I think my tarantula is dead

[lainey579]

Hi! I have a Mexican brown tarantula we rescued from my yard two months ago in a flood. Everything I have read says she’s been in pre molt , and she flipped on her back three days ago. She hasn’t moved at all since, and her butt looks deflated. She is my first tarantula and I don’t know what to do. Any advice or knowledge that will help? Thank you in advance.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

It's gone.

 

[lainey579]

Are you sure? Is it the butt? I thought they don’t flip on their backs to die?

 

[spideyspinneret78]

Yeah, sorry . It's in a death curl.

 

[VaporRyder]

So sorry if she hasn’t made it. I hope that you can keep more T’s in her memory! *hugs*

 

[lainey579]

That makes me so sad. Thank you. I did rescue another after her, and his name is Metro the Killer! He has thrived, but think he’s going to molt soon. He’s real fat, but has stopped eating and drinking.

Yeah, sorry . It's in a death curl.

Thanks.

 

[Liquifin]

It appears he was a mature male, so his time ran out due to old age. RIP.

 

[lainey579]

It appears he was a mature male, so his time ran out due to old age. RIP.

Ok. I figured it was a female bc of the size. I have much to learn.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

Are you sure? Is it the butt? I thought they don’t flip on their backs to die?

The leg posture and the deflated abdomen are sure signs but if a spider of that size flips on its back for three days and there's no progression, it's gone.

Give your other spider the best care you possibly can and read everything you can find. If it is indeed a male, i recommend you release him to complete his mission.

 

[Kitara]

Ok. I figured it was a female bc of the size. I have much to learn.

I'm sorry for your loss. If you look here, I believe this is his tibial hook. They have them on their front legs and they use them during mating. I don't really know what they do exactly, but only males have them. Not all species have them, but for the ones that do it makes it very easy to identify a mature male.

 

[viper69]

I too think that’s a male

 

[sasker]

I thought they don’t flip on their backs to die?

Maybe it fell when it was climbing. Mature males walk and climb a lot in search of a lady. That's why it is important to keep the potential fall distance not too big (about 7 inches would be okay).

I believe this is his tibial hook.

Could be, but I am not sure. The hooks point downwards in the direction of the metatarsus and tarsus, not upwards as this picture seems to show. Also, what looks like a hook seems to be attached to the metatarsus, not the tibia. Not all species have tibial hooks in mature males, but most do. They are used by the male to hook the fangs of the female while mating.

 

[Ungoliant]

Ok. I figured it was a female bc of the size. I have much to learn.

If you post pics of the ends of the palps, that will conclusively show whether it was a mature male. (The hooks or spurs are not always easy to see -- and some species lack them -- but the emboli are easy to see on any mature male.)

Typically, a large tarantula that is wandering outside is a mature male looking for a female. (Juveniles and females rarely leave their burrows, though it's possible to find one out if its burrow was flooded.)

 

[Kitara]

Could be, but I am not sure. The hooks point downwards in the direction of the metatarsus and tarsus, not upwards as this picture seems to show. Also, what looks like a hook seems to be attached to the metatarsus, not the tibia. Not all species have tibial hooks in mature males, but most do. They are used by the male to hook the fangs of the female while mating.

Thank you! I appreciate the clarification.