Is My Amblypygi Dead?

[DannyTheStreet]

This morning I found my tailless whip scorpion in the same position he was last night. Now, I know they're often sluggish and lazy during the day, mine is, but last night when I was spraying his terrarium he arched his legs up a little like he was about to stand, but then stayed there. For the rest of the night he just moved is anntenaiform around a bit. His unchanging position isn't what I'm scared of, it's that when I went to poke at his legs he didn't move. He hates being touched most of the time and will move him leg after the second or third time you touch him. He's never done anything like this before. The crickets I just bought started randomly dying, could they have been sick and my bug ate a couple, so is now suffering the effects? It's cold where I live right now, could he have died from wrong temperature in his habitat? Has he gone into a chill coma, and if so, will he come back? I'm really scared he's dead. Could anyone help me?

 

[pongdict]

It's cold where I live right now, could he have died from wrong temperature in his habitat?

How cold? Whats the temp in the room you keep your pet? I am not familiar with this species but if you provide specific info the people with experience can help you better. Posting a picture of your setup too will help a lot. I hope its doing alright.

 

[DannyTheStreet]

How cold? Whats the temp in the room you keep your pet? I am not familiar with this species but if you provide specific info the people with experience can help you better. Posting a picture of your setup too will help a lot. I hope its doing alright.

usually my room is kept at 74 f, last night was the coldest night of the year, though, so it got down to 69.

 

[jhjhj]

Substrate looks way too dry. Most problems with Amblypygi originate from that, don't be afraid to swamp the substrate. 69 degrees won't kill it, medius is pretty tough when it comes to temperatures. If your whip spider is lying on the ground like that, its a sure sign that it needs moisture. Add a good amount of water and it should return to its normal behaviour.

 

[DannyTheStreet]

Substrate looks way too dry. Most problems with Amblypygi originate from that, don't be afraid to swamp the substrate. 69 degrees won't kill it, medius is pretty tough when it comes to temperatures. If your whip spider is lying on the ground like that, its a sure sign that it needs moisture. Add a good amount of water and it should return to its normal behaviour.

I wanted to spray the substrate this morning when I found him (I drench the place a couple times a day) but I didn't want to mess with him incase something was wrong. I should just go about the spraying as usual?

 

[jhjhj]

I would just pour water onto the substrate. Daily misting isn't really needed, but if you want to provide standing water for drinking you could do it weekly. Super wet substrate does loads better for these guys than misting.

 

[DannyTheStreet]

I would just pour water onto the substrate.

just did that. thank you very much for the input, we'll see how he does.

 

[jhjhj]

You want to get that hygrometer into the 80's.
Good luck, hope he's alright.

 

[DannyTheStreet]

You want to get that hygrometer into the 80's.
Good luck, hope he's alright.

how long do you think it would take him to move?

 

[jhjhj]

Probably within 1-3 days.

 

[DannyTheStreet]

Probably within 1-3 days.

oh wow, can I ask why such a long time? I know a lot about amblypygis, but not that much.

 

[jhjhj]

I mean any time from now until then.

 

[DannyTheStreet]

I mean any time from now until then.

right, I was just wondering if you meant it would take 1-3 days for him to be okay/move again. apologies.

 

[Liquifin]

Is it dead? It doesn't seem right to wait to see if it's alive or not.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

If it’s not dead it’s on its last legs.
Your enclosure is bone-dry. All amblypygi require a moist environment. This particular species requires virtually swamp-like conditions. Your ventilation should be 90% blocked off to reduce evaporation, and your substrate should be soaked through at all times. Anything less than this is a sure-fire way to murder these delicate animals.

This animal is probably too far gone if it’s not responding to touch. If its whips are drooping on the ground it’s almost certainly all the way dead.

Next time you decide to get a pet, please thoroughly research its care before you buy it. Nobody enjoys seeing these beautiful animals suffer and die due to owner ignorance.

 

[DannyTheStreet]

If it’s not dead it’s on its last legs.
Your enclosure is bone-dry. All amblypygi require a moist environment. This particular species requires virtually swamp-like conditions. Your ventilation should be 90% blocked off to reduce evaporation, and your substrate should be soaked through at all times. Anything less than this is a sure-fire way to murder these delicate animals.

This animal is probably too far gone if it’s not responding to touch. If its whips are drooping on the ground it’s almost certainly all the way dead.

Next time you decide to get a pet, please thoroughly research its care before you buy it. Nobody enjoys seeing these beautiful animals suffer and die due to owner ignorance.

I'm sorry, but please don't assume I ignored him or didn't care for him. His substrate has never been as dry as it was when I woke up this morning. I'm no entomologist, or experienced arachnid owner, I'm only doing what I know. I'm not exactly sure what to make of this situation, he doesn't respond to touch often, even the seller I bought him from said so. Once he put himself into the same position he is now when I was taking him home from where I got him cause he was scared. I'm just confused and terrified for him.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

I'm sorry, but please don't assume I ignored him or didn't care for him. His substrate has never been as dry as it was when I woke up this morning. I'm no entomologist, or experienced arachnid owner, I'm only doing what I know. I'm not exactly sure what to make of this situation, he doesn't respond to touch often, even the seller I bought him from said so. Once he put himself into the same position he is now when I was taking him home from where I got him cause he was scared. I'm just confused and terrified for him.

