Bad Molt

[pategirl]

I woke up this morning to find my P. fasciata s'ling had molted. I didn't think anything of it until I went in there a few hours later to look at it. The poor little thing had gotten five of its legs stuck, and was dragging the molt around with it. I waited a few more hours hoping it was just taking a little longer than normal, and noticed that it was still dragging itself around with the free legs. I took some warm, not hot, water mixed with some gentle hand soap and managed to get the molt off of the legs(I really hope I did the right thing). All but one of the legs that had gotten stuck were in terrible shape, and the spider has now discarded them. It seems like it may have had more trouble than that, as the toes on all but two of the remaining legs are deformed as well. I don't know what else to do for it. I don't know how it will eat either...is there any way it could make it until its next molt with full use of only two legs and a pedipalp? I feel so bad for the little guy.

 

[Rich]

That's too bad. If he manages to eat, then he might make it. make sure that you only feed him small crickets without their hind legs. Good luck!

 

[Professor T]

Originally posted by pategirl
I woke up this morning to find my P. fasciata s'ling had molted. I didn't think anything of it until I went in there a few hours later to look at it. The poor little thing had gotten five of its legs stuck, and was dragging the molt around with it. I waited a few more hours hoping it was just taking a little longer than normal, and noticed that it was still dragging itself around with the free legs. I took some warm, not hot, water mixed with some gentle hand soap and managed to get the molt off of the legs(I really hope I did the right thing). All but one of the legs that had gotten stuck were in terrible shape, and the spider has now discarded them. It seems like it may have had more trouble than that, as the toes on all but two of the remaining legs are deformed as well. I don't know what else to do for it. I don't know how it will eat either...is there any way it could make it until its next molt with full use of only two legs and a pedipalp? I feel so bad for the little guy.

I've read that some get their T's to eat frozen and then thawed crickets. Maybe someone can give you advice on that.

I would say survival is possible. I once rescued a Chilean rose that was put in with a Emperor Scorpion. The scorpion pulled three of the walking legs off the T. It was a cruel prank that a sicko kid did to see what would happen. I adopted the scorpion and the T, they were brought to me at school by a student I did not know. I told him how cruel the "experiment" was. They were both brought to me in the same petpal!

The T needed extra care, but regenerated its legs, and lived for about four years. The Emperor was docile for the most part, but once tried to eat my finger. The chelicera weren't strong enough to break my skin...a pathetic attempt to eat me! ;P

 

[D-Man]

Packed lunches

PG-

I think you should ball-up the cric's for your baby to reduce the work needed to eat. I think it will be ok.

What were all the conditions of the sling during the molt? Heat, humidity, diet, etc?

Dario

 

[pategirl]

I've only had it about a month now, and I've been misting its vial every couple days, because I suspected a molt was on the way when it stopped grabbing crickets as soon as they landed on its substrate. It stopped eating a week ago. The temperature was in the upper 70's for the most part. There isn't much I can do about it now except wait and see how it does with food when its fangs harden.