Help Please, Urgent Response!

[kingbaboonlover]

Hey readers! My Rose Hair that I have had for over five years is acting in a really worrying manner for the past week. To start off I realized that she was more active than usual, climbing the sides of the tank a little and just generally being restless. Then about three nights ago she climbed on top of some bark that she normally sits under and sat there motionless for nearly a full 24 hours. Since then I have hardly seen her move and for the past 18 hours or so she has sat almost totally motionless with her legs curled in as far as she can get without actually tucking them under her completely. When she does walk is is with a jumpy, twitching sorta movement demonstrated in my video I posted here.

Everything is going as normal as possible, fine temperature, humidity, food, water, tank set out how she wants it (I try not to have ANY interference with the structure of the tank). And I have made sure it isn't too dry by giving it a complete misting all over the place. In the past, any water used to have her dart under her bark but today she just sat and got wet. Any help would be HEAVILY appreciated!

 

[Venom1080]

rose hairs hate water. misting the cage is probably what made her climb. these guys are best kept bone dry with a water dish for humidity, no misting. tarantulas very commonly sit still of long periods of time, no issue there. they are quite inactive animals, rose hairs especially. thanks for the pics and vid, very helpful. from the vid, she looks poisoned. jerky movements indicate poisoning. have you used any chemicals in the room? also, the cage is much too tall for a terrestrial, the distance between the cage top and substrate level shouldnt be more than 1.5x the tarantulas leg span.

 

[kingbaboonlover]

rose hairs hate water. misting the cage is probably what made her climb. these guys are best kept bone dry with a water dish for humidity, no misting. tarantulas very commonly sit still of long periods of time, no issue there. they are quite inactive animals, rose hairs especially. thanks for the pics and vid, very helpful. from the vid, she looks poisoned. jerky movements indicate poisoning. have you used any chemicals in the room? also, the cage is much too tall for a terrestrial, the distance between the cage top and substrate level shouldnt be more than 1.5x the tarantulas leg span.

I keep all chemicals and strong odors (such as deodorant's) out of the same room as the spider. If she IS poisoned, could it be from not cleaning the water dish frequently enough? And will my T be okay? If so then I can sit this strange period out with some relief. Thank you for your help though! Appreciate it.

 

[EulersK]

It looks pretty skinny - when did it last eat? And when did it last molt? Could you get a clear picture of the pedipalps?

As has been said, never mist this spider. They are native to one of the driest deserts in the world, a water dish will suffice.

I agree, that movement makes it look like it's been in contact with some harmful chemicals.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I keep all chemicals and strong odors (such as deodorant's) out of the same room as the spider.

And this, needless to say, is good.

If she IS poisoned, could it be from not cleaning the water dish frequently enough?

Could be as well due to a prey your Theraphosidae ate, man. While I clean on a regular basis the water dish of my T's, mostly I refill only those if they are "clean" (no poop, boluse inside I mean).

And will my T be okay?

Here no one can give you a true 100% prediction. As EulersK said, if you can give us a clean picture of the pedipals that would be appreciated.

P.S

Means nothing, now. Just me :-s

That piece of cork bark is great, but IMO I wouldn't put a so "big" and quite tall piece of cork bark in that way. I would half bury that in the substrate, instead.

 

[kingbaboonlover]

It looks pretty skinny - when did it last eat? And when did it last molt? Could you get a clear picture of the pedipalps?

As has been said, never mist this spider. They are native to one of the driest deserts in the world, a water dish will suffice.

I agree, that movement makes it look like it's been in contact with some harmful chemicals.

The tank has only been misted to clear a possibility that my T is "too dry". My T last ate early September this year and has refused food since. Last molted approx 2 years ago in Oct 2014.
I got a pic of the peds; are these okay?

 

[EulersK]

What I'm looking for is bulbous pedipalps - as skinny as it is, I'm guessing that it's a mature male. Which would explain everything.

Unfortunately, that picture doesn't help. I need the tips of the pedipalps, which it has tucked in.

 

[kingbaboonlover]

What I'm looking for is bulbous pedipalps - as skinny as it is, I'm guessing that it's a mature male. Which would explain everything.

