Dehydrated Tarantula

[Vespula]

*Crosses Fingers* Good luck, MJ!

 

[Bill S]

I found a small tarantula (Aphonopelma chalcodes) in a death curl on the floor of my bathroom. Have no idea how it got there or how long it had been in the house but it was very close to the end. Barely responsive and looking bad. Nevertheless, I decided to try to save it. I gave it drops of water at first, put it into an ICU, made sure it had wet tissue near its mouth a few times a day. At one point I thought it had died, but fortunately I left it in place and soon saw it move a little. After a few days it started moving a little more, but with very little strength. It wouldn't (or couldn't) take live crickets, but I wanted to get some food in it. I put very small amounts of moist cat food in front of it, and it did eat a little. Eventually it pounced on its first live cricket. And a week later it would attack crickets from across the Kritter Keeper I than had it in. Today, more than a year later, it's doing quite well and has become a permanent part of my collection.

So.... I guess my message here is to keep trying and don't give up hope. They work on a slower time scale than we do, so be patient and persistent.

 

[Stan Schultz]

I found a small tarantula (Aphonopelma chalcodes) in a death curl on the floor of my bathroom. ...

So.... I guess my message here is to keep trying and don't give up hope. They work on a slower time scale than we do, so be patient and persistent.

Right on! A tarantula isn't dead until it smells dead. Never give up!

 

[Dani87GN]

Thanks guys! I really do appreciate the support. I love this forum!!

I was thinking of trying to give MJ a cricket just to see if she will eat it. If she doesn't then I'll give it to Peter Parke or the scorpion. They won't hesitate to eat it. lol

I never knew about trying cat food if she doesn't take the cricket. Thanks for the information. Any particular kind/brand? Just figured I'd double check before I bought it.

 

[Dani87GN]

I forgot to mention that today is 3 days that she's been in the ICU. Hopefully I'll see a difference this coming Sunday.

 

[Mamisha-X]

CAT FOOD?!?!?! :? I have never heard of that before! I mean I have fed my roaches cat food but I never heard of feeding it to a T! it doesnt sound right to me, no offense to anyne but personaly I wouldnt try it. If you would like to try and feed her then squish the head of the cricket or pull its legs off so it wont put up a fight. I dont think she will eat it tho. you should focus more on the water and not so much the food.

 

[Wachusaynoob]

knew about trying cat food if she doesn't take the cricket. Thanks for the information. Any particular kind/brand? Just figured I'd double check before I bought it.

Or....You could Cut A Cricket in Half And Feed It That way Instead of risking a catfood with High Calcium or the likes!! Gutside dwon ofcourse, So Like a Cricket IV Drip or a milkshake.

 

[Dani87GN]

I never heard of cat food either. Someone else responded with the information. I think she might be getting better but it's hard for me to tell. I am just trying to stay positive. I might try a cricket tomorrow. Thanks again!

 

[Vespula]

I hope she continues to get better!

 

[BatGirl]

molt or hydration issue?

First, I have seen mature tarantula's that had been molting every 12 to 18 months suddenly molt only a couple of months apart (typically due to some trauma, though), so I would not be quite so quick to dismiss the 'trying to molt but got interrupted by this giant' issue.

After raising the humidity (and forget the face in the water thing) I'd probably try to return her upside-down (but not in the water dish). Could be she's inside her old body and moving about this way is somewhat difficult (especially trying to flip back over...).

Just what I'd do...

My prayers are with her

Oh, and good luck, kiddo!

 

[Dani87GN]

It appears that MJ has not recovered and has moved on to another life. I checked her a little bit ago and she was not moving. She's moving her legs here and there if I disturb her. I am going to check on her again tomorrow to verify.

I have a question though. I recently cleaned her house our and put new substrate in. When I placed her back in her tank she did not go anywhere. The only thing she did was back herself into a 1/2 coconut shell hide. Do you think I should still clean the tank out or do you think it would be safe to simply place another spider in there? I wasn't too sure because usually I always clean tanks if anything died in them. However, this one I wasn't too sure since it was already clean and she didn't move around at all.

I was thinking of cleaning it but wanted a second opinion. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated, please. Thanks everyone!! - Danielle

 

[Stan Schultz]

... Do you think I should still clean the tank out or do you think it would be safe to simply place another spider in there? ...

