Does anyone know what DKS means?

FireGuyX

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And if my tarantula is showing signs of DKS? I ordered a 3" P.cancerides from TarantulaInc (free shipping) and it's abdomen is a little messed up, nothing too serious from the looks of it. It was moving fine when I got it out of it's package.
 

Richard McJimsey

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DKS = dyskinetic syndrome. It causes T's to act "erratically".
 
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Nomadinexile

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And if my tarantula is showing signs of DKS?
DKS is a term used to describe a (or many) neurological problem(s). Its cause is unknown, and there is no known treatment. All you can do is hope.

If it's acting normal, then it doesn't have DKS.
 

FireGuyX

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DKS is a term used to describe a (or many) neurological problem(s). Its cause is unknown, and there is no known treatment. All you can do is hope.

If it's acting normal, then it doesn't have DKS.
I've heard of complaints about the free shipping from tarantulaInc, and some of the posters have complained about defective tarantulas they get from them.
 

robd

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If you felt your T was moving fine, then it probably isn't suffering from this.

For the record, on DKS, anybody who knows what it actually is, knows it's a set of symptoms, and so no one gets upset or has their feelings hurt, I will kindly refer to such a condition as DKS symptoms.

It was stated above what it stands for. Here is a good example of what it looks like:

[youtube]_9KkXig1F3g[/youtube]

The above is an Avic avic suffering from said symptoms. As you can see it moves it's fangs around in what seems to be an uncontrollable manner and is very jittery when moving, rather than deliberate like a healthy tarantula.

The widespread sentiment regarding this, which I agree with, is that these symptoms are brought on from exposure to chemicals such as those found in the flea/tick preventative "Frontline" for dogs and cats or products like it. As well as air freshners and probably plenty other things.
 

robd

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I had a less than positive experience once with them. I bought my first 3 T's, 4 emperor scorps, and 1 centipede for my first order ever. The centipede was DOA though. They had me take a picture of it like it was going to make a difference or something. My camera was 2.0 MP so it was a giant blur that maybe looked like a centipede. They did replace it though so that was nice of them. So in the long run, positive.

Can't speak for them with tarantulas though. I lost my 3 from them due to my own faults and learning lessons.
 

xhexdx

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I think my T got banged up from the shipping (shipping was poor), it's still active and docile for a P.cancerides.
I've heard of complaints about the free shipping from tarantulaInc, and some of the posters have complained about defective tarantulas they get from them.
I'm not sure what either of these posts have to do with DKS...
 

FireGuyX

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I'm not sure what either of these posts have to do with DKS...
The shipping was poor and my tarantula had a scar on it's abdomen. I read the reviews on tarantulaInc and some of the posters were complaining about having defective tarantulas including ones that had DKS.

I was just wanted to make sure my tarantula was okay.
 

Crysta

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If you felt your T was moving fine, then it probably isn't suffering from this.

For the record, on DKS, anybody who knows what it actually is, knows it's a set of symptoms, and so no one gets upset or has their feelings hurt, I will kindly refer to such a condition as DKS symptoms.

It was stated above what it stands for. Here is a good example of what it looks like:

[youtube]_9KkXig1F3g[/youtube]

The above is an Avic avic suffering from said symptoms. As you can see it moves it's fangs around in what seems to be an uncontrollable manner and is very jittery when moving, rather than deliberate like a healthy tarantula.

The widespread sentiment regarding this, which I agree with, is that these symptoms are brought on from exposure to chemicals such as those found in the flea/tick preventative "Frontline" for dogs and cats or products like it. As well as air freshners and probably plenty other things.
You mention air fresheners.... If this is your video sorry, but seeing the 'ax' or smelly sprayer there on the bed, could the tarantula have been affected by that smell?
 

robd

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Oh no, I just pulled up that vid on YouTube after a quick search to show an example.

I've already learned that lesson as I'm convinced it was air freshners that affected a few of my T's a while back. I hadn't even noticed that spray in the vid. Hard to say what the situation was there though and certainly wouldn't want to jump to conclusions. In the grand scheme of things, no I couldn't imagine Axe being sprayed anywhere near a T being good.

But we shouldn't assume that this person keeps their T in the same place that they might happen to use the Axe spray, just because they happened to record the video at that site.
 

Crysta

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that's true, well lets hope so! I was thinking, if the guy is like all the guys in my school spraying 200times the amount they need and destroying the noses of near by females.... lol

I know this is not a tarantula, but a snake I had was once affected by an ointment made of pine (I didn't realize the ingredients pine did that to snakes, I was 12 at the time) and after 1 week use of it she started to have, uncontrollable urges of the neck area, which turned into seizures, defecate, and opened her mouth to uncontrollable 'smiles', once I saw her neck that way I stopped the use of the ointment but it already had affected her and she died soon after. A learning lesson for me :( and a painful experience for her.

