Hard, folded under legs? Dead spiders?

XzotticAnimal420

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
85
So I recently lost several T's to what I think was a bad batch of food. Im not positive though, let me know what you guys think.

Yesterday I noticed one of my last remaining survivors, Skeletor, a Skeleton T has one of her rear legs folded under her and she doesnt walk on the end of it..instead she puts her weight on the joint next closest to the ground. I touched her leg and its hard. Only one is folded under like that, but I noticed on two of her other legs, there is a bright white powdery looking substance..but I didnt touch it to know thats what it feels like. There are just a few lines of white..nothing Ive ever seen before.

If there could be any connection to leg problems..I found my Red Knee dead last week..her leg, not attached to or caught on anything, was on the other end of her enclosure, and she was dead on the other end, bleeding from the socket where the leg was. I recently changed their soil to and the humidity was right where it should have been...but it was bizarre. My Metallic Pink Toe died of DKS about a month ago, two weeks ago my Rosehair died suddenly, then the Red Knee...and now Ive got Skeletors leg lookin bad. If it helps, all of my remaining T's, including the Skeleton are eating well and obviously, all housed seperatley. What do you guys think? Any suggestions?
 
Last edited:

Vespula

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jul 27, 2010
Messages
706
Hmm... are you using any chemicals near their enclosures? Some chemicals can kill tarantulas. Other than that, I don't really know...
 

XzotticAnimal420

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
85
No, nothing. They live in sealed plastic tupper wear that is virtually impossible for airborn chemicals to get in.
 

belljar77

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 7, 2010
Messages
129
That's just awful, I'm so sorry. I remember reading about flea treatments for dogs/cats being problematic for tarantulas, do you have other pets? Cleaning products maybe? I hope someone here can help you out. Good luck.
 

XzotticAnimal420

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
85
you don't have vent holes?
Of course I have vent holes, but there are only a few of them, and they are only as big around as a pen.




Also, I have always used flea and tick medication on my cats and dogs, and its never posed a problem. At least not in the last 8 years. As I stated before, I doubted air born chemicals were to blame, because each of my T's is kept in a tupperware storage container that measures 12"L x 5"W x 6"H with a locking lid and only a few small air holes. They have lived in these containers their entire lives and Ive never had any problems. I use straight potting soil with peat, keep the temps around 75, and the humidity in their homes is always above average..enough to steam up the sides of the containers. The DKS spider was definitely suffering from just that, but she was an arboreal, so I kept her in a different container with much more ventilation. I had her for about 3 years, kept her in the same enclosure and in the same spot her whole life. So if it was airborne chemicals..why did it take 3 years to show an affect? I talked to several people here about her, thats how I found out what she had, and then I was assured that most people believed that DKS couldnt be transmitted to my other T's. The Rosie dying suddenly just a few weeks later was even more startling...and thats when I started to worry about the rest of them. She was around 12 years old. The Red Knee, only about a week later, was the most painful for me. I really loved handling and hanging out with her. She was about 16, but Ive had B. Smithis live 28 years, so I knew she wasnt old. Her leg on the other side of the enclosure was very confusing...and finding that she had most likely bled to death after wards was very hard to take. But there was nothing that her leg was caught on, so how could she have just detatched it?? I cant seem to think of anything else to blame these two deaths on, other than a bad batch of food. I still have 5 other T's, and they all eat the same food at the same time, so Im also a little confused as to why if that is what it was, why didnt it affect all of my T's? The remaining survivors, including the one with with broken and folded inward leg, are eating ferociously so I know they are feeling ok. Im just really confused..and still not sure what I should do about Skeletors leg. I believe I am risking another injured leg with the next molt if something isnt done..correct?
 

XzotticAnimal420

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
85
I got some photos of her legs. Notice the rear leg thats folded under...



Another shot of how she stands on it, folded under (sorry about the angle)



And then the white spot on the 2nd right front leg...



Any ideas?
 

Moltar

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
5,438
Well that sucks, really sorry to hear of your losses.

It sounds to me like there has to be some kind of external cause. It could be a pathogen of some kind, internal parasite outbreak (from bad feeders?) or chemical/pesticide exposure. Btw, I wouldn't assume that airborne chemicals can't get in. If air can get in through those holes then so can an airborne chemical.

