I'm A Bit Worried

[SimonJay94]

Hello,

I am a fairly new T keeper. My T has stopped eating for weeks, and yesterday I found her not moving under a log. The humidity in the enclosure is fine and I regularly keep an eye on it.

Her abdomen has began leaking a brownish fluid. I do not want to touch her encase she is pre-molting.

She always has water close by too. She doesn't reapond to any sort of signal and has completely stopped moving.

There are no prey in her enclosure either.
She has been webbing the inside of her little log-bunker and also webbed the outside where she is laying.

I am worried if she is dying. If so, what can I do to save her?

Please find attached photos.

 

[viper69]

Can’t say- it could be it fell due to the height of the cage. Land Ts should only be in setups that are 1.5x their DLS for sub to roof height.

Also, only a FEW species need humidity. Most peeps who chase humidity values end up with dead Ts.
What do you own?

 

[SimonJay94]

Nor sure if it's accurate as I am no expert. When I purchased her, the guys are the reptile place I bought her said she's a...

Selenotholus Kotzman's

 

[CrazyOrnithoctonineGuy]

@RezonantVoid

S. "Kotzman" is a fossorial species, it needs deep substrate (in a Exo-Terra this can be done by sloping the substrate so that it's much higher in the back then in the front, where it should be right below the frontal vents).

 

[Smotzer]

The distance between the substrate level and the lid is unsafe and the tarantula may have become damaged from falling from the top. As well as the species needs deep substrate because it is fossorial.

 

[viper69]

@RezonantVoid

S. "Kotzman" is a fossorial species, it needs deep substrate (in a Exo-Terra this can be done by sloping the substrate so that it's much higher in the back then in the front, where it should be right below the frontal vents).

Or owner can put cage on its back with doors opening up, modding the lid of course

 

[Isaax Critterz]

Possible premolt?

Fossorial species love to burrow and it could want to hide away to prepare for molting.

 

[NMTs]

Leaking hemolymph is not a sign of premolt, it's a sign of injury. As others have stated, it's likely this T has fallen, sustained an injury, and is slowly bleeding to death. If you can find the location(s) of the injury, you may be able to stop the loss of fluid by applying corn starch to the wound(s). Provide a shallow water dish that your T can get to easily so it can rehydrate. If it won't go to the water itself, you can place it so that it's fangs are in the water (but keep it's abdomen out of the dish). Unfortunately, if it is already not responding to stimulus at all, it may be too late for any of this.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Cornstarch is what we used some years ago for hemolymph leaks, and I believe there are a few here that still do, if she appears to be leaking from the abdomen. Be careful not to seal off her anus. The leg segment, she can seal off and cast off the leg if she needs to.

 

[JDS123]

Everyone saying a fall, have you ever seen it climbing the sides or the top?

I personally feel like her abdomen looks huge, I almost think possible blockage but broke up a bit, i cant tell good on my phone ill look at home on computer.

I mean I guess she could have fallen and landed just right on something, Ive see many falls in 30 years with no issues, though I am absolutely for preventing it.

I gotta see better pics in a bit.

 

[SimonJay94]

Everyone saying a fall, have you ever seen it climbing the sides or the top?

I personally feel like her abdomen looks huge, I almost think possible blockage but broke up a bit, i cant tell good on my phone ill look at home on computer.

I mean I guess she could have fallen and landed just right on something, Ive see many falls in 30 years with no issues, though I am absolutely for preventing it.

I gotta see better pics in a bit.

I have never seen her climb. She chose to not burrow down, but instead made a house out of a aquarium piece. Webbed the hell out of it. Where she is now, I saw her walk there a few days ago now.

She just never moved from her spot.

Her abdomen has reduced a bit due to the leakage, but I will attach another photo here. I woke up at 5am to check on her and I very gently wipped away the leakage and so far it seems to have stopped a bit.

But the fluid is brown. Not the milkish clear fluid. I did place some water under her fangs and no where else. Could it be coming from her anus?

Please find attached photo.

 

[NMTs]

I have never seen her climb. She chose to not burrow down, but instead made a house out of a aquarium piece. Webbed the hell out of it. Where she is now, I saw her walk there a few days ago now.

She just never moved from her spot.

Her abdomen has reduced a bit due to the leakage, but I will attach another photo here. I woke up at 5am to check on her and I very gently wipped away the leakage and so far it seems to have stopped a bit.

But the fluid is brown. Not the milkish clear fluid. I did place some water under her fangs and no where else. Could it be coming from her anus?

Please find attached photo.

The fluid on her leg is hemolymph, I'm certain. If the fluid coming from the abdomen is that brown tinted stuff, then it likely is coming from the anus. So there might actually be more than one issue happening with her. Obviously, the leg leaking is minor relative to the abdomen. Does she respond to your touch at all?

 

[SimonJay94]

The fluid on her leg is hemolymph, I'm certain. If the fluid coming from the abdomen is that brown tinted stuff, then it likely is coming from the anus. So there might actually be more than one issue happening with her. Obviously, the leg leaking is minor relative to the abdomen. Does she respond to your touch at all?

No. She doesn't respond when I very gently touch her leg or hairs with a soft brush.