None of us are sure at this point why your current tarantula is dying or dead, or whether the cause is a communicable disease or merely an accident while molting. So, yes. Clean it. For the small investment of time, effort, and money you could be saving the next tarantula's life.

I wouldn't use any heroic means of sanitizing or sterilizing the cage and all its furnishings though. Wash everything with warm to hot soapy water as though it were this afternoon's dishes. Rinse well to remove all traces of soap. Anything that's porous, that might absorb or soak up the soap water or harbor random disease organisms (e.g., substrate, wood or sandstone decorations, terra cotta flower pot) should probably not be used in the cage again.

Sorry about this disaster. Best of luck on your next little buddy.

 

[Dani87GN]

I was actually coming on here to answer my own question that I was "going to clean it out". Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it! I know I have to be doing something right because my other tarantula is doing well (knock on wood). I guess sometimes things just happen. Thanks again!

 

[briarpatch10]

sad to hear. best of luck with your other t's

 

[Bill S]

CAT FOOD?!?!?! :? I have never heard of that before! I mean I have fed my roaches cat food but I never heard of feeding it to a T! it doesnt sound right to me, no offense to anyne but personaly I wouldnt try it.

At the time, I had cat food available and no crickets on hand. Actually, we've used cat food for a number of other arthropods, and with good success. Cat food (the canned stuff) is for all practical purpposes, canned carrion. It's perfect food for carrion beetles, phoretic mites that travel on carrion beetles, etc. But if you think about it - dead crickets are just another form of carrion. We've found other non-tarantula spiders snacking on leftover bits of cat food (left over from actual cats). While I prefer using crickets, it's not because crickets contain better nutrition - but because they are probably more recognizeable as food. Beyond that - meat is meat. Cricket meat, chicken meat, whatever. Spiders extract what they need from it and dump the rest.

 

[mammajamma]

Just received a golden-knee tarantula . It was given to me because they didn't know what to do with her. Terrible condition. I believe it's dehydrated. Her legs are all mangled and she had lost a leg at some point. She is very weak and has trouble walking. I placed her on some moist coconut fiber and placed a hermit crab under tank heater on one half of the enclosure to increase humidity. I may offer water tomorrow by placing her on her back and giving it by mouth, maybe in a few days to not create more stress. Any other ideas? And do you feel that my ideas are adequate?

 

[Venom1080]

Just received a golden-knee tarantula . It was given to me because they didn't know what to do with her. Terrible condition. I believe it's dehydrated. Her legs are all mangled and she had lost a leg at some point. She is very weak and has trouble walking. I placed her on some moist coconut fiber and placed a hermit crab under tank heater on one half of the enclosure to increase humidity. I may offer water tomorrow by placing her on her back and giving it by mouth, maybe in a few days to not create more stress. Any other ideas? And do you feel that my ideas are adequate?

take off the heat pad. flip it over and administer water through a syringe on the chelicerae. (the part beneath and around the fangs.) pics would help a ton in this situation. i wouldnt place it in a ICU because this is a arid dwelling species, it hates a humid enclosure. the damp sub is more than enough for humidity.

 

[SeattleBugWars]

I have a M. Balfouri I'm also having trouble with. After doing a lot of reading on premolt and dehydration symptoms, I put her in ICU but then just read your post.
She has turned onto her back since but I'm worried.
Should I take her out of ICU because she is a low humidity species, risking that the high humidity might harm her, or leave her and see if she molts??

 

[Andrea82]

@SeattleBugWars
How long has she been on her back? If you suspect a molt, never touch or move them. Why did you choose an ICU?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I have a M. Balfouri I'm also having trouble with. After doing a lot of reading on premolt and dehydration symptoms, I put her in ICU but then just read your post.
She has turned onto her back since but I'm worried.
Should I take her out of ICU because she is a low humidity species, risking that the high humidity might harm her, or leave her and see if she molts??

I fail to realize why you put a next to molt (according by: "She has turned onto her back...) M.balfouri into something like a ICU, when those Yemen T's are perfectly fine with a water dish only, when 'humidity' is concerned... just like I fail to realize why only thinking to move next to molt T's in general. Never move or touch a Theraphosidae prior, during, after that time lapse.