset customer sent me message ,,OMG! my spider, I opened the box and I think its sick or dead, it dont come out of the shipping cup, Am so upset it maybe dead.."", 2hrs later... got second email, " ogh, neverming, it came out, I think it was sleepingin there, its all good..."
 
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