'Disabled' tarantula

inazumarina

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 20, 2020
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11
Wondering if anyone has experienced this before!
Brachypelma albiceps.
I obtained her recently, and her prior owner has had her since June 2019 as a sling. Since September 2019 apparently after molting she started to walk around strangely, and has been like this ever since. Since she started acting odd she's moulted 7 times with no problem according to the old owner's logs. Most recently in June this year. I.E. whatever it is doesn't seem to be resolved by moulting. She eats fine (but does need a bit of extra help). I’ve caught her fallen upside down thrice already (not to moult fyi). Basically incredibly docile too, I can easily pick her back up to correct her, and would probably easily be able to grab her anytime without complaint.
I wonder if anyone’s come across this or maybe hypothesise as to the cause - the fact she’s been like this for over 2y isnt something I’ve ever seen someone have before, but it's difficult to find threads or discussions that aren't the usual DKS (and this seems to be more lack of co-ordination and low 'hydraulics' than jittery or random movements like I believe DKS presents as).


View attachment IMG_0431.mp4
 

vancwa

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Oct 3, 2011
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405
Post a pic of the entire enclosure. Looks like there is no free floor space.
 
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inazumarina

Arachnopeon
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Nov 20, 2020
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Post a pic of the entire enclosure. Looks like the is no free floor space.
I've already moved her out of this one since the slope wasn't helping her before I realised quite how strange her movement was, however this is simply the best video I have of it. She walks like this no matter what she's on. The falling over, the two times I've seen it, were when she climbed the wall a touch and just fell backwards. Prior to this and now she's just in a bog standard critter keeper with short walls with flat coir/topsoil, dish, and a basic hide setup.
 

QuinnStarr

Arachnosquire
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I've already moved her out of this one since the slope wasn't helping her before I realised quite how strange her movement was, however this is simply the best video I have of it. She walks like this no matter what she's on. The falling over, the two times I've seen it, were when she climbed the wall a touch and just fell backwards. Prior to this and now she's just in a bog standard critter keeper with short walls with flat coir/topsoil, dish, and a basic hide setup.
Can you get a pic of the new set up? Telling us is one thing but actually being able to see is another.

Did her prior owner use a lot of perfume or incense or anything that may have impaired it’s central nervous system?
 

inazumarina

Arachnopeon
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Nov 20, 2020
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Can you get a pic of the new set up? Telling us is one thing but actually being able to see is another. I’ve also attached a pic of one of the other Ts previous setups (Ie how they were all kept).

Did her prior owner use a lot of perfume or incense or anything that may have impaired it’s central nervous system?
Attached.

I can’t be sure, but I can’t imagine so. I took on their remaining tarantulas and the other two are absolutely fine (G rosea MM and a G pulchra juvie F), I believe they got them all at similar times, so before this one started walking strangely.

A brachy that has molted 7 times since late 2019? Doesn't sound right.
They kept them very warm with two heat mats and very very fat… they were also 1cm slings to start.
The G rosea MM hooked out in *close to* 2 years. I don’t doubt their records.
 

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inazumarina

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Really? From EWL to mature male in 2 years?
Good point, not quite an EWL but I just found a photo of it at ~1.5cm in Sep ‘19. So not quite bang on.

But this is a bit off topic, I didn’t raise them so I can only go off their records and old photos, I have no reason to doubt them and they have no reason to lie. You can doubt if you want, it makes 0 difference to me; but please stop taking the post off topic.
I was merely after seeing if anyone else has/had a T with the same affliction given it’s near impossible to search for similar things without getting DKS posts and I’ve struggled to get responses elsewhere.
 

Neonblizzard

Arachnomoron
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611
Good point, not quite an EWL but I just found a photo of it at ~1.5cm in Sep ‘19. So not quite bang on.

But this is a bit off topic, I didn’t raise them so I can only go off their records and old photos, I have no reason to doubt them and they have no reason to lie. You can doubt if you want, it makes 0 difference to me; but please stop taking the post off topic.
I was merely after seeing if anyone else has/had a T with the same affliction given it’s near impossible to search for similar things without getting DKS posts and I’ve struggled to get responses elsewhere.
Maybe it's just a little special that's all... I would just keep the fall height to an absolute minimum as i guess it can't climb all that well.

Be sure to check back in to let us know how they are hanging in
 

sasker

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Let's just say the previous owner has a very different understanding of the word 'sling'.

Back to your question: this looks like a classic case of dyskinesia. As you may have found out from your own research, it is possibly caused by exposure to certain chemicals. Perhaps they gave topical flea treatment to their cat or dog. But it could be anything.

It looks quite bad, to be honest, but it is not completely hopeless. I nursed a A. geniculata back to normal health within two moults. That tarantula was accidently poisoned with fipronil, but it was not as bad as your tarantula, though. Does your T show any interest in food? Maybe it will get through the next moulting cycle. From then, it would look more hopeful.

the fact she’s been like this for over 2y isnt something I’ve ever seen someone have before
It's a very slow growing species with very long moulting cycles when older (which makes the discussion about how old this specimen really is very relevant). Two years without moulting is not a problem. As long as your tarantula is still with you, there is not much else you can do than just wait.
 

inazumarina

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 20, 2020
Messages
11
Let's just say the previous owner has a very different understanding of the word 'sling'.

