Cyriopagopus lividus bald abdomen

[Yama777]

Hello,
I noticed that my young adult female Cyriopagopus lividus had a bald abdomen. Is this a sign of premolt or stress?
I've had her for 1 month, she hasn't eaten but has dug a burrow about 6" deep. However, she spends a lot of time outside, often "stresscurl" in a corner.
Should I be worried?
I've had quite a bit of experience with Asian fossorial species, and they don't usually stay outdoors that much...
Thanks in advance for your help

 

[viper69]

No one can read the mind of a tarantula

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Hello,
I noticed that my young adult female Cyriopagopus lividus had a bald abdomen. Is this a sign of premolt or stress?
I've had her for 1 month, she hasn't eaten but has dug a burrow about 6" deep. However, she spends a lot of time outside, often "stresscurl" in a corner.
Should I be worried?
I've had quite a bit of experience with Asian fossorial species, and they don't usually stay outdoors that much...
Thanks in advance for your help
View attachment 452515

I didn’t even know old worlds could go bald , thanks for sharing!!! I’ve never had this happen before .. no not pre molt abdomen isn’t dark but is it eating ???
, stress maybe .:. I had no idea this was possible.

 

[Yama777]

No one can read the mind of a tarantula

Of course! But should I be worried? It would have worried me less if it had been a terrestrial NW

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Of course! But should I be worried? It would have worried me less if it had been a terrestrial NW

No you learn something new every day this is unusual. I haven’t kept this species.

 

[Yama777]

No you learn something new every day this is unusual. I haven’t kept this species.

I'll keep you posted on what will happen then lol

 

[corydalis]

Substrate seems a bit too wet to me. I would let it dry out (not completely) and see how she reacts, if she still not settles then the issue is something else.

 

[Yama777]

Substrate seems a bit too wet to me. I would let it dry out (not completely) and see how she reacts, if she still not settles then the issue is something else.

She has dug a deep burrow and settles there regularly, but she spends a lot of time outside compared with my other Cyriopagopus.
I'll let the substrate dry out a bit, thanks!

 

[fq314]

Probably from stress or early stage of premolt, but that’s just my guess

 

[Wolfram1]

a picture of the entire enclosure wouldn't hurt...

those plants, Tradescantia zebrina? good choice they are tough.

@l4nsky
@The Grym Reaper

any ideas?

 

[Yama777]

a picture of the entire enclosure wouldn't hurt...

those plants, Tradescantia zebrina? good choice they are tough.

@l4nsky
@The Grym Reaper

any ideas?

There is pictures of the enclosure (global, side and substrate moisture)
Plants are Fittonia and Trandescantia

 

[Wolfram1]

is that webbing in the upper right corner, same one the spider was seen in in the first pictures?

strange that it would set up there...

the only thing i could think of that could cause it to move out, and this is just a guess, is that the substrate is too moist and the original burrow too stuffy as a result... as @corydalis already speculated

closeup also looks more moist than i would like, but i use a very different substrate so i am not the best person to judge.

how that relates to the bald abdomen though... not sure, stress probably...

 

[l4nsky]

If I was forced to guess, I'd say this is a recently wild caught specimen that might have been out in the wild less than a few months ago and the bald abdomen is damage from either a less than ideal collection method or rough handling while she was shipped halfway around the world. These are OW species and don't have any urticating hairs, so I don't believe stress would've contributed to her current hairless condition. Her inability to settle down and become established kind of lends credence to the recent WC theory as well.

 

[Yama777]

is that webbing in the upper right corner, same one the spider was seen in in the first pictures?

strange that it would set up there...

the only thing i could think of that could cause it to move out, and this is just a guess, is that the substrate is too moist and the original burrow too stuffy as a result... as @corydalis already speculated

closeup also looks more moist than i would like, but i use a very different substrate so i am not the best person to judge.

how that relates to the bald abdomen though... not sure, stress probably...

Indeed, the entire substrate was too moist and did not have the correct humidity gradient.
I rehoused her in a new, simpler, less humid enclosure, with a real humidity gradient at depth! I hope she will be ok now.
She was very fast and defensive during the rehouse, she doesn't look dying or weakened.

If I was forced to guess, I'd say this is a recently wild caught specimen that might have been out in the wild less than a few months ago and the bald abdomen is damage from either a less than ideal collection method or rough handling while she was shipped halfway around the world. These are OW species and don't have any urticating hairs, so I don't believe stress would've contributed to her current hairless condition. Her inability to settle down and become established kind of lends credence to the recent WC theory as well.

I don't think the hair loss is due to the capture as it appeared recently. Her abdomen was perfect when I received her.

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

Are you sure she's a lady? The tips of those palps look a little thick from this angle.

 

[Yama777]

Are you sure she's a lady? The tips of those palps look a little thick from this angle.

Bought as a female. In any case it's not a mature male, and ventrally it looks like a female. But I haven't yet had the chance to confirm the sex with molt

 

[l4nsky]

I don't think the hair loss is due to the capture as it appeared recently. Her abdomen was perfect when I received her.
View attachment 452553

Interesting.... With that in mind and barring some hitherto unknown microbial infection, the only logical conclusion I can think of is maybe her burrow collapsed at some point and while she was extricating herself, she lost the hair in the process. The back legs do appear significantly darker as compared to this photo when she was first acquired as well, which would possibly indicate trauma and coagulated hemolymph in the exoskeleton itself. Such damage is commonly seen with older MM who suffer consistent fall damage while searching for mates, but could easily have come from a burrow collapse as well IMHO.

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

"Bought as" and "ventrally" don't hold much water.

The back legs do appear significantly darker as compared to this photo when she was first acquired as well, which would possibly indicate trauma and coagulated hemolymph in the exoskeleton itself. Such damage is commonly seen with older MM who suffer consistent fall damage while searching for mates, but could easily have come from a burrow collapse as well IMHO.

Doesn't this seem like the most likely explanation? Op has only had "her" for 1 month.

 

[viper69]

Certainly seems too wet now that I see rest of box.

Can't explain setae loss

I wouldn't be worried yet, but would make it a bit more dry.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Indeed, the entire substrate was too moist and did not have the correct humidity gradient.
I rehoused her in a new, simpler, less humid enclosure, with a real humidity gradient at depth! I hope she will be ok now.
She was very fast and defensive during the rehouse, she doesn't look dying or weakened.


I don't think the hair loss is due to the capture as it appeared recently. Her abdomen was perfect when I received her.
View attachment 452553

Spectacular looking t .

If I was forced to guess, I'd say this is a recently wild caught specimen that might have been out in the wild less than a few months ago and the bald abdomen is damage from either a less than ideal collection method or rough handling while she was shipped halfway around the world. These are OW species and don't have any urticating hairs, so I don't believe stress would've contributed to her current hairless condition. Her inability to settle down and become established kind of lends credence to the recent WC theory as well.

I was just stumped I’ve never seen anything like this before . I figured maybe it was roughed up.