Agavoides1123
Arachnopeon
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2021
- Messages
- 3
Hi! Three days ago while on a walk, I found a male Steatoda nobilis hanging by one leg in a web (not sure if it was his web or not). Since it was daytime and I know these spiders are nocturnal, so typically not out in the open during the day like he was, I decided to take him down and bring him home for monitoring and recovery.
Once I got him home and into a mesh enclosure, I noticed he was freshly molted (I don’t remember seeing any discarded molt near him when I first rescued him though), and that his legs were still pliable. He kept sticking most of his legs up in the air in a vertical fashion while flailing around, and I also noticed that a couple legs were rounded up at the tips (deformed). I got the remaining webbing off of him, and let him chill in the enclosure in a dark corner of my house. I put half a cardboard tube over him for a hideaway as well.
Well, I’ve been checking on him twice a day, and even tried to give him water tonight on a cotton swab (which he refused), but unfortunately he still isn’t able to walk or support his body in any way. He just keeps flailing his legs around
The only change I’ve noticed is that he no longer keeps putting most of his legs in a vertical position, but does still raise one or two when disturbed.
Any advice, or clue what may have happened to him? I hope he recovers… I think this may have been his final molt, unfortunately, but I hope I’m wrong. If he recovers, I plan to re-release him outside, but will take care of him if he ends up disabled.
The first 2 pics are from the day I found him, and the other photo is from today.
Once I got him home and into a mesh enclosure, I noticed he was freshly molted (I don’t remember seeing any discarded molt near him when I first rescued him though), and that his legs were still pliable. He kept sticking most of his legs up in the air in a vertical fashion while flailing around, and I also noticed that a couple legs were rounded up at the tips (deformed). I got the remaining webbing off of him, and let him chill in the enclosure in a dark corner of my house. I put half a cardboard tube over him for a hideaway as well.
Well, I’ve been checking on him twice a day, and even tried to give him water tonight on a cotton swab (which he refused), but unfortunately he still isn’t able to walk or support his body in any way. He just keeps flailing his legs around
The only change I’ve noticed is that he no longer keeps putting most of his legs in a vertical position, but does still raise one or two when disturbed. Any advice, or clue what may have happened to him? I hope he recovers… I think this may have been his final molt, unfortunately, but I hope I’m wrong. If he recovers, I plan to re-release him outside, but will take care of him if he ends up disabled.
The first 2 pics are from the day I found him, and the other photo is from today.
