Brachypelma Albopilosum slumping. help

[GerdaSmitSA]

hi guys. im a new T owner but doing lots of research. so OK i got an adult curly hair in October. awesome spider! on 22/12/18 she molted. molting problem one of her legs got stuck. a little more than 24hours later i decided to see if i can help. wet paintbrush tried to get it loose. eventually it got pissed and amputated its own leg. freaky stuff but OK. little blood. but sealed the wound with cutex as suggested. all is well for about a week. suddenly it becomes sluggish.. almost depressed like. tried to feed. no dice. ok fine. after that its just worse and worse.. so on 12/01/19 i decided to try an ICU unit because its just slumping against the glass. no energy. after 24hour back to normal... last night i notice its slumping again. still not eating. please help. eating i know they can go months without but the slumping worries me. not walking around nothing. no leaks whatsoever i checked. 1st two photos before molt last two after

 

[Andrew Clayton]

ICU is not recommended unless severely dehydrated what age is the T

 

[GerdaSmitSA]

im not sure of the age but when it molted it got little bigger. i'll find photo showing size

this was its size 3 months ago

 

[Andrew Clayton]

Tbh it looks perfectly healthy as long as it has water it should be fine they can go months without eating so I wouldn't worry if it doesn't eat. What is the sex do you know?

 

[GerdaSmitSA]

you sure? thanks but its the slumping that's bothering me.. please check the last photo again where its laying against glass. sorry don't mean to second guess its just i want to be sure. don't want to loose it and no i haven't sexed it yet. eager to know though but unfortunately couldn't use mold

 

[Andrew Clayton]

The 1st set of photos you posted it dose look slightly dehydrated but that last one sat next to the book looks healthy I'd just make sure it has plenty of water. Pros be better with someone with more experience here @Chris LXXIX

 

[boina]

First of all, this needs to be in Tarantula Chat or Discussions, not in pics. Nobody will see it here, so no one will help you. @cold blood or @Ungoliant - would you mind moving it?

Second, there are a few red flags in your post. Treating an open would with Cutex??? Seriously? Who told you to do that? That stuff is toxic... Further: NO ICU. Do not put your tarantula in an ICU, unless you know for sure it is dehydrated. ICUs kill tarantulas. If you say it looked better that probably was because it mobilized its last reserves to try and get out of that death trap.

So: do you have any heating elements? If so, get rid of them. Especially after a molt they can dessicate a tarantula.

Did she fall? (Yes, it's a she.) Your enclosure is much too high. Tarantulas can climb glass but they do it badly and may fall. You won't see if any internal injuries happened.

Other than that: leave it alone. It has just molted. At that size it may need a month or more to get back in shape.

 

[GerdaSmitSA]

OK sorry my bad. Its my first day on arachnoboards so I didn't know about the photos. Secondly if you google tarantula injuries that's the advice that's given. Thats my main info provider. Apparently its either cutex or superglue. Superglue sounded dangerous so I went with cutex. The same goes for ICU. I've never used one before and according to the posts on google its used for any even maybe illness.. but then again as i said i'm still new at this and it sounds like you know what your talking about so I'll definitely use your advice thank you very much. No heating at the moment. Its still summer in south africa. Just a question if I may - How do you know its a female?

 

[Liquifin]

if you google tarantula injuries that's the advice that's given. Thats my main info provider

Most online info you find on tarantulas is outdated. And some of those info on youtube is ridiculous or inaccurate. Nowadays it is becoming harder to find good and accurate info on Tarantulas. This place is one of the few places where info is constantly up to date. So you're lucky to find this place. While it may seem like people bash you for mistakes, it is not because people on here are aggressive. But rather we just want to help inform on information.

 

[GerdaSmitSA]

No no i completely understand and appreciate any advice. I'll remember that thank you. No more google for me

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I think that one of the great errors a keeper may do (in good faith, of course) is to "trying" to help the spider, when he/she thinks that may be issues with the molting process. Don't. I absolutely disagree with that, let nature do her job.

What we need is to provide, always (as best as we can, of course) the proper set up (which means basically a suitable enclosure, which means, no 'Everest' higher walls at all - unless we are talking about arboreals/fossorials - the right amount of substrate inches/cm, a proper hide, the water dish) and the parameters (substrate moistness when needed, which in the case of this species isn't needed, the right ventilation - again, not needed here) then, let the molting process arrive: we can only hope that everything will be fine.

I know that we had (few) keepers that went the extra mile and forced their hand into that, but this shouldn't be a rule, only the rare of rarest exception.

Another thing that should never be performed is the use of those 'glue' or whatever stuff, on spiders. As @boina said, that stuff is toxic (logical). The ICU, again, as said prior, was/is incredibly overhyped and sadly viewed as an 'Holy Myth': isn't. ICU is a severe misconception.

Now the above isn't directed to @GerdaSmitSA but a 360°, in general, statement of mine towards those issues.

What I would do, being you @GerdaSmitSA, is to rehouse - maybe not now but - the spider into a less taller enclosure (cheap plastic ones, like a rectangular KK is fine).

If I'm not wrong, viewing the pics you posted here, you are using a glass one (they are big in South Africa, just like here in Europe), problem is that a lot of those glass enclosures tends to be "arboreal-higher" a bit, therefore either you add more substrate inches/cm (which isn't always possible with glass enclosures, especially if those have the front opening and not a top one) or you opt for a different enclosure that offers more floor space and not a so higher one.

Why? Simple: when a pet rock, slow, quite 'goofy' T's (so not the likes of P.murinus, or a 'GBB' agile one etc) is inside an enclosure too higher, chances of a 'climb and fall' scenario, that will lead to injuries, are big and always present, no matter.