I was thinking that was something similar to what the T' was experiencing in the video. :( Is there a cure for DKS, does it go away? or is it better to squish the T's on site?
 

rexi_doll

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You mention air fresheners.... If this is your video sorry, but seeing the 'ax' or smelly sprayer there on the bed, could the tarantula have been affected by that smell?
It's my video(RIP Mario), and believe me people have yelled at me for the ax. Let it be known that I had to take the T into my sister's room due to bad lighting in the rest of the house, and there are NO air fresheners or anything used in my T room. Also, that was only a few hours after I had bought him. I'm not getting defensive, just simply stating. I can understand the concern.


That was his symptoms the day that I had bought him, and they just got much worse, until a week later he had died. Apparently, the employees at the pet store said that he had been acting like that for weeks. And, It got to the point where he was having a kind of "bouncing around" seizure after a few days, with nothing provocking him, until he died on day 6.

To the OP, Hopefully your little guys turns out ok!! Good luck!
 

Crysta

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It's my video(RIP Mario), and believe me people have yelled at me for the ax. Let it be known that I had to take the T into my sister's room due to bad lighting in the rest of the house, and there are NO air fresheners or anything used in my T room. Also, that was only a few hours after I had bought him. I'm not getting defensive, just simply stating. I can understand the concern.


That was his symptoms the day that I had bought him, and they just got much worse, until a week later he had died. Apparently, the employees at the pet store said that he had been acting like that for weeks. And, It got to the point where he was having a kind of "bouncing around" seizure after a few days, with nothing provocking him, until he died on day 6.

To the OP, Hopefully your little guys turns out ok!! Good luck!
Lighting!! Haha I do that all the time, so don't feel bad! I was just pointing out what I saw. RIP Mario!
 

rexi_doll

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Lighting!! Haha I do that all the time, so don't feel bad! I was just pointing out what I saw. RIP Mario!
haha nah it's all good!! I didn't even notice the bottle, and then I posted the vid on another site for help, and thats what everyone noticed. I've had to explain it a lot. I'm thinkin about adding that to the info on youtube, so people calm down lol.


No, but seriously, that was the SADDEST thing to watch happen. I tried everything to get him to molt, but it just didn't happen. And, when he died, my sister and I had a little funeral and he even has a hand made headstone(im a girl, what do you expect)
 

Crysta

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haha I am a girl too so it's cool.
It is really sad :( I took pictures to document my snake so I would know to never do it again, and have other future reference for people who wanted to see the symptoms. 7 years passed but I still think about the reptile suffering. ( I still bury my dead animals. :rolleyes:)

Hopefully you don't come across that again, and good luck with the future critters!
 

rexi_doll

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that's true, well lets hope so! I was thinking, if the guy is like all the guys in my school spraying 200times the amount they need and destroying the noses of near by females.... lol

I know this is not a tarantula, but a snake I had was once affected by an ointment made of pine (I didn't realize the ingredients pine did that to snakes, I was 12 at the time) and after 1 week use of it she started to have, uncontrollable urges of the neck area, which turned into seizures, defecate, and opened her mouth to uncontrollable 'smiles', once I saw her neck that way I stopped the use of the ointment but it already had affected her and she died soon after. A learning lesson for me :( and a painful experience for her.

I was thinking that was something similar to what the T' was experiencing in the video. :( Is there a cure for DKS, does it go away? or is it better to squish the T's on site?
I dont know a whole lot about it, but I know Mario was in need for a molt so bad, and people suggested trying to "force" a molt, by putting him in the bathroom with the shower running very hot, for a lot of humidity. It didnt work for my guy tho
 

rexi_doll

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haha I am a girl too so it's cool.
It is really sad :( I took pictures to document my snake so I would know to never do it again, and have other future reference for people who wanted to see the symptoms. 7 years passed but I still think about the reptile suffering. ( I still bury my dead animals. :rolleyes:)

Hopefully you don't come across that again, and good luck with the future critters!

Thanks. I bought him knowing he was sick, but not sure what was wrong, so I kinda bought him not expecting him to make it. I felt the need to give him every chance he had though. It was tough watching him suffer, but at least he was given a chance to get better (may have just been too late)
 

maitre

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I've heard of complaints about the free shipping from tarantulaInc, and some of the posters have complained about defective tarantulas they get from them.
The shipping was poor and my tarantula had a scar on it's abdomen. I read the reviews on tarantulaInc and some of the posters were complaining about having defective tarantulas including ones that had DKS.

I was just wanted to make sure my tarantula was okay.


So why'd you buy from them? I have the feeling there is some negative marketing going on....
 

FireGuyX

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So why'd you buy from them? I have the feeling there is some negative marketing going on....
I bought from them because they offered free shipping idiot (I explained that earlier) don't accuse me of negative marketing. The tarantulas I received from them were packed poorly, and the P.cambridgei I got from them before did die.
 
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