Black widow not moving

[ladyriverstyx]

Help! My young black widow spider that I've had for a few months was switched to a new enclosure, and she was SOOOOO active making her new webs, and I was sure she was "enjoying" herself. Now, after a few days, she's suspended from her web and not moving. I've seen a few tiny movements here and there, and her legs aren't curled in but it's been two days and she's still in that position, and I no longer see any movements. I am absolutely freaking out. I rescued her from a bird, and I love her so much. Could she just be molting or is something wrong?

 

[fcat]

If they are anything like many tarantulas, it can take a while to get settled in.

While waiting for someone with experience to check in, is there any chance that she was exposed to anything in the new tank?

Has she molted yet in your care?

Have you tried feeding, watering, or stimulating, and has there been any response?

 

[The Snark]

@darkness975 Yet another Latrodectus, probably Hesperus, failing to properly entertain it's Oberführer. What do you use to bang your head against that doesn't present a high risk of brain damage?

@ladyriverstyx On a serious note, after having it's primary sensory organ removed and food delivery service curtailed, it's web, and having to build an entirely new one, and now taking a well deserved time out to recover, the greatest concern would be if it's active and roaming about. That is, a healthy widow is well over 95% sedentary in it's normal habits.

That all being said, as the song goes, "And my shoulders had to shrug as I crawled beneath the rug and retuned my piano."

 

[ladyriverstyx]

@darkness975 Yet another Latrodectus, probably Hesperus, failing to properly entertain it's Oberführer. What do you use to bang your head against that doesn't present a high risk of brain damage?

@ladyriverstyx On a serious note, after having it's primary sensory organ removed and food delivery service curtailed, it's web, and having to build an entirely new one, and now taking a well deserved time out to recover, the greatest concern would be if it's active and roaming about. That is, a healthy widow is well over 95% sedentary in it's normal habits.

That all being said, as the song goes, "And my shoulders had to shrug as I crawled beneath the rug and retuned my piano."

She actually made her way into the enclosure herself because I didn't want to disturb her "room." She was totally active and spinning her web for a few days, and I saw her in the molting position a couple of days ago, but she's still in it and completely still without any movement, even with light stimulus. She has molted in my care twice, and just came into her full black coloration with red hourglass about a month or month and a half ago. There was nothing in this enclosure out of the ordinary for her or even other black widows I have successfully rehabbed and released into my garage. I was going to put her open enclosure into my garage or garden when it warms up so she could wander away a warm and happy widow, but it looks like she has died. I'm so sad, but I'm glad she got to live for a few months longer instead of dying in the beak of the bird I rescued her from.

 

[ladyriverstyx]

If they are anything like many tarantulas, it can take a while to get settled in.

While waiting for someone with experience to check in, is there any chance that she was exposed to anything in the new tank?

Has she molted yet in your care?

Have you tried feeding, watering, or stimulating, and has there been any response?

She has molted twice in my care, and there is no response with any sort of simulation today. I think my Birdy girl is gone. I'm heartbroken. I'm a mortician so I'll be honoring her life with a candle and mini burial. I guess I just don't know when I should do it. Part of me still thinks "wait her legs aren't curled in, maybe she's fine!" but I don't think that's the case. I had a widow a long time ago that died during a molt, and I STILL wonder if I buried her prematurely. I've had many successes, but the losses are still always hard for me.

 

[The Snark]

Apologies if my flippancy offended. That being said, sorry for the loss. These deaths happen for all sorts of reasons humans may never fully fathom.
My personal rule of thumb is leave them alone - to their fates. Keep her around for a month or more. They can easily go that long immobile yet healthy.

And a footnote, an oddity our entomologist mentioned. During overwintering many animals undergo an alteration with their body fluids essentially turning into natural antifreeze. During this period they are otherwise dysfunctional and undertaking ordinary functions, in this case building an entire new web, may over-stress the animal, possibly debilitating it or even causing premature death.

 

[darkness975]

Help! My young black widow spider that I've had for a few months was switched to a new enclosure, and she was SOOOOO active making her new webs, and I was sure she was "enjoying" herself. Now, after a few days, she's suspended from her web and not moving. I've seen a few tiny movements here and there, and her legs aren't curled in but it's been two days and she's still in that position, and I no longer see any movements. I am absolutely freaking out. I rescued her from a bird, and I love her so much. Could she just be molting or is something wrong?

Looks deceased in the photo.

Internal damage from a bad molt would be my best guess. Assuming it had access to water, food, etc.

 

[ladyriverstyx]

T

Looks deceased in the photo.

Internal damage from a bad molt would be my best guess. Assuming it had access to water, food, etc.

That's the conclusion I've come to myself. I'm heartbroken. May her beautiful soul spin all the webs and catch all the food in paradise.