Another thing I didn't noticed by the pics, btw, is the hide. There's one?

 

[GerdaSmitSA]

I think that one of the great errors a keeper may do (in good faith, of course) is to "trying" to help the spider, when he/she thinks that may be issues with the molting process. Don't. I absolutely disagree with that, let nature do her job.

What we need is to provide, always (as best as we can, of course) the proper set up (which means basically a suitable enclosure, which means, no 'Everest' higher walls at all - unless we are talking about arboreals/fossorials - the right amount of substrate inches/cm, a proper hide, the water dish) and the parameters (substrate moistness when needed, which in the case of this species isn't needed, the right ventilation - again, not needed here) then, let the molting process arrive: we can only hope that everything will be fine.

I know that we had (few) keepers that went the extra mile and forced their hand into that, but this shouldn't be a rule, only the rare of rarest exception.

Another thing that should never be performed is the use of those 'glue' or whatever stuff, on spiders. As @boina said, that stuff is toxic (logical). The ICU, again, as said prior, was/is incredibly overhyped and sadly viewed as an 'Holy Myth': isn't. ICU is a severe misconception.

Now the above isn't directed to @GerdaSmitSA but a 360°, in general, statement of mine towards those issues.

What I would do, being you @GerdaSmitSA, is to rehouse - maybe not now but - the spider into a less taller enclosure (cheap plastic ones, like a rectangular KK is fine).

If I'm not wrong, viewing the pics you posted here, you are using a glass one (they are big in South Africa, just like here in Europe), problem is that a lot of those glass enclosures tends to be "arboreal-higher" a bit, therefore either you add more substrate inches/cm (which isn't always possible with glass enclosures, especially if those have the front opening and not a top one) or you opt for a different enclosure that offers more floor space and not a so higher one.

Why? Simple: when a pet rock, slow, quite 'goofy' T's (so not the likes of P.murinus, or a 'GBB' agile one etc) is inside an enclosure too higher, chances of a 'climb and fall' scenario, that will lead to injuries, are big and always present, no matter.

Another thing I didn't noticed by the pics, btw, is the hide. There's one?

To be honest no no hide. I was told not necessary. Also the glass tank does not have any holes. Just a thin slit at the opening on top. This time pet shop where I bought tank said because of humidity needed ventilation suppose to be limited.. is this true?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

To be honest no no hide. I was told not necessary. Also the glass tank does not have any holes. Just a thin slit at the opening on top. This time pet shop where I bought tank said because of humidity needed ventilation suppose to be limited.. is this true?

You need to provide an hide, always. Unfortunately pet shops owners, at every latitude, keep saying the same wrong advices.

Anyway, this can be fixed easily: put a piece of cork bark (if you can't grab cork bark, you can use other suitable wood... but be careful that no parasites/spraying of all sorts were/are upon that) and offer that to your spider.

Also, maybe are my eyes, but... from the pics I've noticed that the substrate is on the moist side -- this species doesn't need that, the water dish alone is ok for juve/adult specimens.

The ventilation of your enclosure, according to what you said, isn't that much but then again, considering the species inside, is the last of your issue. Still, being you, I would rehouse the spider into a less taller enclosure.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

please check the last photo again where its laying against glass.

That's normal, tarantulas often sit in weird positions after moulting.

Edit: Case in point

Secondly if you google tarantula injuries that's the advice that's given. Thats my main info provider. Apparently its either cutex or superglue. Superglue sounded dangerous so I went with cutex.

Neither is necessary, they have valves where the leg joins the carapace that they can close off when a leg is removed to prevent them from bleeding out.

To be honest no no hide. I was told not necessary.

You should provide one, I'd rather provide a hide that doesn't get used than not bother and end up with a stressed tarantula.

This time pet shop where I bought tank said because of humidity needed ventilation suppose to be limited.. is this true?

No, pet shops know as much about tarantulas as I do about being a neurotypical human being. Enclosures should be well ventilated.

 

[boina]

Just a question if I may - How do you know its a female?

Tag me if you want me to answer - otherwise I might not see your question (use @ before my name) . In your last pic I can see the underside of your spider - that's a female.

This time pet shop where I bought tank said because of humidity needed ventilation suppose to be limited.. is this true?

No. That's about as wrong as it gets. First of all this is not a species that needs a lot of moisture to begin with and then no tarantula in the world needs "humidity", i.e. moisture in the air above their heads. Some tarantulas need moist substrate. Yours would probably like a moist corner, but @Chris LXXIX is right - the moisture you have in there seems excessive. Moreover, I would never restrict ventilation for any spider. Stuffy, humid enclosures are the number 1 reason for "unexplained" tarantula deaths.

 

[GerdaSmitSA]

@The Grym Reaper - My Green bottle blue sling was chilling just like your T after molting on saturday lol good to see its normal

@boina - Thanks for helping me identify sex... Awesome that I got a female!!

 

[GerdaSmitSA]

@Chris LXXIX and everybody else - Thank you very much for all your help and advice its deeply appreciated. I will fix all asap thank you very much

 

[GerdaSmitSA]

Hey guys thank you very much for all your help. My T's are just chillin now. Oh and my curly hair got a name now thanks to @boina . Her name's Suzie . Still not eating but she got her spunk back. Managed to get her a new home today so maybe she will start eating.@chris, @The Grym Reaper @Liquifin @Andrew Clayton @boina

O and just to show off my GGB

 

[Andrew Clayton]

Nicely done!

 

[Teal]

what age is the T

Unless you hatch out the T yourself, there is no way to know age. Ts are measured in life stages... sling, juvenile, and adult.