I keep giving her water every now and then to make sure she is hydrated.

 

[NMTs]

No. She doesn't respond when I very gently touch her leg or hairs with a soft brush.

I keep giving her water every now and then to make sure she is hydrated.

Try nudging her a little more forcefully to see if she moves. My guess is she's passed.

 

[SimonJay94]

The fluid on her leg is hemolymph, I'm certain. If the fluid coming from the abdomen is that brown tinted stuff, then it likely is coming from the anus. So there might actually be more than one issue happening with her. Obviously, the leg leaking is minor relative to the abdomen. Does she respond to your touch at all?

I was wondering if I should apply some cornstarch to her leg to help that minor wound with a soft brush?

I was wondering if the rear problem is a blockage in her digestive tract.

Try nudging her a little more forcefully to see if she moves. My guess is she's passed.

I've nudged her slightly with a soft brush. No movement. The usual her legs sticking to my brush, but not actual movement.

 

[NMTs]

I was wondering if I should apply some cornstarch to her leg to help that minor wound with a soft brush?

I was wondering if the rear problem is a blockage in her digestive tract.

It could be impaction, some of the symptoms you described are similar to what I've experienced (I lost one to impaction last summer - you can read details here https://arachnoboards.com/threads/any-thoughts-on-whats-going-on-with-my-e-murinus.357205/). Unfortunately, if that's what it is/was and she's to the point that she doesn't respond or move at all when stimulated, it's likely too late. I'm not sure I've ever read or heard of a case where someone successfully removed a blockage and the T survived. Add to that the fact that by the time they start exhibiting symptoms that make you think something is wrong there's nothing to be done, so it's essentially a death sentence for them.

Sorry for your loss, I know it sucks.

 

[SimonJay94]

It could be impaction, some of the symptoms you described are similar to what I've experienced (I lost one to impaction last summer - you can read details here https://arachnoboards.com/threads/any-thoughts-on-whats-going-on-with-my-e-murinus.357205/). Unfortunately, if that's what it is/was and she's to the point that she doesn't respond or move at all when stimulated, it's likely too late. I'm not sure I've ever read or heard of a case where someone successfully removed a blockage and the T survived. Add to that the fact that by the time they start exhibiting symptoms that make you think something is wrong there's nothing to be done, so it's essentially a death sentence for them.

Sorry for your loss, I know it sucks.

I'm starting to say she's passed as well. I've applied some cornstarch very lightly to the leg, and I can see the blockage at her anus. Exactly in your photos. Just hope she isn't beginning to molt or anything. Would they still show a response even during pre-molt?

It could be impaction, some of the symptoms you described are similar to what I've experienced (I lost one to impaction last summer - you can read details here https://arachnoboards.com/threads/any-thoughts-on-whats-going-on-with-my-e-murinus.357205/). Unfortunately, if that's what it is/was and she's to the point that she doesn't respond or move at all when stimulated, it's likely too late. I'm not sure I've ever read or heard of a case where someone successfully removed a blockage and the T survived. Add to that the fact that by the time they start exhibiting symptoms that make you think something is wrong there's nothing to be done, so it's essentially a death sentence for them.

Sorry for your loss, I know it sucks.

I noticed one of her back spinnerets are missing. I could be wrong and cannot check without completely moving her. I took a slight photo, isn't clear enough, but it seems like she is missing her rear right spinneret.

Also around that area, it's ever so slight, but seems like she is missing some hair on her abdomen around her spinnerets. It's ever so slight.

 

[NMTs]

I noticed one of her back spinnerets are missing. I could be wrong and cannot check without completely moving her. I took a slight photo, isn't clear enough, but it seems like she is missing her rear right spinneret.

Also around that area, it's ever so slight, but seems like she is missing some hair on her abdomen around her spinnerets. It's ever so slight.

The missing setae could just be an effect of inflammation or swelling due to the blockage. The missing spinnerette isn't an issue in and of itself - they will regenerate just like a lost leg - but it could possibly indicate that it had trouble with a previous molt, which may be partially to blame for the blockage. That's just a guess, though.

This definitely isn't something you'd see in premolt - even a T that is flipped and ready to molt will respond to stimuli.

 

[SimonJay94]

The missing setae could just be an effect of inflammation or swelling due to the blockage. The missing spinnerette isn't an issue in and of itself - they will regenerate just like a lost leg - but it could possibly indicate that it had trouble with a previous molt, which may be partially to blame for the blockage. That's just a guess, though.

This definitely isn't something you'd see in premolt - even a T that is flipped and ready to molt will respond to stimuli.

Damn. Makes me tear up, honestly. I guess I will let her be and just observe her and see if she wakes or responds in the future. Fingers crossed. Thanks for all your advice and responses. I appreciate it.

 

[NMTs]

Damn. Makes me tear up, honestly. I guess I will let her be and just observe her and see if she wakes or responds in the future. Fingers crossed. Thanks for all your advice and responses. I appreciate it.

Yeah, no problem. I've been in your shoes and it's a helpless feeling. It's too bad that there's just not enough knowledge about the healthcare of these creatures yet to be able to help them in these situations, but maybe someday we'll get there.