Aviculara Aviculara HELP

[spidey123]

My pink toe molted a little over 2 weeks ago and i watched her climb from her web to down on the ground and hasn’t moved in ab 4 days... i know she’s still alive... but she’s refusing food and won’t move. i feel like the recovery process should be over by now... also why is she curled up on the ground

 

[FrDoc]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your spider does not look good at all. Are you absolutely sure it is still alive? That is not normal post-molt behavior, nor posture. How long have you had the animal? From where did you get it? What sex is it? The answers to these questions can give us a starting point to investigate possible answers. I will also tell you that you are probably going to read several responses critical of your set up. However, I’m not going to go there right now. If it is indeed still alive, ensure it has access to water (I see that it does), and if possible, you could drop some water onto it’s mouth parts. I would though, not be particularly optimistic regarding the outcome of this scenario.

 

[spidey123]

yes she is still alive! she is a female and i’ve had her for about 6 months. i got her from a place called scales n tails in colorado springs

yes she is still alive! she is a female and i’ve had her for about 6 months. i got her from a place called scales n tails in colorado springs

i moved her into a bowl to feed her some water and she hasn’t moved from this position... she isn’t using her front legs at all to walk

 

[Vanessa]

Flip her over on her back and administer water manually with a syringe.

 

[spidey123]

Flip her over on her back and administer water manually with a syringe.

i’ll definitely try that... she’s so weak i feel so bad she can barely walk

 

[Thekla]

Yes, try that, but really just a few drops of water at a time directly onto her mouthparts. Don't put her in an ICU or any other too humid environment.
And please, don't handle her more than necessary, it'll just stress her out and weaken her even further.

If she pulls through, you might also need to redo her enclosure a bit. For one, she needs a proper log or cork bark slab to hang out, relax and to hunt from, keep the plants and foliage close to that.
Personally, I'd change the substrate as well. Although an Avic shouldn't be much on the ground anyway, wood chips are never good for Ts as they're abrasive and can hurt the soft skin on their abdomen.
And make sure that - whatever substrate you put in there - is bone dry. All they need is a water dish and an occasional spritz of water to the sides or onto their webbing for drinking purposes.

 

[spidey123]

Yes, try that, but really just a few drops of water at a time directly onto her mouthparts. Don't put her in an ICU or any other too humid environment.
And please, don't handle her more than necessary, it'll just stress her out and weaken her even further.

If she pulls through, you might also need to redo her enclosure a bit. For one, she needs a proper log or cork bark slab to hang out, relax and to hunt from, keep the plants and foliage close to that.
Personally, I'd change the substrate as well. Although an Avic shouldn't be much on the ground anyway, wood chips are never good for Ts as they're abrasive and can hurt the soft skin on their abdomen.
And make sure that - whatever substrate you put in there - is bone dry. All they need is a water dish and an occasional spritz of water to the sides or onto their webbing for drinking purposes.

i have started force feeding her water and she is already doing a lot better... thank you for the advice... i’m gonna continue to do this and pray

 

[Vanessa]

This is why I have two dishes in my Avicularia/Caribena enclosures. They seem to dehydrate after moulting far more easily than other species. If they have to travel a long distance from their moulting spot to get water, they might just not do it. I will also put some water in their webbing if I can, but that is not always possible.
I put one dish on the ground and the other is elevated closer to the top where they normally web and moult.

 

[Vanisher]

This is why I have two dishes in my Avicularia/Caribena enclosures. They seem to dehydrate after moulting far more easily than other species. If they have to travel a long distance from their moulting spot to get water, they might just not do it. I will also put some water in their webbing if I can, but that is not always possible.
I put one dish on the ground and the other is elevated closer to the top where they normally web and moult.

They do? I didnt know that. It was a few years since i had Avicularia or Carabena sp! Good to know!!

 

[Andrea82]

This is why I have two dishes in my Avicularia/Caribena enclosures. They seem to dehydrate after moulting far more easily than other species. If they have to travel a long distance from their moulting spot to get water, they might just not do it. I will also put some water in their webbing if I can, but that is not always possible.
I put one dish on the ground and the other is elevated closer to the top where they normally web and moult.

I've seen this as well. And I know @viper69 has mentioned it more than once. For some reason, moulting is especially tiring to Avicularia/Caribena/Ybyrapora species.

Good to see she's improving, but you may not be out of the woods yet. Crossing my fingers for you!

 

[Rigor Mortis]

Yes, try that, but really just a few drops of water at a time directly onto her mouthparts. Don't put her in an ICU or any other too humid environment.
And please, don't handle her more than necessary, it'll just stress her out and weaken her even further.

If she pulls through, you might also need to redo her enclosure a bit. For one, she needs a proper log or cork bark slab to hang out, relax and to hunt from, keep the plants and foliage close to that.
Personally, I'd change the substrate as well. Although an Avic shouldn't be much on the ground anyway, wood chips are never good for Ts as they're abrasive and can hurt the soft skin on their abdomen.
And make sure that - whatever substrate you put in there - is bone dry. All they need is a water dish and an occasional spritz of water to the sides or onto their webbing for drinking purposes.

I don't actually think those are wood chips, it looks like shredded chunks of coco fibre. When I got my first T that's what I got and realises it was far too chunky for substrate so I blizted it in the blender for an hour to get a finer result.

 

[Lolth62]

Although I am still new, I have 2 A.avicularias, one sling one about 4 inches. My 4 inch molted towards the bottom, and it took her weeks to recover. I let her be, made sure she had water and she is fine now. It may just take some time but I'm sure someone will say I'm wrong

Like I said it didn't take long for someone to belittle my comment that is why I will stop posting on here ty very much

 

[TriMac33]

Like I said it didn't take long for someone to belittle my comment that is why I will stop posting on here ty very much

Huh?

 

[Andrea82]

Although I am still new, I have 2 A.avicularias, one sling one about 4 inches. My 4 inch molted towards the bottom, and it took her weeks to recover. I let her be, made sure she had water and she is fine now. It may just take some time but I'm sure someone will say I'm wrong

Like I said it didn't take long for someone to belittle my comment that is why I will stop posting on here ty very much

What? Who belittled you?
Edit:
Oh, I see your post is moderated. Never mind.

 

[spidey123]

thank you guys so much... she’s still skinny but she’s pretty much back to her old self... after the first time administering her water manually she seemed to come back quick. i have been continuing to make sure she has some water in her web and dropping it on her mouth parts and she’s so much better... hopefully we can get her to eat soon. but thank you all again )

 

[Andrea82]

thank you guys so much... she’s still skinny but she’s pretty much back to her old self... after the first time administering her water manually she seemed to come back quick. i have been continuing to make sure she has some water in her web and dropping it on her mouth parts and she’s so much better... hopefully we can get her to eat soon. but thank you all again )

Awesome! Good job!