Growth on abdomen?

ATPikachu

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 23, 2023
Messages
18
Hi all

I was summoned to the prep room at work today to see one of the Ts and what I was presented with has me a little flummoxed! I've taken pics as best I can.

She is apparently still eating and behaving as she always has...

20231002_130249.jpg 20231002_130255.jpg

Sorry if the resolution is off or anything. Posting from my phone.
 

birdonfire

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Messages
145
Cyst, tumor, abscess--all words used to describe this phenomenon in the tarantula hobby. May be from a prior injury. I haven't seen a definite diagnosis for this health anomaly. The t will either molt out of it or it will prove fatal. Seems to be a problem for older ts.
 

Olan

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 23, 2002
Messages
862
Yeah, nothing to do but wait. Looks pretty big, could end up being fatal. If a wild caught spider I’d be worried about a parasite. But whatever it is, all that can be done is wait and see…
 

Smotzer

ArachnoGod-Mod
Staff member
Joined
Jan 17, 2020
Messages
5,543
If it is bulging I would basicalky refrain from or severely cut back feeding. It looks sufficiently plump anyways and won’t need food. Not trying to feed more is about all you can do and make sure it can’t injure itself from falling on hard objects.
 

Ultum4Spiderz

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 13, 2011
Messages
6,266
Cyst, tumor, abscess--all words used to describe this phenomenon in the tarantula hobby. May be from a prior injury. I haven't seen a definite diagnosis for this health anomaly. The t will either molt out of it or it will prove fatal. Seems to be a problem for older ts.
spot on ! 👍
Exactly I lost two of my largest Ts to cysts.
Rip :sad: :bigtears:
 
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spideyspinneret78

Arachnoprince
Active Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Messages
1,404
To me it looks like an injury....like layers of the exoskeleton are damaged and the spider's internal organs and hemolymph are starting to bulge through, almost like a hernia. Cut down on feeding and make sure that the tarantula can't fall or hurt itself further. There's a chance that the spider may molt out of it, but to be honest I'm not feeling optimistic based on what I'm seeing.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
19,078
I'm a science teacher. The school Ts live in there well away from anything harmful.
Smart! We've read the opposite with some teachers.

Looked at your images- no one knows what causes these. I had a NW T which developed such an issue out of the blue. She didn't fall as being an emilia she's heavy bodied I put such species in setups that prevent fall death etc I fed her less, and by about 2 or 3 molts she healed up.

No one to my knowledge, certainly not AB, has posted images of their dead T from a dissection. That may shed some light a bit. Maybe some of the EU forums members have done this, but I've not heard of it.
 
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