GBB stuck with legs in the air!

[fcat]

Any updates on this one?

 

[8 legged]

...interested too! What´s the stories ending?

 

[EvilTrailMix]

I've seen this happen with small spiderlings that I've produced, usually at 1i. They have never survived, and I've never been able to determine why it's happened. I also had something similar happen with my adult female B. auratum a couple years back, though she did make a full recovery and is doing fine now. Has molted twice since the incident. Never could determine a cause for her issues, either. I posted a thread about her when it was happening: https://arachnoboards.com/threads/strange-leg-problems-declining-rapidly.347022/.

 

[slocoj91]

I've seen this happen with small spiderlings that I've produced, usually at 1i. They have never survived, and I've never been able to determine why it's happened. I also had something similar happen with my adult female B. auratum a couple years back, though she did make a full recovery and is doing fine now. Has molted twice since the incident. Never could determine a cause for her issues, either. I posted a thread about her when it was happening: https://arachnoboards.com/threads/strange-leg-problems-declining-rapidly.347022/.

I read your thread, and the others shared re the jumping spiders with this issue.

I wonder if the flexor muscles, or where they attach/how they receive signals, have become damaged in these situations. This could be as a result of a fall, or from toxins (nerve damage, essentially).

Tarantulas, and other spiders, primarily have flexor muscles which drive the leg movements. Death curl occurs because the internal hydraulic pressure that is normally present is lacking to the point where the flexor muscles take over. So maybe these issues aren't necessarily simply due to an excess of pressure, but damage to or decreased function in the muscles that normally permit control of the relevant limb/s. The proximal joints - those essentially located where the legs join the carapace - have both extensor and flexor muscles, if I'm understanding what I've read correctly.

What I'm particularly unsure about is how this translates to the situations that have occurred, or whether it may be variable - ie do those muscles also seem to become non-functional? When I think about it, the idea of high pressure causing the joint to sit vertically doesn't necessarily seem right - I'd expect the orientation to be whichever results in the most open space within which the pressure is enclosed meaning no bends etc, I'd assume the legs would be straight if muscles played no role and it was purely pressure. For the limb to end up vertical, then, is it the extensor muscle 'firing' while the flexors are inactive? Which also brings me to wondering whether the proximal joints retain any degree of their range of motion as being under the individuals control, or if it's all entirely non-functional.

And all of that might be entirely meaningless as well. Here's hoping we can come across more information that helps us in managing tarantula health and issues - very tricky having most things come down to 'water it and whatever happens, happens' beyond ensuring they have an appropriate environment and suitable food as far as we can.

 

[Substantial]

I Just had a similar situation with a Phormingochilus sp. rufus that I had purchased from an expo. When I got her out to be rehoused I noticed this same situation. Legs 2, 3, and 4 on the left side were all stuck strait up , even when she moved. I got her rehoused, made sure she had plenty of water. The next morning I checked up on her and she self amputated! Every single leg on her left side including her left pedipalp. It shocked me TBH! The only thing I could of figured was an Injury during transportation with the vendor at some point. She passed within 2 weeks. Even had her eating at one point.

IMO ICUS make it worse, you're just Removing the spider from its home, into a muggy, stuffy, uncomfortable environment where its just gunna stress out more!
I would keep in the enclosure and make sure she has access to clean water.
Hoping for the best for you!

 

[dragonfire1577]

I saw a similar pose from a GBB that went to molt and failed to free itself from the old exoskeleton. Ultimately couldn't be saved. In that case it flipped as if to molt and the carapace popped off as it should during a molt.

 

[Arachnopotamus Rex]

I read your thread, and the others shared re the jumping spiders with this issue.

I wonder if the flexor muscles, or where they attach/how they receive signals, have become damaged in these situations. This could be as a result of a fall, or from toxins (nerve damage, essentially).

Tarantulas, and other spiders, primarily have flexor muscles which drive the leg movements. Death curl occurs because the internal hydraulic pressure that is normally present is lacking to the point where the flexor muscles take over. So maybe these issues aren't necessarily simply due to an excess of pressure, but damage to or decreased function in the muscles that normally permit control of the relevant limb/s. The proximal joints - those essentially located where the legs join the carapace - have both extensor and flexor muscles, if I'm understanding what I've read correctly.

What I'm particularly unsure about is how this translates to the situations that have occurred, or whether it may be variable - ie do those muscles also seem to become non-functional? When I think about it, the idea of high pressure causing the joint to sit vertically doesn't necessarily seem right - I'd expect the orientation to be whichever results in the most open space within which the pressure is enclosed meaning no bends etc, I'd assume the legs would be straight if muscles played no role and it was purely pressure. For the limb to end up vertical, then, is it the extensor muscle 'firing' while the flexors are inactive? Which also brings me to wondering whether the proximal joints retain any degree of their range of motion as being under the individuals control, or if it's all entirely non-functional.

And all of that might be entirely meaningless as well. Here's hoping we can come across more information that helps us in managing tarantula health and issues - very tricky having most things come down to 'water it and whatever happens, happens' beyond ensuring they have an appropriate environment and suitable food as far as we can.

My Avic is having this issue with one leg, you might be right about the muscles, Though my T's leg will bend back down mostly after it sits for a bit, its almost as if moving makes the one back leg point straight up, then it mostly relaxes over time when still, but it often takes hours to do so, whereas the slightest movement stands it back up in half a second...