As for pesticides, just because you haven't had an incident with Frontline/whatever in the past doesn't rule it out here. All it takes is one mistake; you forget to wash your hands after petting your dog a couple days after treatment then you handle some feeders. Bam! tick poison in your food supply. And since ticks are arachnids...

Also as a side note, whoever told you DKS was not communicable apparently doesn't even know what DKS is. There is no specific disease associated with that acronym. DysKinetic Syndrome is a common group of symptoms affecting motor control in arachnids, period. It is not a disease, just symptoms. How can somebody know if something is communicable or not if we don't even know what it is in the first place?
 

Ictinike

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
460
You mentioned changing substrate..

What did you come from and what did you go to if any changes?

Possible problems with the substrate since other than all being T's and dying the common would be substrate, no?
 

B8709

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 25, 2009
Messages
194
Wow, she looks rough. Probably will die also. Why is her abdomen so small?
 

Kris-wIth-a-K

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 21, 2007
Messages
1,387
woah.. Not to sound harsh or anything but if that T looks REALLY old and worn down.. To be honest it doesn't look like she has long to live.

1 - Maybe there are chemicals in the soil you use and maybe you just missed it??

2 - There may have been just a bad food intake that had been sprayed or caught up with something in the food.

3 - Most E. Murinus adults are imported and if yours is imported then who knows what it has since it looks so rough and in DESPERATE need of a molt but it may not even live past that..

4 - Sometimes Other T deaths have no relevance to another t's death. Things do happen sometimes that we don't know of.

The white stuff on the foot maaaaaaaaaaaay be mold.. I highly doubt it's poo since t's don't poop on themselves. You can try and maybe "pin" or try and hoax her up against the glass to take a good look at her mouth aread and see if she is keeping clean or just letting herself go...

As for the leg... If it's bothering her TOO much she will probably just get rid of it.

Kris
 

XzotticAnimal420

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
85
You mentioned changing substrate..

What did you come from and what did you go to if any changes?

Possible problems with the substrate since other than all being T's and dying the common would be substrate, no?
I have always just used the potting soil with peat and sand..those are the only ingredients in it.
 

Travis K

TravIsGinger
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
2,518
Soil change is what caught my eye, it is possible that the soil you purchased was either intentionally or unintentionally exposed to a pesticide of some kind. I just thought of this but even basic peat blocks at garden supply stores have the 'potential' of getting exposed to pesticides in an attempt by the store to reduce pest. All it would take is pest control contractor to have some over spray onto some of the stores product. Eeeek:eek: But that is highly assumptive. Hope you are able to figure it out. Do you live in a house or apartments?
 

XzotticAnimal420

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
85
In an apartment. I also thought about this as well... Would medical grade green soap do damage? We use it here in the house, although highly concentrated with water in a spray bottle to clean skin while tattooing, and the spray bottle emits in a mist. Any chance?
 

Travis K

TravIsGinger
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
2,518
You might ask your property managers if they have had any pest control companies spray recently.
 

Miss Bianca

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
May 14, 2008
Messages
1,145
Of course I have vent holes, but there are only a few of them, and they are only as big around as a pen.
The described holes are more than large enough for airborne substances
to go through.

(Yes I know you said you're not leaning toward these being the culprit,
but just thought to mention this.)
 
Last edited:

Kirsten

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
205
^Exactly;air particles/fumes know no limits or boundaries with the exception of air tight containers. Also, TravisK has a point about possible contamination of the substrate in the store. It seems your Ts are expiring pretty close together for something not being a common denominator, at least partially.
 

Travis K

TravIsGinger
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
2,518
^Exactly;air particles/fumes know no limits or boundaries with the exception of air tight containers. Also, TravisK has a point about possible contamination of the substrate in the store. It seems your Ts are expiring pretty close together for something not being a common denominator, at least partially.
I was simply stating that anything from a store would have the potential of being contaminated theoretically. I think it is more plausible that the apartments were sprayed as that is something management companies have done routinely with their properties this time of year. In my part of the country they do it to prevent Tegenaria agrestis(Hobo Spider) just about everywhere.

Edit: LOL, your part of the country too ksmith999
 
Top