I think this is a cyst?

[Drea]

Yeah... most of what I know about tarantula care, I learned about 25 years ago. Guess I just never looked into it once I thought I sort of knew what I was doing. Guess that was a mistake.

Also, the cup actually IS broken in half. The half just sits on top of the dirt, so it's totally open underneath. The cup was a gift from an old girlfriend that just happened to get broken dead down the middle...

I'm gonna try to find a Sterilite tote or something for her, as soon as possible. Faint hope is better than none...

The slope in the dish is fine when the T isn’t injured. That is not case at the moment.

Having the dish level with the substrate is to limit how much energy she has to put in to drink water. You don’t want her moving up and down much because she may skip water because she doesn’t have enough energy to climb even the smallest 1/2 inch to get it. If she is going to have a chance to live, fluids that were lost during her molt and her injury have to get replaced.

Even though I think her prognosis doesn’t like good, I still have hope that she pulls through. I only say her chances look grim is for you to prepare yourself.

 

[Stavrogin78]

The slope in the dish is fine when the T isn’t injured. That is not case at the moment.

Having the dish level with the substrate is to limit how much energy she has to put in to drink water. You don’t want her moving up and down much because she may skip water because she doesn’t have enough energy to climb even the smallest 1/2 inch to get it. If she is going to have a chance to live, fluids that were lost during her molt and her injury have to get replaced.

Even though I think her prognosis doesn’t like good, I still have hope that she pulls through. I only say her chances look grim is for you to prepare yourself.

I'm not sure if the best way to update is to reply here or post a new thread (I'm new on this board). I took all the rocks out of the tank last night, but otherwise let her be. This morning, she had moved away from her water dish, to the back of the enclosure. When I got home from work, she was lying in nearly the same spot, very flattened, and I was worried she hadn't made it. But I thought I'd at least try to recess that water dish. I had to move the entire tank to do that, and when I did, she sprang up and walked a little. As I moved the water dish and started digging into the substrate a little, she obviously got spooked, sprinted a little, and actually tried to kick hair. So she's mobile, and has at least enough spunk to do that. I was a little worried, as the deformity is right where she tried to kick hair off, but I still don't see any signs of bleeding.

So the water dish is flush with the substrate, clean, and full. Other than that, I don't want to harass her for another couple of days. As I recall, it generally takes about a week for the new exo to harden, no? So I'll try to have a better enclosure ready for her when a week comes along.

It's been two and a half days since she finished the molt, and she's at least mobile and seems sort of stable. I think?

If you or anyone else has any more suggestions (or corrections), let me know. Thanks for all your help so far. Wish I'd come to this board ten years ago - it might have spared me this.

 

[EtienneN]

There’s always hope! There are stories of Ts surviving bad looking injuries. Keeping her hydrated is about all you can do. Please keep us updated.

 

[Stavrogin78]

There’s always hope! There are stories of Ts surviving bad looking injuries. Keeping her hydrated is about all you can do. Please keep us updated.

I'm trying. She's moving around the tank here and there, but she does look tired. She hasn't been right to the water dish yet though. I did make it flush with the substrate, but I don't know whether she doesn't want it right now or can't find it. I don't want to prod her toward it for fear of stressing her out even more, or triggering her to try to kick hair. Not really sure what the right thing to do is here, besides just wait and see.

 

[MintyWood826]

I'm not sure if the best way to update is to reply here or post a new thread (I'm new on this board)

Just update this thread. : )

I'm trying. She's moving around the tank here and there, but she does look tired. She hasn't been right to the water dish yet though. I did make it flush with the substrate, but I don't know whether she doesn't want it right now or can't find it. I don't want to prod her toward it for fear of stressing her out even more, or triggering her to try to kick hair. Not really sure what the right thing to do is here, besides just wait and see.

I think it's a good thing that she still moves. What do you mean exactly by looking tired? If you're worried about her getting water, you could try having two water dishes, but I'm not sure if it's necessary.

Hoping for an unexpected good outcome.

 

[Stavrogin78]

Just update this thread. : )

I think it's a good thing that she still moves. What do you mean exactly by looking tired? If you're worried about her getting water, you could try having two water dishes, but I'm not sure if it's necessary.

Hoping for an unexpected good outcome.

By "looking tired" I just mean that sometimes she sits with her legs arched (like normal), and other times her legs are a little more flattened out, and her belly is right on the substrate. But that's not unusual for her after a molt - I know the process is exhausting. So the tired look is kinda neither here nor there, but I'm just really watching for signs of dehydration. My thinking (correct me if I'm wrong) is that if she was severely dehydrated, she wouldn't be able to move around the enclosure like she's doing. So I'm taking that, tentatively, as a positive sign.

 

[MintyWood826]

My thinking (correct me if I'm wrong) is that if she was severely dehydrated, she wouldn't be able to move around the enclosure like she's doing. So I'm taking that, tentatively, as a positive sign.

