G. Rosea, bad molt.

Exoskeleton Invertebrates

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
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Jun 17, 2007
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I just changed the setup completely. If he's not a rosea then what am I dealing with here. Also, what is a wet molt.

What you're saying differs exponentially from what everyone else has said so now I'm really confused.
If you never had a tarantula molt succesfully under your care than you will probably not know the difference of what your spider is going through right now. The best way I can describe the appearance of a wet molt is a spider that looks transparent for a number of days never fully gain it's normal color and looks wet. Your spider will stay alive for a few days but will parish. Absolutely nothing you can do.

Captive born tarantulas can also have wet molts. In the 27 years in hobby I probably had four wet molt tarantulas my most recent one was a Grammostola sp. "Northern Type".

Don't be discouraged it can happen to anyone. I really don't know how else to explain a wet molt I just know what it looks like and what the outcome is.

The good news is you now know what a wet molt looks like and what can happen. You could let it live until it dies on his own but I'm afraid that all your spider would be doing is suffering. Take photos and keep it for your records and know the difference if a good molt and a wet molt.
 

Exoskeleton Invertebrates

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
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Jun 17, 2007
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He's correct in that it's not a G. Rosea. It's a Grammostola sp. "Northern Gold". Basically imports on G. rosea and G. Porteri (and many other Chilean t's) have been restricted/banned so stores are now carrying the northern type plus a few others as most stores have no idea how to differentiate and they just label everything "Rose hair". A wet molt is basically a failed molt.

Take his advice over mine as he is more experienced with WC t's then I am, but keeping t's on sand is a debatable practice. Haven't tried it so I can't say whether you should use it or not. I wouldn't put him down because of the slim chance that he'll live. Good luck.
Yeah the reason I mentioned the white silica sand is because I've had my issues with this species. They have been a little bit difficult for me I definitely have not had the same luck as I do with the wild caught Grammostola porteri, rosea or sp. "Concepcion".

Once I put them on white silica sand they've bounced back. I've noticed that they are eating better and gaining weight. I had 30 of them and lost 4 within 6 months under my care and I felt that I was going to loose more if I didn't act quickly by providing a different environment.
 

TeePete

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 30, 2016
Messages
40
Update: Pete is still doing the same but he's looking a lot less wet than he did. His abdomen is shriveling. He is still refusing water, unless he's drinking when I'm not paying attention. He's in a dark room covered in a towel and I check him only once or twice a day to keep him calm. When I do check, I attempt to use a paintbrush and a syringe to get him to drink but he just runs away scared. I'm scared to touch him any more than that because I don't want to hurt him in case it's taking longer than normal for his exo to harden up due to the wet molt. Turning him upside down to force him to drink might cause more damage since I can't tell if he's drinking from his water bowl or its evaporating when I'm not watching. Today, he's actually been supporting his body weight on his legs - minus the front deformed one - which is a new development and seems like a good sign, but if he moves at all it's erratic and he still trips all over them, fumbling around. Still no eating. I cut the heads off the superworms and try and tong feed him once every few days but he's still not interested. I wonder if his fangs didn't develop properly which is causing this issue. Pretty mucheap every thread I've read says theit hunger kicks in anywhere from days to weeks after a molt, but no interest here still and it's been 9 days. I was hoping to speed feed him to induce a quicker molt to see if he can dry molt this time and correct these issues. He moves erratically though, not sure if it's from the deformities or if he's showing signs of DKS. I'll try and get a video next time I bother him. My biggest worry is the shriveling abdomen and the no drinking thing. I really would hate to put him down if he can get through this, but who knows to what extent he's in pain or uncomfortable and I don't want there to be long suffering.

Still just waiting it out still. Gonna post a poll here in a bit to see if it's arachnoheaven time or if I should keep waiting.

Thanks for everyone's input.
 
Last edited:

Crone Returns

Arachnoangel
Joined
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Messages
990
Update: Pete is still doing the same but he's looking a lot less wet than he did. His abdomen is shriveling. He is still refusing water, unless he's drinking when I'm not paying attention. He's in a dark room covered in a towel and I check him only once or twice a day to keep him calm. When I do check, I attempt to use a paintbrush and a syringe to get him to drink but he just runs away scared. I'm scared to touch him any more than that because I don't want to hurt him in case it's taking longer than normal for his exo to harden up due to the wet molt. Turning him upside down to force him to drink might cause more damage since I can't tell if he's drinking from his water bowl or its evaporating when I'm not watching. Today, he's actually been supporting his body weight on his legs - minus the front deformed one - which is a new development and seems like a good sign, but if he moves at all it's erratic and he still trips all over them, fumbling around. Still no eating. I cut the heads off the superworms and try and tong feed him once every few days but he's still not interested. I wonder if his fangs didn't develop properly which is causing this issue. Pretty mucheap every thread I've read says theit hunger kicks in anywhere from days to weeks after a molt, but no interest here still and it's been 9 days. I was hoping to speed feed him to induce a quicker molt to see if he can dry molt this time and correct these issues. He moves erratically though, not sure if it's from the deformities or if he's showing signs of DKS. I'll try and get a video next time I bother him. My biggest worry is the shriveling abdomen and the no drinking thing. I really would hate to put him down if he can get through this, but who knows to what extent he's in pain or uncomfortable and I don't want there to be long suffering.

Still just waiting it out still. Gonna post a poll here in a bit to see if it's arachnoheaven time or if I should keep waiting.

