Disabled T (bad molt)

[Scorpendra]

I caught my P. everetti molting yesterday, and her pose seemed off where her abdomen and hind legs were free but her front legs and pedipalps were still inside. Later that night, this hadn't changed and I was forced to intervene. I don't know how she ended up molting the way she did, but the exuvia had dried while her legs were still inside. I surgically freed all of the trapped legs, but they're gnarled and noodle-like. Even the back pair that she freed on her own are totally limp. She's alive and as responsive as a recently-molted tarantula can be, but totally disabled. I also suspect internal damage since her abdomen was covered in feces and is slightly swollen on her right ride. I will be keeping an extremely close eye on her condition and attempting to nurse her through this instar, but....it looks really bad.

 

[darkness975]

I will be keeping an extremely close eye on her condition and attempting to nurse her through this instar

Probably the only real course of action you can take. Hope it pulls through.

 

[mconnachan]

Pictures would help enormously, hope things aren't as bad as they sound, post pics and we can see the problems your dealing with......

 

[Scorpendra]

Every single one of her legs is mangled, even the rear ones that I didn't need to free. Her colors also changed drastically, which is odd.

 

[Tomoran]

Oh, gosh...that's absolutely terrible. That poor thing. Ugh. It sounds like you've made a valiant effort to save her, but the suspected internal damage doesn't sound good. I hope she pulls through for you.

 

[nicodimus22]

Best of luck to you. People have nursed them through bad molts before, so it is possible.

 

[johnny quango]

Oh man that poor thing looks terrible it's one of the worst I've seen with the legs still attached. As others have said it's not impossible to nurse it back to health but it's going to be a long journey that's gonna test your patience. I really do hope for the best as always in these cases so good luck

 

[Scorpendra]

She passed away last night.

 

[nicodimus22]

Sorry to hear that. At least she had a great life with you before this happened.

 

[Socfroggy]

I'm sorry for your loss

 

[AshS]

Sorry about your T. You did all you could.

 

[mconnachan]

Sorry for your loss. I'm extremely sad to hear this, these things happen through no fault of your own, I hope it doesn't deter you from staying in the hobby, we've all had losses, it's never easy!

 

[AshS]

@PidderPeets what's with the dislike to showing condolence?

 

[PidderPeets]

@AshS I don't even remember posting that, so it was probably a total accident. Sorry about that! Undoing it right now

 

[AshS]

@AshS I don't even remember posting that, so it was probably a total accident. Sorry about that! Undoing it right now

Thanks, I didn't mean to come across like a douche. I thought it might of been accidental.

 

[PidderPeets]

Thanks, I didn't mean to come across like a douche. I thought it might of been accidental.

No worries, you didn't come across that way. Like I said, totally accidental. I'm glad you at least pointed it out, so I didn't randomly look at my stats a year down the road and be like "Huh? What did I dislike?"

 

[Scorpendra]

Sorry for your loss. I'm extremely sad to hear this, these things happen through no fault of your own, I hope it doesn't deter you from staying in the hobby, we've all had losses, it's never easy!

It's definitely a hard loss for me, but I'm not going anywhere anytime soon haha. First time I've had to rescue a T from its molt....I was at least hoping the legs I didn't have to cut free would have been useable. Even if someone considers the word "suffering" to be too anthropomorphizing, you gotta admit that was a rough way for an animal to go.