H. lividum unsexed, possibly dying male, help

KidKat8807

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
8
My H. lividum I've had for over three years now hasn't been doing so hot lately. This t was actually more of a "pet-shop rescue" than a planned pet, as I saw it there in a far away corner with a giant DO NOT TOUCH banner. When I asked the associates about it, they directed me to the manager, who said she refuses to touch it or get it out. I was going to ask her how they clean the enclosure, but after catching a whiff of cricket death stench, I had my answer. I bought the t, caught it myself and took it home to live happily ever after. And so it did for the past few years, and as it was an "unplanned" t, sex was never an issue for me. Except what do you know, now I got attached to the damn thing. It was one of my first few t's and always one of my favorites. Now all that being said, it's being kept in a 5gal enclosure, with coconut fiber bedding of about 5-6", enough to burrow, and green moss to help with the raised humidity this species requires. I also keep a shallow water dish on one end of the enclosure. It molted once every 6 months or so for the first year, and about once a year since. It's last molt was May 2010 and I wish I hadn't misplaced it. Now it's been having this "bald spot" on its abdomen for the past three may be four months(it usually has it prior to a molt), so I wasn't concerned at first, except now it's slowing down, barely eating(the abdomen is not shrunken though), and I keep on waiting for that molt... I know the most likely answer is that its a male and is on its way out, I just hope someone could tell me otherwise. I scrupulously check the temperatures, humidity levels, and maintain the enclosure as spotless as I can. I really want it to pull through...please help? Or at least tell me something encouraging.
 

xhexdx

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
5,357
Mature male H. lividum are sexually dimorphic, meaning it looks nothing like it did as an immature male.

Female on the left, male on the right:



Which does yours most resemble?
 

KidKat8807

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
8
It looks like a female(if only I saved that molt!!), and I have searched many images to convince myself it is. It's bright blue(post molt), somewhat stocky and measures roughly 5.5". I just can't think of anything else that could be causing it to behave like that. The only thing I guess is that there's no way to tell how long it has been living at that pet store, but I mean what are the odds it would spend most of its life there.
 

xhexdx

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
5,357
It looks like a female(if only I saved that molt!!), and I have searched many images to convince myself it is. It's bright blue(post molt), somewhat stocky and measures roughly 5.5". I just can't think of anything else that could be causing it to behave like that. The only thing I guess is that there's no way to tell how long it has been living at that pet store, but I mean what are the odds it would spend most of its life there.
Very slim. Odds are much greater (and this is most likely the case) that it was WC (wild caught) and was imported, then purchased by the pet shop from the importer. That being the case, there's no way to know how old she is.

If you could post some decent pictures, it would be very helpful.
 

KidKat8807

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
8
Also, here's the latest picture, taken this morning while I was cleaning the tank. You could really see the "bold spot" on her abdomen. I've also noticed fluid leaking, from one of her joints, which I hear is not uncommon sometimes pre molt, and she hasn't lost use of any of her limbs...I'm just puzzled by the whole thing really.
 

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ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
5,357
Ok, as long as the abdomen looks good (as it does in these pictures), then I wouldn't worry too much. Keep the water dish full and offer food once a week or so - she isn't in premolt...at least not anything noticeable yet, so that's about all you can do for now.
 
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