Yes, they go into a death curl when their legs lose pressure from dehydration.

 

[Stavrogin78]

Seriously, Bella?


Gonna need to get that new enclosure done pronto...

 

[Arachnophoric]

Thus the stressed importance of getting her rehoused asap.

On the bright side, the spot looks less severe than it did in the initial photos. Do you think you can get a clearer picture of it? Perhaps it wasn't as bad as I initially thought.

 

[Stavrogin78]

OK, I've got something that might work for an enclosure, at least for now. This is basically one of those critter keepers. It's kinda small, only about 12" x 8" on the base, but only about 10" high. If I put 4" of soil in the bottom, that's only 6" of headroom, which should be safe for her. It's got the typical plastic lid (the little trapdoor is missing, but I can put something over that). It's not a screen, looks safe for her claws not to catch on. Would this do for now, until I can get a more ideal one with a little more floor space?

Also, everyone's saying use topsoil for substrate. Closest thing I have handy is "Potting Mix", which contains humus, peat moss, sand, and perlite. Is that safe, or not? If it is, I could set up a new enclosure tonight. If not, it'll have to wait until tomorrow.

And I'll try to get better pictures.

 

[Arachnophoric]

OK, I've got something that might work for an enclosure, at least for now. This is basically one of those critter keepers. It's kinda small, only about 12" x 8" on the base, but only about 10" high. If I put 4" of soil in the bottom, that's only 6" of headroom, which should be safe for her. It's got the typical plastic lid (the little trapdoor is missing, but I can put something over that). It's not a screen, looks safe for her claws not to catch on. Would this do for now, until I can get a more ideal one with a little more floor space?

Also, everyone's saying use topsoil for substrate. Closest thing I have handy is "Potting Mix", which contains humus, peat moss, sand, and perlite. Is that safe, or not? If it is, I could set up a new enclosure tonight. If not, it'll have to wait until tomorrow.

And I'll try to get better pictures.

I'd personally go ahead and switch her into that enclosure if you haven't already. It might be a bit on the small side but your T would be safer in there until you got something else.


Not sure on the potting soil, the sand and peat moss are fine, sounds like perlite is safe too, but I have no idea on the humus.

 

[Stavrogin78]

I'd personally go ahead and switch her into that enclosure if you haven't already. It might be a bit on the small side but your T would be safer in there until you got something else.


Not sure on the potting soil, the sand and peat moss are fine, sounds like perlite is safe too, but I have no idea on the humus.

I moved her into that enclosure three nights ago. My thinking was that the risk of stressing her by moving her was less significant than the possibility of her taking another fall on her already vulnerable abdomen, so I rolled the dice. She handled the move pretty well, just slow gentle movements as I goaded her into a cup out of the old tank and into the new. No hair kicking or sudden sprints at all - she seemed really calm through the whole thing, and this is typical of what I've seen from her in years past. She can be unpredictable - sometimes she's really skittish, and sometimes she's amazingly chill.

As I mentioned, there's not a lot of floor space in the new enclosure. There's about 4" or so of substrate, so plenty for her to burrow in, and only about 6" to the top, so no real room to climb. I put that coffee mug back in, as I had nothing else really to provide a half-started burrow, but I angled it as was suggested here. Only other thing in there is her water dish, which I'm keeping full.

Her first night, she tried climbing again, and spent most of the night up against the side, sort of reaching for the top. The next day, she sat on top of the coffee cup and wouldn't come down. I'm not sure if she's really suspicious of the new substrate or what. It kinda seems that way, though. The next morning (and I thought this was kind of funny), I found her still on top of the coffee cup, but with ONE TOE down on the dirt, like she was checking it out, but still really mistrustful of it. But since then, she's come down, and spends most of her time on the surface of the substrate itself.

It's been seven days since her molt, so I tried feeding her late last night. Dropped a mealworm in, about an inch away from her. It wasn't really moving, and she ignored it. This morning, thinking that maybe it was the lack of movement, I tied the mealworm to a piece of dental floss and dragged it in front of her. She reacted, got her front legs up, but certainly didn't pounce on it. She didn't move quickly, but more did the "I'm slightly annoyed by this" dance, reaching out gently and kind of pushing at it, but never got her fangs out or sunk them in. Then the darn thing fell off the string. She still hasn't eaten it as far as I can tell. Is she maybe just not ready to eat? I don't see any curling or anything, she's mobile and is free to move around the tank, but seems to be choosing not to.

The bulge on the abdomen doesn't look any better, but it doesn't look worse. I haven't seen any signs at all of bleeding or anything. I'm fairly convinced that the fall happened just shortly before the molt. Interestingly, there are traces of black hair on the bulge, like just a little bit of new skin grew over it in the last day or two before the actual molt. Is it possible that when she grows her next skin, it will cover the hernia? Does the new skin grow from the inside out, or from the old skin inward?