Back to your question: this looks like a classic case of dyskinesia. As you may have found out from your own research, it is possibly caused by exposure to certain chemicals. Perhaps they gave topical flea treatment to their cat or dog. But it could be anything.

It looks quite bad, to be honest, but it is not completely hopeless. I nursed a A. geniculata back to normal health within two moults. That tarantula was accidently poisoned with fipronil, but it was not as bad as your tarantula, though. Does your T show any interest in food? Maybe it will get through the next moulting cycle. From then, it would look more hopeful.



It's a very slow growing species with very long moulting cycles when older (which makes the discussion about how old this specimen really is very relevant). Two years without moulting is not a problem. As long as your tarantula is still with you, there is not much else you can do than just wait.
Since I do get that internet strangers have no reason to not doubt a stranger talking about a stranger; just for y’all I did some more stalking, the attached is a photo of the B albiceps in question in July 2019. They posted a lot about their 3 hence why I have no reason to doubt their growth. Especially since I’ve also seen how enormous their asses were! The time recorded between their last two moults was 7 months so apart from a fast growth rate there’s nothing outwardly obviously inaccurate looking.

As mentioned eating is fine, they need a bit of help to grab it but happy to eat. And as per pic and records, I am certain it has moulted a fair amount between being a sling in a vial to the juvenile in the video, meaning it’s got through them whilst afflicted. Thanks, will see how it goes either way.


Maybe it's just a little special that's all... I would just keep the fall height to an absolute minimum as i guess it can't climb all that well.

Be sure to check back in to let us know how they are hanging in
cheers - the enclosure I’ve put her in is significantly less wall height which I’m hoping does help with the falling over.
Will be interesting to see if she does grow out of it eventually or make anywhere near the expected lifespan. Will do!
 

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greeneyedelle

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I've got no experience with "special" spiders, so I just want to say that even with whatever deficit it has, he/she is FREAKING ADORABLE! Oddly like seeing a three-legged dog living its' life, doing its' thing, just with a little more care and a little differently from everyone else :unicorn:
 

inazumarina

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I've got no experience with "special" spiders, so I just want to say that even with whatever deficit it has, he/she is FREAKING ADORABLE! Oddly like seeing a three-legged dog living its' life, doing its' thing, just with a little more care and a little differently from everyone else :unicorn:
aha yes absolutely- I fed a male dubia last week and watching her wrestle it and then doing the little spin round ‘happy dance’ with the uncoordinated little legs was super adorable. Very try hard even if the body doesn’t do what it should!
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
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Since I do get that internet strangers have no reason to not doubt a stranger talking about a stranger;
There's 2 types of people

Those that believe whatever they hear or read on the internet from strangers
Those that don't.
 

Dorifto

He who moists xD
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Nice to see you here too! I'm Ibon 😉

Here you will find a lot of usefull info and suggestions!

Add another pebble if you can.
 

inazumarina

Arachnopeon
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Nov 20, 2020
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Nice to see you here too! I'm Ibon 😉

Here you will find a lot of usefull info and suggestions!

Add another pebble if you can.
:D Hey hey! nice to see ya here too. Added another and buried it a bit more, thanks. No drowning for this special one :smirk:
 

Dorifto

He who moists xD
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They kept them very warm with two heat mats and very very fat… they were also 1cm slings to start.
The G rosea MM hooked out in *close to* 2 years. I don’t doubt their records.
Somewhere read that too much temp can cause those issues too. Also keeping them bone dry and with heat mats... Do you know the reason behind to keep them that way?

Did she molted under your care? I still struggle with the molts hahahahaha
Do you trust the previous owner? Because some can say wathever excuse to get rid of anything.
 

inazumarina

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Nov 20, 2020
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Somewhere read that too much temp can cause those issues too. Also keeping them bone dry and with heat mats... Do you know the reason behind to keep them that way?

Did she molted under your care? I still struggle with the molts hahahahaha
Do you trust the previous owner? Because some can say wathever excuse to get rid of anything.
I think they were going for a heated sling nursery type setup, they had the three of them in a larger tub with the heatmats on the side. Must've been mega warm!
Hasn't moulted with me yet, she last did in June apparently so doubt she will for quite a while now ha!
Yeah, they have a bunch of posts across a few groups on FB and they did really seem to care and make sure I knew she needed some extra care. IIRC they got haired quite badly in the face and decided to give up the hobby completely as a result. Seemed like a very genuine person.
 

Dorifto

He who moists xD
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Messages
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I think they were going for a heated sling nursery type setup, they had the three of them in a larger tub with the heatmats on the side. Must've been mega warm!
Hasn't moulted with me yet, she last did in June apparently so doubt she will for quite a while now ha!
Yeah, they have a bunch of posts across a few groups on FB and they did really seem to care and make sure I knew she needed some extra care. IIRC they got haired quite badly in the face and decided to give up the hobby completely as a result. Seemed like a very genuine person.
Nice!!

I'd give a try to keeping her a bit more moist and warm 77F+-.
 
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