Have you seen something like this before?

Whiskey119

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I went to handle one of my rose hair tarantulas and he had this very red bald spot on his abdomen! I have never seen this before, and I just recently got him. My other rose hair has never done this before. Could this be premolt, or did he flick to many hairs off in his cage?
 

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Venom1080

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dont handle Ts, its not good for them. you wouldn't force a dog to walk if it didnt want to, its the same thing with tarantulas.
 

Whiskey119

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dont handle Ts, its not good for them. you wouldn't force a dog to walk if it didnt want to, its the same thing with tarantulas.
He was like this when I opened his cage to feed him, not after handling.
 
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WeightedAbyss75

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It could be a wound from prey. Do you remove prey after 24 hours +\- ? Definitly doesn't look like a normal bald spot. Also, what do you use as caging and sub? Could have injured itself climbing around. Pics of those two would help a lot ;)
 

Whiskey119

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It could be a wound from prey. Do you remove prey after 24 hours +\- ? Definitly doesn't look like a normal bald spot. Also, what do you use as caging and sub? Could have injured itself climbing around. Pics of those two would help a lot ;)
He has a national geographic 10 gallon tank, and the bedding ecoearth. He eats his food as soon as I put it in, so there is never anything to remove as I watch him eat. He isn't behaving weirdly, or any different than normal which is why I am so confused as to what it is. I have had my other rose hair for almost 2 years and she has never looked like this (she in a 5 gallon and the bedding is ecoearth). I make sure both Ts eat what I put in for them.
 

Ellenantula

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How much distance from substrate to lid? Any items in enclosure that could be injurious to the T (and T might have fallen on)? Also cannot rule out prey got a good last-ditch attack in before being subdued. :(
Like others, I don't handle. They don't like handling and receive no benefit from handling -- it just puts the T at risk. I figure if something 1000 times its size suddenly grabs it (however gently) -- it would be scared and logically assume it's about to be someone's dinner. They don't learn or become domesticated.
Good luck and hope it's nothing serious. :(


(edited to add: like Venom, my handling comments were meant in general)
 
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Ellenantula

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(still looking at pix) it's almost like a discoloration or a birthmark. Is it raised? cratered? Is it even with rest of rump? Any discharge?
Just... weird.
 

Whiskey119

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dont handle Ts, its not good for them. you wouldn't force a dog to walk if it didnt want to, its the same thing with tarantulas.
How much distance from substrate to lid? Any items in enclosure that could be injurious to the T (and T might have fallen on)? Also cannot rule out prey got a good last-ditch attack in before being subdued. :(
Like others, I don't handle. They don't like handling and receive no benefit from handling -- it just puts the T at risk. I figure if something 1000 times its size suddenly grabs it (however gently) -- it would be scared and logically assume it's about to be someone's dinner. They don't learn or become domesticated.
Good luck and hope it's nothing serious. It doesn't look too promising to be honest. :(


(edited to add: like Venom, my handling comments were meant in general)
How much distance from substrate to lid? Any items in enclosure that could be injurious to the T (and T might have fallen on)? Also cannot rule out prey got a good last-ditch attack in before being subdued. :(
Like others, I don't handle. They don't like handling and receive no benefit from handling -- it just puts the T at risk. I figure if something 1000 times its size suddenly grabs it (however gently) -- it would be scared and logically assume it's about to be someone's dinner. They don't learn or become domesticated.
Good luck and hope it's nothing serious. It doesn't look too promising to be honest. :(


(edited to add: like Venom, my handling comments were meant in general)
There is a picture of his setup. I have noticed that he flicks his hairs very often, and am thinking he may have over done it.
 

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Whiskey119

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(still looking at pix) it's almost like a discoloration or a birthmark. Is it raised? cratered? Is it even with rest of rump? Any discharge?
Just... weird.
It is so weird I agree!! It honestly looks like he rubbed his abdomen raw! He has no little hairs in that area, only the long ones. It is even with the rest of the rump and there is no discharge.
 

Ellenantula

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There is a picture of his setup. I have noticed that he flicks his hairs very often, and am thinking he may have over done it.
That is a lot of distance to top and a long way to fall -- I would add more substrate. But that said -- it doesn't really look like a rupture (at least, not in the pix). And I never put anything near edges of tank in case of a fall -- I don't want something rough to break the fall.
Yet, in spite of my commentary -- it just doesn't look like injury from a fall to me.
I am baffled and hope T will be okay.
Worst answer possible but basically ... this is a wait and see. Let us know if T will take food normally. Eating would definitely be encouraging, imo.
 

