From death curl to lipm legs

[MSpear]

My Rose Hair had what appeared to be a fecal impaction, and in a death curl for >3 weeks. She was hydrated orally and through her abdomen by a DVM yesterday (dextrose solution). I held a cricket for her lastnight and she appeared to eat some of it, but who the hell knows, maybe she was just biting it out of reflex. She is still pretty much immobile, but is no longer in a death curl. However, her legs are super limp, and I can move them easily. They are not in what I would consider a natural position. Do they always die in a death curl, or could she possible be improving?
Thanks for your thoughts

 

[tarantulagirl10]

It sounds like she could have passed. So, she is not moving at all?

 

[MSpear]

She is a bit, but not walking. When I touch her, she moves

 

[Meezerkoko]

I lost my B. emilia a few days ago and he didn't death curl. He molted and seemed fine, then a couple days later (like 4-5) I went to pick him up to see how big he was and he was limp and dead. I tried iso for a couple days just in case but he was dead.

 

[spiderengineer]

death curl is usually happens well past the point of death. kind of like Rigo Mortis in human it doesn't happen immediately upon death usually a few hours later. In fact I usually don't see death curl unless they died a few days with out me knowing.

 

[MSpear]

Sorry to hear that about your T. I had no idea that they go from hard and stiff to limp noodlesm so quickly. Glad it's finally over, I guess

 

[jakykong]

death curl is usually happens well past the point of death. kind of like Rigo Mortis in human it doesn't happen immediately upon death usually a few hours later. In fact I usually don't see death curl unless they died a few days with out me knowing.

I thought the death curl was due to dehydration -- tarantulas extend their legs with haemolymph pressure, so when there's not enough of it, their muscles pull in and they can't extend out. It's called the "death curl" because a dead tarantula frequently (but not always) is found in the same position.

I have personally seen tarantulas in a death curl that are not dead yet. With an ICU, sometimes they can even be brought back from that brink to continue living a healthy life. Doesn't sound much like rigor mortis to me.

 

[BrettG]

I lost my B. emilia a few days ago and he didn't death curl. He molted and seemed fine, then a couple days later (like 4-5) I went to pick him up to see how big he was and he was limp and dead. I tried iso for a couple days just in case but he was dead.

Sorry to hear that,but 4-5 days is WAYYYYYYYYYY to early to handle a freshly molted spider.They are quite fragile for a week +,just keep that in mind next time around OP,sorry to hear about yours as well,but they can and do pass away without going into a full-blown "curl".

 

[spiderengineer]

I thought the death curl was due to dehydration -- tarantulas extend their legs with haemolymph pressure, so when there's not enough of it, their muscles pull in and they can't extend out. It's called the "death curl" because a dead tarantula frequently (but not always) is found in the same position.

I have personally seen tarantulas in a death curl that are not dead yet. With an ICU, sometimes they can even be brought back from that brink to continue living a healthy life. Doesn't sound much like rigor mortis to me.

I have seen spiders in death curl that was not cause by dehydration (at least I don't think dehydration was the cause), but cause of the curl could be because since they are not longer alive the water starts leave them (if that makes sense). I mean after death you start to wither away and decompose. as far as curling before death. I mean if you think about it they are probably having difficult with motor function before death. so seeing them curly their legs is probably because they have difficulty keeping normal stance/position. I mean they can curl their legs when they are health when they want to. it obviously freake out a lot people who see their spider grooming, but had stop because of them and think they are in death curl. but i am no expert so I am just going on my observation. if death curl was the result of dehydration then how come alot of normal healthy looking T seem to do it.

 

[jakykong]

Well, just to bring an authoritative source, TKG3 page 55:

A last serious design limitation involves weakness caused by sickness or death. If the tarantula becomes so weak that it can no longer maintain adequate internal haemolymph pressure, it will no longer be able to extend its legs. Thus, a tarantula that is suffering extreme dehydration, or loss of haemolymph or is near death will curl its legs under it in a very characteristic pose reminiscent of a loosely clenched fist, commonly termed the death curl by enthusiasts.

In other words, it's the haemolymph pressure. Dehydration is a common cause of this (hence the ICU), but some other causes include death, or haemolymph loss. So we're both right; death is a cause of death curl, but it's not the only cause, and the death curl will probably start before the tarantula is actually dead.

Given some basic arachnid physiology, this isn't surprising. They don't have extensor muscles (only flexor muscles) in their legs, so they depend on hydraulic pressure to extend their legs.

 

[spiderengineer]

Well, just to bring an authoritative source, TKG3 page 55:


In other words, it's the haemolymph pressure. Dehydration is a common cause of this (hence the ICU), but some other causes include death, or haemolymph loss. So we're both right; death is a cause of death curl, but it's not the only cause, and the death curl will probably start before the tarantula is actually dead.

Given some basic arachnid physiology, this isn't surprising. They don't have extensor muscles (only flexor muscles) in their legs, so they depend on hydraulic pressure to extend their legs.

good to know