Antillena rickwesti bad moult :(

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
My Antillena rickwesti has had a really bad moult a couple of nights ago. I found her exuviae next to her water dish with 2 new legs stuck in it on Tuesday night.

I didnt want to go poking about her web to try and examine her as did not want to disturb.

Early afternoon yesterday I went to check on her as she wouldnt be so fragile. She was in such real bad curl laying at her water dish :(

IMG_6965.JPG

She had skin stuck to her abdomen, it was very small too. I carefully placed her on padded paper towel on her back in a deli tub and left a droplet of water on her mouthparts. I sat and watched her for a while and she was drinking water rapidly. I was applying a droplet once she had drank it(every 5 mins or so).

I placed a shallow water dish into the deli cup and placed the tub without the lid into a larger enclosure.

When I went to check on her last night her legs were less curled and she was moving around very little amount. She had spill a little water from the dish onto the paper towel and she was biting onto it with her mouthparts over the damp patch.

IMG_6970.JPG

She is obviously drinking and its having a positive effect of sorts, but in reality it looks bleak.

I am just going to apply a few drops onto paper where her towel where mounparts are every hour or so.

I am worried that she has too much of old exo still stuck to her abdomen and this may end up fatal. It is hard to see if it covers lungs. I have tried to remove from flap of old skin on top with q-tip but this is risky with such a small, fragile species. I feel it would be best just going to leave her in the tub and leave her alone apart from watering.

If anyone can chime in with this one, please do. Any help is much appreciated.

This was her this morning
IMG_6975.JPG
 
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Magenta

Arachnosquire
Joined
Mar 29, 2013
Messages
55
I don't really have any advice or anything. I just wanted to say I hope she's going to be alright.
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
I don't really have any advice or anything. I just wanted to say I hope she's going to be alright.
Thankyou. These things happen I guess.

I am on my way home now. Hoping her condition improve
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
I am still a little worried about the skin on the abdomen. I think it has peeled off of the top but not the bottom.

I think the old exo is still stuck underneath. I am hoping it will just fall off.
 
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cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,257
As long as the book lungs are clear and it has normal movement, its not as critical. Nice to see a bleak situation turn around nice and quick. Good save.
 

Anoplogaster

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jan 15, 2017
Messages
675
Yeah, any old skin (if it doesn't fall off eventually) will come off with the next molt, for sure. Or she might pick it off herself over time, when it's ready to come off.
 

CWilson1351

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jan 23, 2017
Messages
454
I can't offer anything helpful, since my only experience with stuck molt/shed is with reptiles. Doesn't apply with Ts obviously, but I am happy to hear that her condition has improved. Hopefully she continues fighting through this and has a long future of fat bugs :)
 
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