Moonohol

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It is so weird I agree!! It honestly looks like he rubbed his abdomen raw! He has no little hairs in that area, only the long ones. It is even with the rest of the rump and there is no discharge.
I have never heard of a T kicking themselves raw, but it wouldn't surprise me at all. That's really strange. Your setup looks pretty good btw, but I would definitely recommend adding more substrate to decrease the height between the floor and the ceiling. Falling injuries are almost always fatal to tarantulas!
 

Whiskey119

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That is a lot of distance to top and a long way to fall -- I would add more substrate. But that said -- it doesn't really look like a rupture (at least, not in the pix). And I never put anything near edges of tank in case of a fall -- I don't want something rough to break the fall.
Yet, in spite of my commentary -- it just doesn't look like injury from a fall to me.
I am baffled and hope T will be okay.
Worst answer possible but basically ... this is a wait and see. Let us know if T will take food normally. Eating would definitely be encouraging, imo.
I have never heard of a T kicking themselves raw, but it wouldn't surprise me at all. That's really strange. Your setup looks pretty good btw, but I would definitely recommend adding more substrate to decrease the height between the floor and the ceiling. Falling injuries are almost always fatal to tarantulas!
My other rose hair rarely flicks hairs, this one however seems to have OCD and feel like it has to! I attached another picture at a different angle. Thanks for the tip on adding more substrate, I'll get on that!
 

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Ellenantula

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My other rose hair rarely flicks hairs, this one however seems to have OCD and feel like it has to! I attached another picture at a different angle. Thanks for the tip on adding more substrate, I'll get on that!
MUCH better pix! Definitely just looks raw from hair flicking. An OCD T. I'd leave her alone, give her less reason to feel unsafe (and lessen her urge to flick).
 

Whiskey119

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MUCH better pix! Definitely just looks raw from hair flicking. An OCD T. I'd leave her alone, give her less reason to feel unsafe (and lessen her urge to flick).
Thank you! I didn't want to handle him because of the spot so I was waiting for him to move. I should have clarified that I generally do not handle either of them, because I don't want them to stress out. I was going to clean his cage out, therefore needing to/feeling more comfortable removing him from the cage first.
 

Ellenantula

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Yeah, unfortunately you might have to stress the T one last time to add substrate but that can't be helped. Hopefully after next moult your guy will cut out the hair flicking. I cup mine rather than pick them up.
Sheeesh -- a self-injuring T. Not sure there is a group for that yet....
 

Whiskey119

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Yeah, unfortunately you might have to stress the T one last time to add substrate but that can't be helped. Hopefully after next moult your guy will cut out the hair flicking. I cup mine rather than pick them up.
Sheeesh -- a self-injuring T. Not sure there is a group for that yet....
I hope so! I feel so bad for him, I usually just let them walk onto my hand, or cup them also. This is a (low quality) picture of my other Ts cage.
 

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Ellenantula

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I hope so! I feel so bad for him, I usually just let them walk onto my hand, or cup them also. This is a (low quality) picture of my other Ts cage.
Wow -- definitely needs to be nearly half-full of substrate. Pretty though. I would move items inwards since they are more likely to fall down wall onto sides.
 

cold blood

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There is a picture of his setup. I have noticed that he flicks his hairs very often, and am thinking he may have over done it.
That's an arboreal enclosure, not appropriate for a terrestrial without modifications....which would mean laying it on its back so the doors are at the top, and damming the top so you can add an adequate amount of substrate....because of the front doors, you simply cannot add enough to make it safe.

Thank you! I didn't want to handle him because of the spot so I was waiting for him to move. I should have clarified that I generally do not handle either of them, because I don't want them to stress out. I was going to clean his cage out, therefore needing to/feeling more comfortable removing him from the cage first.
1. A bald spot isn't a worry.

2. Stress is an over used term IMO, if something needs to be done for the betterment of the t, resulting stress shouldn't even be considered....these are adaptable creatures.

3. Its not necessary to handle to do maintenance. Just usher it into a deli cup and do what you gotta do.

4. Ts are pretty clean creatures, aside from clearing the water dish and removing a bolus here and there, there's not much "cleaning" that needs to be done unless you are leaving a bunch of crickets to die in there...but since you aren't a pet store, I doubt that's the case.

I hope so! I feel so bad for him, I usually just let them walk onto my hand, or cup them also. This is a (low quality) picture of my other Ts cage.
Don't feel bad for a bald spot...its like if you tore your shirt a tad...its just cosmetic and will have zero effect on the t. The bald spot just means there isn't hair there. I feel worse for guys with toupee's.

As for the color looking "raw"...lol, that's just because you are equating your skin to a ts (anthropomorphism alert)...that's just the color of the skin...keep an eye on the spot though, when that patch of skin darkens, its pre-molt....you can stop offering food then and just keep water in the dish and wait the 2-15 months it will require.
 
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