I think my favorite spider is dying.

[pategirl]

I was just on the phone talking about my dodoma baboon, and when I got off and checked on her, I found her trying to curl. She has whitish yellow stuff in her mouth....some sort of goo. It also looks like she has some dry poo on her rear end. She's here in my hand now...hopefully I can comfort her if it is really the end. I don't know what else to do for her.

 

[Godzilla2000]

That's just too bad. I hope everything turns out OK with her. Do you think she has some sort of illness? I know this might sound bad but for the sake of learning about Tarantula diseases and how to cure them, you may want to donate her body should she die to a Bioilogist well versed in Arachnology. There is so much we do not know about the illnesses Tarantulas suffer and how to cure them. If your little angel's sacrifice could help save another tarantula's life later on, wouldn't it be worth the sacrifice?

 

[Deathreaver]

I am sorry honey. Wish I could help. As one of my favorite qoutes says "That makes me a sad Panda" - south park.

 

[Professor T]

Originally posted by pategirl
I was just on the phone talking about my dodoma baboon, and when I got off and checked on her, I found her trying to curl. She has whitish yellow stuff in her mouth....some sort of goo. It also looks like she has some dry poo on her rear end. She's here in my hand now...hopefully I can comfort her if it is really the end. I don't know what else to do for her.

Could she have fallen within her enclosure? Could the liquid be blood? How high is the lid from the substrate?

I'm really sorry to hear this about your pet T...my sympathy.

 

[pategirl]

She lives in a kritter keeper...there is only about 3 inches from the top to the dirt. I doubt its blood in her mouthparts....this goo is chalky looking.

 

[invertepet]

I've seen this before. It's possibly some kind of digestive or other internal fluid (not cyanolymph/blood). It's not a good sign, but it's not invariably fatal. I find it with spiders that have ingested fouled water (gotta remember to clean those water dishes) or, more seriously, internal or para-internal (bucal: mouth area)parasites. I've also seen spiders do it that had no outward health problems at all.

My advice, check for external parasites, especially around the booklungs and bucal area. Then place her in a clear deli cup (if you have one) on a single sheet of clean paper towel. If you think she might be dehydrated, mist her. If she's been fine in that regard, don't - keep her dry (it could help if there's an external parasite problem).

Keep us posted... I know it's frustrating, since there's no 'internal' help you can give a tarantula, unlike a dog or cat which can be treated by a vet.

bill

 

[pategirl]

Her water dish was crystal clear(I'm paranoid about things like that)...I didn't find any strange things on her body...she seems a bit more active now, I put her in the clear deli cup like you said....I also put her cup half on half off of a heating pad so she can get some warmth if she needs it....I really hope Happy makes it. This spider has been the coolest I've owned.

 

[JDK]

If I remember right, CM has deemed this, "The Butt plug of Doom,"


Jesus Will watch over thee!

 

[RugbyDave]

Hey there --

I'm really sorry, that sucks... seems T's can really come and go.


and i hate to say this, but i had 2 G.rosea's that had this problem (white stuff/goo/chalklike substance) and within about 2 weeks they both died. It happened to my 2 T's years apart, not together...


I hope thats not the case with yours -- mine did start getting better for about 2 weeks, then i saw the most horrible T death i've ever seen, i didnt even know what to. i know a common thing to do is just put themin the freezer and let them just fade away quicker, and i couldnt do it to one of them, but the other G.rosea was horrible... i mean flailing legs, curling spinnerets, horrible horrible white chalky stuff from both ends --

again, i REALLY hope the case isn't that with your buggers, but at the same time, in case it does -- you're not the only one its happened to, and just be glad you gave them a wonderful life that didnt end with them being stomped on by someone with a big boot..


hope all goes well!
peace,
dave

 

[RugbyDave]

also,

its funny (read: not funny) when you go to work/school/whatever tommorow and start talking about your sick spider and people go "so what, its a spider" -- like its LESS than cos its not cute and fuzzy. well, i mean they are OBJECTIVELY fuzzy, but not alot of people find themcute.. i love em though..

goodluck again!
peace
dave

 

[Professor T]

Originally posted by pategirl
I was just on the phone talking about my dodoma baboon, and when I got off and checked on her, I found her trying to curl. She has whitish yellow stuff in her mouth....some sort of goo. It also looks like she has some dry poo on her rear end. She's here in my hand now...hopefully I can comfort her if it is really the end. I don't know what else to do for her.

I looked this up in The ATS Arthropod Medical Manual by Dr. Robert Gale Breene III:

The dry poo on the posterior is a bacterial infection that could plug up the T, preventing normal excretion. Its not really dry poo. He suggests dabbing the area with glycerin or some other softening agent using a cotton swab.

Discharges from the mouth could also be a bacterial infection. Cooper (1987) advises irrigation of the affected region with a solution of 50mg tetracycline to 25 ml saline or water.

Good luck!

 

[Godzilla2000]

I just hope your Dodoma makes it Pate. I'll be thinking of that poor thing tonight. Do they have antibiotics for spiders?

 

[jwb121377]

Funny about your dodma baboon, because mine died of unkown causes over the weekend. I wonder if it is due to how they were collected? Well I hope you dodma makes it.

 

[pategirl]

I had a rosie get a very similar problem when I recieved it a few months ago...he's still ticking. I did dab the goo off her mouth with a very soft unscented tissue and I dabbed the dry feces off with a moist q-tip. I'm trying my best to leave her alone for a while....its hard not to get up and go see her every 5 minutes. I also cleaned and disenfected her normal house and water dish and I threw out all her old dirt. I'm also going to replace that water dish if she recovers.

 

[D-Man]

Don't give up!!!

Pate-

Bill and Professor T have some good advice. I hope things turn out ok. I'd clean out her keeper real well, too. Good luck.

Peace

 

[MrT]

Discharges from the mouth could also be a bacterial infection. Cooper (1987) advises irrigation of the affected region with a solution of 50mg tetracycline to 25 ml saline or water

I saw a very knowledgable T- guy irrigate a spider with the same problem. He used a squirt bottle, on the stream setting. He blasted the mouth parts with water, to clear the plug. It seemed pretty harsh, and I don't know if it saved the T. But he thought it was worth a try.

Ernie

 

[pategirl]

She's still alive this morning...

Happy is still alive this morning...I think I managed to stop the flow if goo from her mouth. She seems to have problems moving, though...I know she's not dehydrated, but I gave her a little water with a paintbrush to be safe. I'm still crossing my fingers.

 

[Nixy]

I hope she pills through hon.
Just keep hoping and I'll keep all my crossables crossed for her.

 

[pategirl]

She's gone

She finally passed on about 10 minutes ago....I was holding her when she curled. I can't believe she went from being a semi-normal active tarantula to dead in just over 24 hours. She was special to me...

 

[Nixy]

Aaaaw hon I am so sorry for your loss.
(big huge hugs)