Unfortunately, that picture doesn't help. I need the tips of the pedipalps, which it has tucked in.

It's a female, she laid eggs after I got her. I dont think I can get a better shot due to the enclosure and T's position right now

 

[EulersK]

It's a female, she laid eggs after I got her. I dont think I can get a better shot due to the enclosure and T's position right now

Oh, well if it laid an egg sac, then no point. Males can't do that, obviously.

Then I'm not sure man, I'm sorry. I stand by it being very skinny, though. It may just be reaching the end of its life It's almost certainly wild caught, so God knows how old it really is.

 

[Storm76]

It's a female, she laid eggs after I got her. I dont think I can get a better shot due to the enclosure and T's position right now

If you're absolutely positive it's a female, that it could be any number of things:

Food-poisoning, parasites, old-age even (did you raise her or buy her adult already?), chemicals, feeder injury...whatnot. If I'd be you, I'd temporarily set her up anew with 1/4 substrate moist, nice big-size waterdish which I'd place her carefully next to. Naturally, that means picking that T gently up (or if you're uneasy about that, gently slide a plastic lid underneath her - although looking at the ventral side might be a good idea anyways if you don't know what's wrong) and positioning her accordingly. Sometimes, even these animals need a little help and I hope the best for you and your T. Good luck!

 

[_scorpio_]

Hate to say it but you may be filling in a report here soon: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/dks-dyskinetic-syndrome.181845/

 

[truecreature]

This might be a bit of a long shot since you seem pretty diligent about your spiders, but just to cover more bases...have you ever fed her prey that's been caught outside?

Or do you have a dog you use topical flea prevention on?

Unfortunately we still know practically nothing about the health of tarantulas, so unless there's an obvious cause to a problem all we can do is wonder

 

[kingbaboonlover]

This might be a bit of a long shot since you seem pretty diligent about your spiders, but just to cover more bases...have you ever fed her prey that's been caught outside?

Or do you have a dog you use topical flea prevention on?

No, I always feed shop-bought Crickets and nothing else. I do have a dog but im sure we use flea prevention drops but not recently.

Food-poisoning, parasites, old-age even (did you raise her or buy her adult already?), chemicals, feeder injury...whatnot. If I'd be you,

Of all these, I'd probably say chemicals thinking about what I quoted early in this reply.

I'll give you guys an update if anything changes.

 

[kingbaboonlover]

Quick update, I managed to get her to move a bit so there's new pedipalps shots. Right now the T is leant in a diagonal pose, right side in the ground.

 

[darkness975]

That picture is not looking good. If it is indeed a female then as others have said it could be poisoning, parasites, or even just old age. Also, never mist a rose hair enclosure. They despise that. Just a water dish will suffice.
The height of the enclosure is too tall and it is possible that it climbed up and fell down causing internal injury.
The abdomen is too small for my liking as well. The only time I would not be concerned about that is in the case of a mature male nearing the end of its life.

 

[EulersK]

That's certainly not a mature male.

I know I keep going back to this, but Jesus is it skinny. Has it been that skinny since the last molt?

 

[Teal]

I think we are looking at a T that is starving to death. Could be because of old age... while DKS matches, this spider having not eaten in so long and having such a small abdomen says something else is amiss to me.

 

[Ellenantula]

Have you had it since it was a sling (or better -- do you know its age?) I am wondering if it's just getting old. I am thinking you would know if there was any chemical exposure.

 

[kingbaboonlover]

Have you had it since it was a sling (or better -- do you know its age?) I am wondering if it's just getting old. I am thinking you would know if there was any chemical exposure.

I got this T when it was large enough to be classed as adult size and that was near 6 years ago. So far I'm gonna put all this down to old age.

I think we are looking at a T that is starving to death. Could be because of old age... while DKS matches, this spider having not eaten in so long and having such a small abdomen says something else is amiss to me.

I know, she's got a real issue with fasting for too long. Most food is refused or uneaten.

 

[Ellenantula]

I know, she's got a real issue with fasting for too long. Most food is refused or uneaten.

Yeah, Rosies are known for fasting -- mine went just over a year fasting but did take prey about 2 months or so ago. I thought that meant she might start eating regularly for me again, but nope -- has refused everything since.