Found wounded T last night - need advice!

bunnymom

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 31, 2007
Messages
4
I am new to this site and before last night had never owned a T.

Last night I found what appears to be a Desert Tarantula (probably a male) missing 3 legs.

I live in the mountains of central California at 3400 feet elevation. I was surprised to find the spider as I've lived here for 8 years without encountering one before. Not sure how it was injured. Would like to know it's chances of surviving in captivity, but also, I need to know what and how to feed it, whether it needs water to drink, etc. I am assuming they cannot grow new legs...AND, my partner is deathly phobic of spiders. Needless to say, the spider will have a limited stay at/in my house.

Right now I have it in a glass jar with air holes poked in the lid.

I would appreciate any advice about the spider I can get
 

ShadowBlade

Planeswalker
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Messages
2,591
Well, most likely it is a mature male. And they lose legs all the time without problems. As long as there is no fluid leaking out of the leg sockets, you may just want to give it a nice long drink, maybe offer some crickets if you like, then let it go. He doesn't have much longer to find females.

EDIT: Oh, to answer your question, yes, they can regrow most leg injuries perfectly, including tears. But, seeing as how he is probably a mature male, he probably will not molt again, and can't regrow his legs.

-Sean
 

Taceas

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
May 12, 2006
Messages
658
They can regrow legs, actually. With each molt the leg may partially or fully regenerate. Amazing ability.

They eat crickets or roaches, a couple once a week should be fine.

They do drink occasionally, so you can provide a small plastic bottle lid.

But if you're not keen on keeping it, I would go ahead and re-release it back to the wild. If it is a male (big boxing gloves on the legs next to the mouth?) then he should go on to breed and pass on his genes.
 

P. Novak

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 12, 2005
Messages
6,218
I agree it's probably a mature male, so you should just give it a waterdish full of water and try to feed it a cricket or two, but then realese it tomorrow or later tonight since it doesn't have that long to live(assuming it's a mature male).
 

bunnymom

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 31, 2007
Messages
4
Sean - THANKS SO MUCH for the speedy reply! I had thought perhaps they could regenrate legs - but I didn't want to sound like a total nitwit. I will let him go tonight!
 
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