I have not assumed you didn't care. I am going off of what I observe. This is not an attack. It is merely a statement of the facts. The substrate, at the level of dryness it is at in those photos, would have had to be WAY too dry for at least a week to come anywhere near the dryness we can observe here. When I say this species requires near-swap conditions, I am not exaggerating. It needs to be WET. Not faintly damp, not misted gently. WET. All the time. To achieve the level of humidity this species requires, you typically need to restrict ventilation so there's only an inch or two of exposed mesh, and keep the substrate wet at all times. That's what this animal requires. That is not what you have provided this animal. Since I assume you DO care, I then must assume that you did not adequately research your species. Again, this is not an attack. I am not insulting you, calling you names, or suggesting you're a bad person. I'm telling you that what you have done is incorrect for this species, and asking you to prepare yourself better in future. If a seller gives you bad information, that sucks, but it's still on you to learn as much as possible about your animal.

 

[DannyTheStreet]

I have not assumed you didn't care. I am going off of what I observe. This is not an attack. It is merely a statement of the facts. The substrate, at the level of dryness it is at in those photos, would have had to be WAY too dry for at least a week to come anywhere near the dryness we can observe here. When I say this species requires near-swap conditions, I am not exaggerating. It needs to be WET. Not faintly damp, not misted gently. WET. All the time. To achieve the level of humidity this species requires, you typically need to restrict ventilation so there's only an inch or two of exposed mesh, and keep the substrate wet at all times. That's what this animal requires. That is not what you have provided this animal. Since I assume you DO care, I then must assume that you did not adequately research your species. Again, this is not an attack. I am not insulting you, calling you names, or suggesting you're a bad person. I'm telling you that what you have done is incorrect for this species, and asking you to prepare yourself better in future. If a seller gives you bad information, that sucks, but it's still on you to learn as much as possible about your animal.

That makes much more sense. apologies for my struggle to grasp some things, I have a few problems with that. not to try and make an excuse. What 'entomologists' I've done research of haven't seemed to stress all the exact needs for the animal, I'm assumingl. I didn't word this bit in my other message correctly; the substrate was definitely dryer this week than ever, where I live it's very dry so it's always been a struggle to keep the correct temperature, as well as not having complete control over the climate as I'm a minor still living with their parents. This week has been harder to keep the terrarium at the right temp, I usually pour some water in it until it looks really dark, and pray the walls of the terrarium. I do have a question, though. The seller I got him from said she had only gotten him a month prior to me buying him, and the breeder sold him to her with only one antennaiform. I obviously assumed it would grow back as he molted and got older, but he's grown without molting. Is that a result of bad climate? If so I would definitely wait to get another animal until I have full control over its climate (when I live on my own).

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

That makes much more sense. apologies for my struggle to grasp some things, I have a few problems with that. not to try and make an excuse. What 'entomologists' I've done research of haven't seemed to stress all the exact needs for the animal, I'm assumingl. I didn't word this bit in my other message correctly; the substrate was definitely dryer this week than ever, where I live it's very dry so it's always been a struggle to keep the correct temperature, as well as not having complete control over the climate as I'm a minor still living with their parents. This week has been harder to keep the terrarium at the right temp, I usually pour some water in it until it looks really dark, and pray the walls of the terrarium. I do have a question, though. The seller I got him from said she had only gotten him a month prior to me buying him, and the breeder sold him to her with only one antennaiform. I obviously assumed it would grow back as he molted and got older, but he's grown without molting. Is that a result of bad climate? If so I would definitely wait to get another animal until I have full control over its climate (when I live on my own).

I strongly doubt that the seller got this from a breeder. More likely it was a wild-caught animal, as are 99% of Damon medius in the North American market. Loss of whips is a very common issue with wild-caught animals because of the stress and terrible conditions they're typically enduring in transport and storage. They will usually regrow antenniform and walking legs with a moult, but that's only if you can nurse them back to full health. Moulting is infrequent once they're past the juvenile stage.

My apartment is currently at 15% relative humidity (thanks, Canadian winter!). I successfully keep several species of amblypygi and have no problem maintaining humidity in their enclosures. You don't need the whole house to be humid to accomplish this. You only need the two things I've already mentioned: restrict ventilation, and keep the substrate wet at all times. That means you get a piece of acrylic or plastic wrap or something and cover all but a *tiny* bit of the mesh on the top of the enclosure. You pour water into the substrate regularly. You monitor the moisture level and the animal's behaviour. If the animal is hanging out on the substrate, the enclosure is too dry. These animals will almost never go onto the substrate at all unless they are actively hunting, pooping or if they are desperately seeking moisture.

 

[Hardus nameous]

I keep my medius in a similar style enclosure and I have the top completely covered in aluminum foil. Just the vents in the front suffice, other than when I remove the lid to add food or water. If I even see her with her face near the substrate I know it's too dry.

After your critter recovers you may want to turn your bark towards the covered back or cover the side behind the bark so there's a dark spot to hide in. All my Amblypygi abhor light.

Also they can't grow without moulting.