Balding abdomen with strange mark

Cameron2652x

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Nov 5, 2016
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My girlfriends golden knee tarantula had the balding abdomen but soon molted and we were told by the pet shops that it is just a maturing male. But now after molting it has gotten worse and developed a strange mark that looks like a sore. She is very worried and I really need help to help save this spider that's so important to her. Attached is 2 photos of the spot. Thank you
 

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Andrea82

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Wow, that looks awful! :(
Petshop owners rarely give good advice, this definitely not because of it being a MM. It looks like it fell on something sharp, could you post pics of enclosure? Was this visible right after the molting? Or did it show later on?
It could also be a molting fault, with the exo not hardening right, or a piece of old exoskeleton not shed right.
How long does your gf had it?
 

KezyGLA

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It looks to be an injury of some sort. It is possible that it is the result of a molt issue.

When did it molt and is it definately a MM?

Pic of enclosure would be good too.
 

Tfisher

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Chances are that it's one of two things. (poss. both)
1. A fall in the enclosure/ something falling on the T.
2. A handling mishap.

When I first entered the hobby I was big into handling my T's. This mark looks identical to when my A. Avic jumped out of my hands on to a concrete floor. She lived... until she molted and then kind ripped herself in half. I'd talk with the store and tell them your unhappy with the health condition of your T. I find it hard to believe that that mark could be from a "bad molt". I'd find it easier to believe that the store panicked when the T flipped onto its bad and began poking it with a broom handle.

Hope he does okay.
 

AfrooDah

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Sir i hv the same problem! my b.albopilosum had been hiding under his buried cave for like a week and he has the bald spot in his abdomen but i take a peek from a little hole and he just standing there and do nothing is this a normal behavior? i did search some in the internet and they said that he is gking to molt but i dont think he is going to molt bcs he just standing there. should i gave him food? and i dont know what to do please help me...
 

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Tfisher

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Sir i hv the same problem! my b.albopilosum had been hiding under his buried cave for like a week and he has the bald spot in his abdomen but i take a peek from a little hole and he just standing there and do nothing is this a normal behavior? i did search some in the internet and they said that he is gking to molt but i dont think he is going to molt bcs he just standing there. should i gave him food? and i dont know what to do please help me...
Stay calm. It's not uncommon for any of the Brachypelmas to stand still. I think I could see the back of the T and from what I can see she looks fine. I'd suggest not feeding if a molt is approaching chances are she wouldn't eat anyway. Over the next couple weeks monitor and see if a molting mat is made. But panicking only makes rash decisions. Make sure a water dish is full and just wait. :)

Edit. Also bald spot could be from being stressed. (loud noises, vibrations to many disturbances) No worries the hairs will come back next molt.
 

AfrooDah

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Stay calm. It's not uncommon for any of the Brachypelmas to stand still. I think I could see the back of the T and from what I can see she looks fine. I'd suggest not feeding if a molt is approaching chances are she wouldn't eat anyway. Over the next couple weeks monitor and see if a molting mat is made. But panicking only makes rash decisions. Make sure a water dish is full and just wait. :)

Edit. Also bald spot could be from being stressed. (loud noises, vibrations to many disturbances) No worries the hairs will come back next molt.
how do i know is she molting or not? bcs i keep an eye for her like a week and she just doing nothing and not even a little movement
 

Tfisher

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Lets get a better picture of the T. But you'll notice a darkening of the abdomen. (itll be real easy to see if there is a bald spot) also your T will refuse meals and sit still more often. Molting is a very stressful time for T's changes are its saving its energy for that day.
 

Cameron2652x

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Wow, that looks awful! :(
Petshop owners rarely give good advice, this definitely not because of it being a MM. It looks like it fell on something sharp, could you post pics of enclosure? Was this visible right after the molting? Or did it show later on?
It could also be a molting fault, with the exo not hardening right, or a piece of old exoskeleton not shed right.
How long does your gf had it?
Showed a while after moulting but has gotten worse now
 

KezyGLA

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That really doesnt look good. I don't expect that to just go away without having to moult. If definitely a MM then I am sorry to say doesnt look like it will be around much longer :(
 

Andrea82

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That does not look good. If it was a mammal, I'd say it has some underskin-bleeding, with all that red showing. But 'blood' of tarantula (hemolymph) looks white/grayish.
I can't think of much that would help. How is the spider behaving? Does it drink/eat/move at all? From your last picture it looks like it is in the same spot as a couple of days ago.
It doesn't look like it will recover, especially when it's a mature male :(
 

CakeLore

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Jul 12, 2013
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Its gotten worse. Please any suggestions????
I'm really sorry that does not look good. :( It's hard to tell from the picture but it looks kind of wet around that area, too? If so it could be a bacterial infection. Unfortunately there's not a ton you can do here. Some people recommend swabbing some sort of antibacterial cream/gel on the affected area but there's not a lot of evidence that this can do anything. It's possible the animal fell and was injured, and got an infection from that. I'm no expert though and I'd wait to see how others feel about this advice.

If nothing else, they should have known when they sold you a "maturing male" that its lifespan is limited. When a tarantula, and many other spiders, go through their final molt as a male they are biologically designed to mate and die, and won't live very long. I hope your T is able to pull through but if it's not there is a huge community of responsible and knowledgeable people here that can help you get a healthy female who will be with you for many years.
 

dopamine

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What makes you/the pet shop owner think it's a MM?
All you can do is wait and hope it molts out of it. Also, avoid handling it. Good luck.
 

ledzeppelin

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Im really sorry to have to tell you this, but probably next molt your T will bleed to death.. if it makes it to another molt.. I have had such horrible experience with mine.. It started developing in the first molt after I stupidly let her escape.. It must have been quite a fall, so I assumed that was the reason.. The mark got darker and bigger each molt.. until the last molt, where I caught her bleeding.. I managed to patch her up and she lived for a few weeks, but then sadly perished. It did appear as if there was a cyst developing with the injury.. because in my case, the last molt showed a ripped bulge on her.. I really wish you all the best and I sincerely hope I'm wrong..
 

cold blood

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That looks awful. I'd like to hear the answers to the questions andrea proposed in post #13
"How is the spider behaving? Does it drink/eat/move at all? From your last picture it looks like it is in the same spot as a couple of days ago."

I will add, what has its diet consisted of? Specifically, has it been fed any WC prey items?

Sadly, all we can do is speculate, there's nothing you are going to be able to do to help this t IMO.
 

Tfisher

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Just out of speculation I'd assume that the mark has gotten worse by the T itself. As we can see the T has been kicking hair.. its Likely that if something is irritating or hurting the T it will scratch or kick at the area. (Exp. a dog licking its wound or me picking a scab)

At this rate he could rupture his own abdomen. :(
 

Cameron2652x

Arachnopeon
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Nov 5, 2016
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Hey guys. No need for that. I found out what it is. If its a male then it means he has lived his lifespan and is coming to an end. If it's a female its a bad bacterial infection you can treat with bactroban cream
 
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