Chaco Mysterious death ...Dks?

[CodieBlain]

i work for a pets store and wwe hd a fully matured Grommastala Pulchripres.... anyway i had noticed it couldnt keep its balance when i picked it up it would jump all over like it was trying to get a good grip when it had ample space so i sat him back down

came in the next day and saw it on its back with its legs wriggling like crazy so i flipped him over seemed to be ook for now

the next day i managed to walk in at the exact moment it was siezing? its legs were curling and it was geting jerked all over the cage as if someone was shaking him each indiidual leg would cringe and crinkle i didnt know what do do at this moment ...

the nex day i came in its 4 front legs had curled inwrds and it couldnt stand i tried to help it to its feet but it just couldnt stand it was in icu buy this point

later that night i checked him before i left and his abdomen had exploded in the back and he had passed

remember he wa well hydrated perfect temp and fed well ... just wandering if ive had my first Dks Expierence or was it something else

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

I get so tired of seeing DKS.....

So it was on its back? Sounds like it was either molting or a MM making a sperm web. Do you know how how to identify a mature male?

 

[SamuraiSid]

DKS is a grouping of symptoms (definition of "s") that involve general twitchiness and result in death more often than not. There are lots of anecdotal reports showing ICU and a molt can improve the condition, and I have had this experience myself. That being said, Id say it meets the criteria for DKS, not like thats an acceptable COD, IMHO and Chris' :sarcasm:

The abodminal explosion is more likely than not the actual cause of death, and is not asscociated with DKS. Yuo say it was well fed, proper humidity and perfect temp. Can you provide more specifics?

 

[CodieBlain]

is usually between 80-85 degrees F at the highest 86 but rarely

about 75 percent humidity

5-9 large crickets a month

was about 4 years old and yes i can identify a mature male

it looked like maybe he was having siezures regularly the one seziure i saw was vicious and looked painfull

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

So you're sure it wasn't a mature male? And you're sure it wasn't molting?

 

[Formerphobe]

It was fully matured at 4 years of age? Aren't members of the Grammostola genus usually slow growers?

Are there any pesticides of any kind used in the store?

Had it been defecating normally?

What was the heat source? Light? Mat? etc?

 

[Theist 17]

This spider was not a mature male at four years old. Grammostola mature at around seven years of age, if my source is telling me right.

That aside, what does a normal tarantula death (from old age) look like? Is this different or similar? How?

 

[CodieBlain]

sorry about that .... was a typo i meant 8 my bad

 

[abryan1992]

I dont recall a lot of mature Grammastola making 8 years..? Might just be me though

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

How big was it? How do you know it was 4 years old?

 

[Storm76]

It was fully matured at 4 years of age? Aren't members of the Grammostola genus usually slow growers?

My G. pulchripes is 4 years old, too and 6" mature female. She'll grow some more, sure, but she's an adult nevertheless. I think the term "adult" is sometimes a bit confusing, as some use it meaning "it won't grow anymore". Grammostolas are quicker growing than Brachys.

 

[gromgrom]

insectides are a cause of DKS, fyi.

 

[Vespula]

Yikes. I hope you find out what caused her to pass away so violently.

 

[DannyH]

and saw it on its back with its legs wriggling like crazy

Thats what tarantulas do when the moult. Not that it should been climbing, but inability for a tarantula to climb is also I sign of premoult. You killed it when you flipped it over and started screwing around. Next time, do some reasearch.

 

[Sweepstakes]

Unless I missed it somewhere, the height of the enclosure was never reported. Not taking the other issues into consideration, a broken abdomen could have resulted from a bad fall, especially if it seemed to have issues holding on to surfaces and having too much room to climb. Posting pics of the T and the enclosure might help us out a bit.

 

[CodieBlain]

so they continue to molt even after they have tibial hooks? .... we bought him fully mature had him for 2 years after and we bought him so he was old he had the hooks when we ordered them so anywhere between 5-8 years of age sorry the details are scattered.. u can never be sure when u get something from a pet store lol where they order from gives you no information just states maturity/size if even that i know what moulting looks like this was a lil diferent and i was told that they dont moult after they have the hooks that it was a final moult accesory or else i wouldnt have flipped him over at all

 

[abryan1992]

I know its nice and easy to just get a T from a pet store, but try to buy online instead. Sure its a little more expensive, but Im telling you its worth it. You get it from breeders who know what they're doing and take care of T's like they are suppose to be taken care of. Not watered with sponges and put 10 crickets in the cage for feeding time.

 

[Anonymity82]

so they continue to molt even after they have tibial hooks? .... we bought him fully mature had him for 2 years after and we bought him so he was old he had the hooks when we ordered them so anywhere between 5-8 years of age sorry the details are scattered.. u can never be sure when u get something from a pet store lol where they order from gives you no information just states maturity/size if even that i know what moulting looks like this was a lil diferent and i was told that they dont moult after they have the hooks that it was a final moult accesory or else i wouldnt have flipped him over at all

So it had hooks and boxing gloves? Honestly, if it was a MM it probably didn't have much of a chance making it through another molt if that's what it was trying to do. It could have been just dying from being old. MMs don't live very long after their final molt. I've read anywhere from a few months up to two years, although two years isn't common.

You still shouldn't have flipped him over and just let him die how he's going to die. An ICU could have been a nice place for him to die but after two years of being a MM his time was coming to a close.

 

[CodieBlain]

lol i work at the pet store that had it and i didnt buy it it died while i was working and thank you those who were helpful and actually read the post