B.albopilosum is spazzing

[Aunt Ant]

Hi friends, maybe you can shed some light on this.
My juvie Brachypelma albopilosum was my calmest and hungriest T, up until about a week and a half ago. When I tried to feed it, I noticed it was extremely jumpy and agitated, and it didn't want to eat. I thought, ok.. maybe it's going to molt, even though from looking at the spider it just didn't seem likely that was the problem. So I left it alone and didn't disturb it. Throughout the week I would see it pacing around its deli cup, or standing in one spot moving its legs around.
This past Monday I took a good look at it and saw a pink bald spot on the left side of its abdomen. Hair flicking at nothing? It occurred to me that maybe something in the deli cup was bothering it, so I prepared a new enclosure and transferred it on Tuesday.
To describe its behavior when moving it... well, it was like a wild cat caught in a cage trap, it totally flipped out and was thrashing all over the place. I moved it very quickly; it wasn't an ordeal at all, but this behavior was distressing to me.
Today I noticed a couple of fruit flies in the new enclosure. I think they got in through the air holes, but I'm not sure if they are attracted to the T or the substrate, which is peat moss. My guess is they flew in from the kitchen and are trying to seek moisture from somewhere in my room. I don't think the peat moss is overly moist though.
When I got the fruit flies out, I saw the T is still acting the same way. So that leaves me with this post

Any ideas about what's going on are welcome, same with suggestions. And does anyone have any good anti-fruit fly tactics? :evil:

Do you think 2 out 5 T's having problems is too much? :wall: My blistery Chaco is due for a molt soon. I'll let you know how that goes

 

[Poolnymph]

Hi!

It seems it Brachy wacky season, world wide. I must say however, that what I've seen with my brachy's is that when there's a pink bald patch, it usually becomes a black bald patch, with a molt following not too long afterwards.

As far as the fruit flies are concerned, make sure that there isn't some decaying matter anywhere in the tank that you might have missed. Also, to make double sure there isn't anything else attracting them, remove the peat and nuke it in the microwave for 3 minutes on high - this will kill any potential bugs / bacteria etc...should there be any. Let the peat cool completely, you can then moisten again, as necessary and transfer it to a freshly cleaned tank again.

I hope this helps - good luck!

 

[Mina]

What kind of substrate are you using? Could there be something in the substrate that is bothering your T? When did it moult last? What you describe only reminds me of one thing. A friend of mine has a couple of T's and his wife, without his knowledge, went out and bought one of those sonic pest repellers. His T's went crazy, they all were acting like they had lost control of their movements. He unplugged it and everything was fine again. I've also heard a what I assumed to be a myth about T's acting that way around certain types of power lines. Is your B. albo the only one of your T's acting like this?

 

[Aunt Ant]

Thanks Poolnymph and Mina. Wacky Brachy indeed
Interesting about the sonic repellers. But no, we don't have any of those. Power lines nearby? None i know of. The B.albo is the only one acting out of sorts. This one and my other terrestrial T's are on peat moss. When I changed the enclosure, I put in fresh peat moss, because I thought there could be something bothersome in the substrate. I'm actually looking at the old deli cup right now and I'm not seeing anything unusual. The p.moss was dry, with a water cap. The substrate it's on now is more damp
Last molt was in November. I feed once every week or week and a half

 

[Poolnymph]

Thanks Poolnymph and Mina. Wacky Brachy indeed
Interesting about the sonic repellers. But no, we don't have any of those. Power lines nearby? None i know of. The B.albo is the only one acting out of sorts. This one and my other terrestrial T's are on peat moss. When I changed the enclosure, I put in fresh peat moss, because I thought there could be something bothersome in the substrate. I'm actually looking at the old deli cup right now and I'm not seeing anything unusual. The p.moss was dry, with a water cap. The substrate it's on now is more damp
Last molt was in November. I feed once every week or week and a half

You're welcome! I must say almost all my T's are on peat and I haven't had any problems....it was a different story with potting soil though, minute fly-type bugs were "hatching" from it. Got rid of the potting soil, replaced it with peat and all's been well. It's also a lot cleaner and it holds the moisture better...especially with the heat we've been having here lately.

What are the temps like? Too low or high, might also have an effect?

 

[Mina]

Aunt ant,
Well, I have to say that even though everyone else is having bracy problems, I'm not. There are 7 in the house and all are fine. My B. albo is going a little overboard on her usual bulldozing routine, but she was just rehoused and every clump of dirt must be exactly where she wants it. Your substrate and feeding seem fine, and if that is when she moulted she might be ready to again, there is a possibility that she is getting ready to moult and is uncomfortable. Has your curly settled down any by now?

Poolnymph,
The potting soil does work if you either microwave it on high for 3 minutes first or put it in the oven on about 200 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. You can also put it in a baggie and freeze it. Doing either will kill any bugs or bug eggs.

 

[Poolnymph]

Aunt Ant....I think your Brachy may well be getting ready to molt...my auratum sling that has also been acting weird, actually molted over the weekend!!! Mine molted mid-November, so I was surprised to see the molt...it could be that yours will also be molting soon, especially with the bald patch you described on the abdomen - Good Luck!

Thanks Mina - I did nuke the potting soil in the microwave after I discovered the bugs and it worked well, but they seem to be attracted to it anyway, know what I mean? So I gave the peat a go and well, I've been bug free ever since. The potting soil didn't go to waste though....I donated it to my garden!

 

[Aunt Ant]

I seriously hope that's all it is: an impending molt. Been 2 weeks now, it's still acting strange, flicking at nothing. The bald spot isn't dark, it's a flesh color. Is it odd that the bald spot is only on one side?
I just feel really bad for my curly. Don't like seeing it in distress and not knowing precisely what's wrong
Whatever happens, I'll update

 

[Aunt Ant]

Update 2/25

It's been a month since I started this thread, wish I could say my B.albopilosum is back to normal, but its not. No molt has occurred. It hasn't settled and is constantly tense. Slight vibrations cause it to move its legs around nervously. Bigger disturbances, (such as opening the lid, adding water to the cap, or a cricket wandering about) cause the spider to go absolutely batty. It will not eat and I'm not sure if its drinking. There are now bald patches on both sides of the abdomen. The abdomen looks as though its shrinking.
I feel there's a difference between a spider just acting skittish and what's going on here. I'll attempt to get video footage to show you guys, I'm finding this so weird..
Nobody's had any similar experiences?

 

[Annie3Ponies]

I had exactly the same experience, starting about 2 months ago, with my A. seemanii, now it has gone into its hide and only moves a little (so I know its not dead), refuses food, and I have never seen it come out to drink, but it must have, or it would be dead. No clue at all what is going on, and my other T's (including a B. smithi) are completely normal.

 

[Aunt Ant]

Update

Here's a happy update. Past couple of weeks, its started to eat again. I put in a cricket just to see if it would take it. At first it did not look promising, for the spider was still being flighty and dodging the cricket. So I got up to get some tools for removing the cricket. Then in the blink of an eye, the B.albopilosum just snaps out of it and lunges for it. Pure elation was what I felt. So, yeah, its been really enthusiastic about eating and hasn't refused anything since. It's still being a little flicky, and still has those bald spots, but perhaps it will mellow out eventually

A question to the experienced keepers: Did my T go into a winter mode? Do B.albopilosum typically hibernate and not eat for a few months? Or is that unusual. I've read about other species like G.rosea and A.chalcodes doing that