Thanks for everyone's input.
Your T desperately needs water. A shriveled abdomen means dehydration, not starvation.
1) Get a cotten ball or qtip or your clean fingers.
2) Get water.
3) Gently gather your T in your hand. He may struggle. GENTLY put your thumb on his "waist." Yes, to hold him down.
4) Dip either cotton ball, qtip or fingers in water.
5) Squeeze a drop of water at the base of his fangs. LET HIM SWALLOW. Repeat all night if you can. Repeat in the morning. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
6) Do NOT try to feed him.
7) Repeat watering him again and again etc. Good luck.
 

TeePete

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 30, 2016
Messages
40
You can see he's looking pretty thin. Attempted manual hydration, didn't work. He didn't drink at all. No idea what do.

20160807_181524.jpg

Attach2486_20160807_183910.jpg
 

TeePete

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 30, 2016
Messages
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I don't think a syringe is a good idea. It's too hard. That's why I said cotton ball etc.
Tried that first. Still no go. He didn't even move. And the syringe was just a dropper style. I wasn't like squirting him. Lol. Two little drops right below his fangs.
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
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Mar 12, 2016
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He is very active. I wouldn't give up on him yet. If he can move like that, he is not dehydrated.
How long ago did he moult? Because you keep mentioning that he isn't eating, but maybe he shouldn't yet. He is fairly large and I wouldn't expect his fangs to be hardened completely for about two weeks after moulting.
If it is not two weeks yet, he shouldn't be eating.
 

TeePete

Arachnopeon
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Jul 30, 2016
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He is very active. I wouldn't give up on him yet. If he can move like that, he is not dehydrated.
How long ago did he moult? Because you keep mentioning that he isn't eating, but maybe he shouldn't yet. He is fairly large and I wouldn't expect his fangs to be hardened completely for about two weeks after moulting.
If it is not two weeks yet, he shouldn't be eating.
 

TeePete

Arachnopeon
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Jul 30, 2016
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He molted 9 days ago. His fangs look pretty dark. I'm less worried about the food than I am the water thing.
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
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He molted 9 days ago. His fangs look pretty dark. I'm less worried about the food than I am the water thing.
I would not try to feed a tarantula that size inside of two weeks. Although they might look dark to you, they might not be completely hardened. I wouldn't worry about him not eating for another week.
I would put a lid of some sort in there for water. Not something as deep as that dish unless you can fill it right to the top and bury it down into the substrate more. I wouldn't want him to have to climb that much to get into it. Something that he can just basically walk over to and get water without any effort.
If he were getting dehydrated, he would not be able to move as well as he is.
 

TeePete

Arachnopeon
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I would not try to feed a tarantula that size inside of two weeks. Although they might look dark to you, they might not be completely hardened. I wouldn't worry about him not eating for another week.
I would put a lid of some sort in there for water. Not something as deep as that dish unless you can fill it right to the top and bury it down into the substrate more. I wouldn't want him to have to climb that much to get into it. Something that he can just basically walk over to and get water without any effort.
If he were getting dehydrated, he would not be able to move as well as he is.
There's only 2 CM between the substrate and the rim and it is filled to the top.
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
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That might not seem that much to you, but it might be too much for him in his condition. I would make it flush with the substrate so all he has to do is walk over and lower himself onto the water.
 

Crone Returns

Arachnoangel
Joined
Mar 22, 2016
Messages
990
He molted 9 days ago. His fangs look pretty dark. I'm less worried about the food than I am the water thing.
Ok. I read the past suggestions by the old timers. They said that they suggest he's had a wet molt. Trying to feed him to bring on a good molt. But if he's only molted 9 days ago. Like Vanessa says it's probably too soon for him to eat.
A wet molt is when the hemolyph leaks out between the old molt and the setae of the new. Moving him again and again stresses the hell out of a healthy spider. Think how badly holding, moving etc. does to a sick.
Fill his water dish with clean, fresh water. Put the T in his home. Put it all in a dark spot and LEAVE THE POOR THING ALONE. Only touch the water dish to refill.
If you find him on his back leave him alone.
If you find him in the water dish leave him alone.
The T knows best.
Try to feed him in 5 days. If he doesn't want to eat then take out the food and leave him alone.

It's a hard lesson to learn that sometimes all we do might never fix our Ts. Nature knows better than we do. Sometimes you have to let go. Give it some more time, quit messing with him and leave him alone.
 

TeePete

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 30, 2016
Messages
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Update: Pete is still kickin'. He's drinking on his own which is fabulous. Attempted a feeding, still not interested. Today, after I dropped the Super worm into the tank, for the first time since before his molt, he went into defense mode. He refuses to strike at anything though. Maybe his fangs didn't quite develop all the way which is also causing the non-feeding issue? Just not sure. In any case, he's still with me, trying to survive.
 

rasulsimakshah

Arachnosquire
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Mar 26, 2012
Messages
117
Don't give up on him, keep him well hydrated and let him decide when to eat next. Seems to be doing remarkably well considering what happened, so just let him be as much as possible. Good luck!
 

TeePete

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 30, 2016
Messages
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Don't give up on him, keep him well hydrated and let him decide when to eat next. Seems to be doing remarkably well considering what happened, so just let him be as much as possible. Good luck!
Definitely don't plan on giving up on the little guy. He's keeping himself hydrated and his tank is covered most of the time. He also has a hide in there, I only remove it if he's not in it when I try and feed him once a week. Otherwise he's left completely alone except for when I check on him in the morning and before bed. He'll get through it. At least I hope so!
 
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