She seems stable for now, but kinda lethargic. I'll feel a little better when she starts eating. Perhaps a week was a little too soon to try, but that mealworm is kinda right under her right now and doesn't seem to pose any kind of threat, so I'm just leaving it there for now. If this is wrong, someone tell me.

Here's a better picture of what the hernia (is that what this is? It's what I've been calling it in my head) looks like right now. Sorry for those black bars, apparently the LED light I was using for the photo has an inconvenient cycle...

You can see the tips of her spinnerets at the bottom of the bald patch, so that gives you an idea of how far away from their bases it is.

 

[Arachnophoric]

I moved her into that enclosure three nights ago. My thinking was that the risk of stressing her by moving her was less significant than the possibility of her taking another fall on her already vulnerable abdomen, so I rolled the dice. She handled the move pretty well, just slow gentle movements as I goaded her into a cup out of the old tank and into the new. No hair kicking or sudden sprints at all - she seemed really calm through the whole thing, and this is typical of what I've seen from her in years past. She can be unpredictable - sometimes she's really skittish, and sometimes she's amazingly chill.

Good move, glad to hear it all went well! Sounds like a Brachypelma alright - just thank your stars you didn't get one of the oddball psycho B. hamorii.

As I mentioned, there's not a lot of floor space in the new enclosure. There's about 4" or so of substrate, so plenty for her to burrow in, and only about 6" to the top, so no real room to climb. I put that coffee mug back in, as I had nothing else really to provide a half-started burrow, but I angled it as was suggested here. Only other thing in there is her water dish, which I'm keeping full.

From what i'm reading, it sounds like you're doing everything right.

Her first night, she tried climbing again, and spent most of the night up against the side, sort of reaching for the top. The next day, she sat on top of the coffee cup and wouldn't come down. I'm not sure if she's really suspicious of the new substrate or what. It kinda seems that way, though. The next morning (and I thought this was kind of funny), I found her still on top of the coffee cup, but with ONE TOE down on the dirt, like she was checking it out, but still really mistrustful of it. But since then, she's come down, and spends most of her time on the surface of the substrate itself.

All normal behavior from a T adjusting to a new enclosure, I can imagine she was a little disoriented if she'd been in her old enclosure even half as long as you've had her.

It's been seven days since her molt, so I tried feeding her late last night. Dropped a mealworm in, about an inch away from her. It wasn't really moving, and she ignored it. This morning, thinking that maybe it was the lack of movement, I tied the mealworm to a piece of dental floss and dragged it in front of her. She reacted, got her front legs up, but certainly didn't pounce on it. She didn't move quickly, but more did the "I'm slightly annoyed by this" dance, reaching out gently and kind of pushing at it, but never got her fangs out or sunk them in. Then the darn thing fell off the string. She still hasn't eaten it as far as I can tell. Is she maybe just not ready to eat? I don't see any curling or anything, she's mobile and is free to move around the tank, but seems to be choosing not to.

At her size, I think you'll be better off waiting another week to try feeding her. I try to give my larger Ts 2 weeks before trying to feed - you should never feed a tarantula that has molted until their fangs have turned completely black. If I had to guess, i'd say your girl is probably still a little red. As long as she's drinking though you should be just fine.

The bulge on the abdomen doesn't look any better, but it doesn't look worse. I haven't seen any signs at all of bleeding or anything. I'm fairly convinced that the fall happened just shortly before the molt. Interestingly, there are traces of black hair on the bulge, like just a little bit of new skin grew over it in the last day or two before the actual molt. Is it possible that when she grows her next skin, it will cover the hernia? Does the new skin grow from the inside out, or from the old skin inward?

I noticed the black hair in the first picture too, as if her new exuvia had already mostly formed before the injury, so I agree that it likely happened during her premolt period. I'm not sure about all the details of how new exuvia forms, but l just that it develops under the old one.

She seems stable for now, but kinda lethargic. I'll feel a little better when she starts eating. Perhaps a week was a little too soon to try, but that mealworm is kinda right under her right now and doesn't seem to pose any kind of threat, so I'm just leaving it there for now. If this is wrong, someone tell me

Again, give her another week. It sounds like you're doing everything alright, but if you're wanting to be sure you can toss up pictures of her new setup. Would still like another clearer pic of the abdomen, too.

Just a note that you should be very cautious with how much you're feeding her - the injury on her abdomen could be structurally weak compared to how it normally is, and if she gets too fat it may be more likely to rupture or burst. I'd stick with smaller meals less frequently until when (and if) she manages to make it to her next molt.

Edit - just saw the new post with the picture of her abdomen. Doesnt look quite as malformed as it had in the first post, but still not fantastic. I stand by my recommendation of taking your time feeding her up to her next molt.