B. boehmei molt issue

[klawfran3]

I personally think it would be best to leave it alone. If it seems to be doing fine and isn't visibly suffering, I recommend you don't do anything because you could easily make it worse.

 

[Formerphobe]

I personally think it would be best to leave it alone. If it seems to be doing fine and isn't visibly suffering, I recommend you don't do anything because you could easily make it worse.

If I'm even able to catch her at time of molt, any effort to reduce the prolapse would be a single extremely gentle attempt on my part. If it doesn't go right back in, then it can just stay out for the life of the spider. One of my concerns with it pooched out is that she catch, drag or scrape it on something and cause a breech in the exoskeleton. She's in a 'safe' enclosure as far as minimal things to hurt herself on, but she is an excavator and I can't stop her from being a spider.

---------- Post added 03-29-2014 at 09:25 AM ----------

Certainly seems like a reasonable theory. My only concern would be that pushing the prolapsed area back in might create some kind of internal disruption that could complicate the development of the next molt even further. Obviously can't be sure either way, though... will be interested to see how it works out if you do get a chance to try.

Perhaps some kind of genetic issue? Maybe a cyst displacing the surrounding tissue out through the epigastric furrow as it grows? When it does die (hopefully many years from now!) it could be enlightening to perform a bit of an autopsy and see if there is actually something unusual/cyst-like up in there.

I, too, wondered about a genetic defect. If she should die within my lifetime, I will be right on that post mortem! She does have the potential to outlive me.

 

[tarantulagirl10]

This is my first time seeing this thread. Poor girl. At least she's in good hands.

 

[Formerphobe]

Well, I have bad news, and I have more bad news. :-( She was up on the glass today so I could get pics. The prolapsed area is protruding even more than before. It sticks out ~0.25", possibly a shade more. And, she has pieces of exuvium stuck to both posterior booklungs. It was hard to visualize the anterior booklungs, those may be compromised as well.
I don't look for her to survive next year's molt. And there's the possibility that she could abrade or lacerate the protrusion in her excavating and cause a breech prior to that.

Once she hardens completely (fangs are still red-ish) and has had opportunity to groom well, I'll see the status of the booklungs. If necessary, I can take her into work, sedate her and see if I can clean up the booklungs some.

Sorry for the quality of some of the pictures.

 

[viper69]

Oh man that's a real bummer to say the least!

 

[friendttyy]

Found this old thread from robc prolapsed female fasciata. http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?127518-Update-on-my-P.Fasciata-with-prolapse

 

[Formerphobe]

Found this old thread from robc prolapsed female fasciata. http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?127518-Update-on-my-P.Fasciata-with-prolapse

Thanks for that link, I'd not seen that thread before.

It's been a few months since I posted on this thread. The boehmei did clean the pieces of exuvium off. Since her March molt, I've been feeding her slightly more than the past couple of years - one small/medium prey item every 10 days to two weeks instead of once a month. She's still pretty lean so there does not seem to be any undue pressure on her abdomen.

I noticed last night that she is in heavy premolt. It's only been 4 months since her last molt and she had been going 10 months between molts. I'm hoping that she's planning on 'fixing' herself this go round, but it could go either way.

 

[korg]

Good luck... I'll be interested to hear how it goes. Have you thought any more about whether you'll attempt a superglue repair if the prolapse persists?

 

[Formerphobe]

Good luck... I'll be interested to hear how it goes. Have you thought any more about whether you'll attempt a superglue repair if the prolapse persists?

I consulted with some folks at the ATS conference last week about this spider and got a mixed response. If I can catch her in mid molt, and if the prolapse is easily reducible, I may try it. If it doesn't replace easily, I will just leave well enough alone.

 

[Formerphobe]

Epigynal area including both anterior booklungs were stuck. She had turned over and was dragging the exuvium along underneath her. Exuvium over the prolapse came off easily. Booklungs were more persistent and I was not able to get all of the old exuvia off one of them. The prolapse did not easily reduce, so I left it alone. Surprisingly, she was very tolerant of my ministrations.

 

[ratluvr76]

Glad to see she made it through another molt. She's beautiful.

 

[Formerphobe]

This girl came back from a bad molt in March of this year. I had to help free the booklungs and was unable to completely remove all the old exoskeleton from the book lung area. She did well, went back to eating her meager portions with gusto.
I'm sad to report that she died yesterday while apparently attempting another molt.

 

[Ellenantula]

This girl came back from a bad molt in March of this year. I had to help free the booklungs and was unable to completely remove all the old exoskeleton from the book lung area. She did well, went back to eating her meager portions with gusto. I'm sad to report that she died yesterday while apparently attempting another molt.

What a sad loss, sounds like she was a real fighter though.

 

[mmfh]

So sorry!
Do you still have plans for a necropsy?