Dying on back

High_Rolling_T

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
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Feb 8, 2010
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140
Just curious how many of you out there have had a tarantula die on its back? Just a few days ago I had my first tarantula pass away on me. He was a MM so it was bound to happen, but he was my first T I got almost exactly a year ago and first T I've lost. Odd thing is though, he died on his back. My guess would be maybe he went to molt and just didn't have it in him to try since he hasn't eaten in a few months. Anyone else ever experience this?
 

Kathy

Arachnoangel
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Apr 4, 2009
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852
Aww, I'm sorry to hear you lost him. I haven't lost any mature ones yet so I haven't had that happen but that would also be my guess (molting). I've lost a few slings, but it was too difficult to tell how they died.
 

BrettG

Arachnoprince
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Aug 19, 2009
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Like Kathy said,he probably tried to moult even though he was already mature. We had a native T do this a few months back. he got everything free except his palps,and his legs ended up being a twisted mess..
 

High_Rolling_T

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
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Feb 8, 2010
Messages
140
Well the thing is he didn't event pop his top. My guess is that he flipped to molt, but that he just didn't have it left in him to even start and died as he was(and yes he is dead, waited 3 days and he started to smell). Just found it odd since its so rare for them to be dead on their back.
 

Abby

Arachnoknight
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Sep 9, 2009
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297
Awww sorry about your T *hugs*

I had my first MM death too.
Mine was an A. Avicularia and he molted into a MM just fine, but about 3 days later he was dead. He didn't look dehydrated or injured in any way. I also waited to bury him until he started smelling bad.
My guess was that the molting process was just too much for him?

I'll never know, but I sure miss my baby :(
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
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Dec 11, 2008
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1,661
When our MM A. sp.avicularia died, it died on its back. The preceding day it had tried to climb the walls of its enclosure and kept falling off and onto its back. So, I do not know if it was trying to molt, or just couldn't get back up that last time.
 

High_Rolling_T

Arachnosquire
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Feb 8, 2010
Messages
140
Mine was an A. avic too. Thanks for all the support, but I think its best that he went, he was in horrible condition. He actually molted mature probably 6-7 months ago(gotta check my records) so he lived quite awhile after. The only thing was this last go around was rough for him: First he lost his tarsi(plural of tarsus i assume) on both his left and right leg IV since they both managed to break(at different times) and eventually fell off. Later on he would every once in awhile be bleeding a drop from one knee or another. It was at the point where for the last month or so he was living on the ground since he literally couldn't climb anything, and if he tried(which he did) he would get maybe an inch and fall. I was actually just about to move him to a terrestrial set up to prevent him from injuring himself anymore. So for his sake he's in a better place.
 

BrettG

Arachnoprince
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Aug 19, 2009
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1,315
We have a MM avic that has been mature for something crazy like 16 months. he is just now starting to fade. i will be quite torn up when he finally goes
 
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