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- Jul 28, 2007
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I have been into tarantulas for a long time. When I started, I read alot of books on them to learn all I could (back in 2000). Lately I have seen alot of threads regarding falls and such that ends in the tarantula getting wounded and starts to lose Hemolymph (blood and the color is clear). And some unfortuante posts that state that they had a loss.
Now personally I have never had this happen so my question is whether anyone has actually tried to immobilize a tarantula in the following manner (Described below). This may prove to be a valid descussion especially since I have never seen anyone discuss this before. It can also help people when they need it. Many do not know the methods needed to temporarily stop bleeding (Like using Liquid band-aid or Superglue) enough to where the spider can have time to initiate and complete a molt that would repair damages to its exoskeleton either in part or full.
There are a few ways but I'm going to list the 2 that are easiest for the average person with access to common things found in any home. I'm going to put it in my own words to make it brief.
(Info was taken from my book Tarantulas and other Arachnidsby Samuel D. Marshall, PH.D.)
Tarantula Anesthesiology
1. Chilling
2. Carbon Dioxide
The first is easy. You just need your fridge. Tarantulas are cold blooded so that means they take on the temps of their surroundings. When they are cooled down they slow down which includes their behavior. They will recover once warmed up. It is hard on the tarantula so chilling them too long can be fatal. According to the book you chill them long enough to slow them down, not STOP them. If they stop altogether they may never move again. (Death)
Its just like the opposite, heating them. They would grow faster. Too much heat they die.
The second is Carbon Dioxide. We all know that this is the gas we exhale with every breath. If we breath this gas we can die due to suffocation. Inverts (tarantulas) become immobilized with this same gas. If exposed to this gas for too long they can die as well.
Carbon dioxide will totally immobilize them and keep them down for a long time. According to the book the amount of time it takes to immobilize them would roughly be the amount of time to recover. A side effect is for a day or so after the exposure, the spider would be hyperactive.
Now how do we get this gas around the house? From mixing Baking soda and vinegar. Its a heavy gas so it does not have to be administered in an air tight enclosure.
According to the book, (and I quote) instruction are:
So who has heard of anyone trying this. Or who has actually tried it or knew someone who has. I personally have never needed to worry about this but since I have been reading so many threads on incidents, I figured I share info that I had.
Now personally I have never had this happen so my question is whether anyone has actually tried to immobilize a tarantula in the following manner (Described below). This may prove to be a valid descussion especially since I have never seen anyone discuss this before. It can also help people when they need it. Many do not know the methods needed to temporarily stop bleeding (Like using Liquid band-aid or Superglue) enough to where the spider can have time to initiate and complete a molt that would repair damages to its exoskeleton either in part or full.
There are a few ways but I'm going to list the 2 that are easiest for the average person with access to common things found in any home. I'm going to put it in my own words to make it brief.
(Info was taken from my book Tarantulas and other Arachnidsby Samuel D. Marshall, PH.D.)
Tarantula Anesthesiology
1. Chilling
2. Carbon Dioxide
The first is easy. You just need your fridge. Tarantulas are cold blooded so that means they take on the temps of their surroundings. When they are cooled down they slow down which includes their behavior. They will recover once warmed up. It is hard on the tarantula so chilling them too long can be fatal. According to the book you chill them long enough to slow them down, not STOP them. If they stop altogether they may never move again. (Death)
Its just like the opposite, heating them. They would grow faster. Too much heat they die.
The second is Carbon Dioxide. We all know that this is the gas we exhale with every breath. If we breath this gas we can die due to suffocation. Inverts (tarantulas) become immobilized with this same gas. If exposed to this gas for too long they can die as well.
Carbon dioxide will totally immobilize them and keep them down for a long time. According to the book the amount of time it takes to immobilize them would roughly be the amount of time to recover. A side effect is for a day or so after the exposure, the spider would be hyperactive.
Now how do we get this gas around the house? From mixing Baking soda and vinegar. Its a heavy gas so it does not have to be administered in an air tight enclosure.
According to the book, (and I quote) instruction are:
Now if you had an incident where you needed one of these methods you probably be inclined to try it since if you don't try something, your tarantula would most likely die from bleeding to death since they do not posses the ability to clot like we do. They just bleed until death. With every movement the pressure needed to move their legs would also drive the Hemolymph out the wound.
So who has heard of anyone trying this. Or who has actually tried it or knew someone who has. I personally have never needed to worry about this but since I have been reading so many threads on incidents, I figured I share info that I had.
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