Hey guys.. So I've had this little guys since January.. He was also born in January. He is a curly hair tarantula. This afternoon I went to check up on him as he is due for a molt soon and he literally looks frozen.. I tried moving him and I get no reactions.. He's not lying on his back.. He's upright and his legs are also slightly up. He was spinning his web to molt and there was still a bit of web coming out his bum.. He also isn't in a death curl.. I took him out his cage and put him in a container that's very humid and warm.. So i dont know if he is dead? Or what is wrong with him? He hasn't moved at all
Is my tarantula dead?
- Thread starter EmJayy
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Flexzone
Arachnodemon
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Your Brachypelma albopilosum isn't dead, T's in premolt become lethargic storing energy for the strenuous molt. Leave your T be back in its orginal enclosure, it should be alright without intervention, just make sure it has a water dish with fresh water to drink from should it needs to rehydrate.
Last edited:
Is it okay to leave it in its container? It's humid and warm and he's ontop on paper towels
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Contrary to popular believe, a tarantula on its back is not dead. Far from it. Please watch this video on molting, this will go over everything you need to know:
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Wait, why is it on paper towels? No, put it back into the enclosure. And how are you keeping it warm? Do no use heat lamps, heat mats, or anything else for that matter. Just leave it completely alone, that's what it needs right now.
Vanessa
Grammostola Groupie
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Please put him back where he was.
TownesVanZandt
Arachnoprince
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You put it in an ICU? No, there´s absolutely no need for that! Your T is by no means dehydrated. Just get it back to its enclosure and leave it be until it moults!!! Keep the water dish filled.
JumpingSpiderLady
Arachnobaron
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Remove any heat source unless the room is below 70f. It's my understanding that Brachypelma albopilosum prefer a dryer habitat, with an always full water dish.
As far as leaving it in the container, I'm not sure. Please don't do anything until someone with more experience than me chimes in on that.
Edit: Vanessa and Townes are a couple of the more experienced ones I meant. Listen to them.
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Like all Brachypelma, this is a very hardy species. I wouldn't even worry about them if the temperature dipped to 60F.
JumpingSpiderLady
Arachnobaron
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Sorry I didn't see your comment @EulersK of course you're on my list of trusted, experienced people too.
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It amazes me that the common reaction from a newcomer to a tarantula not moving or in it's back is to poke or prod it. These are not dogs or cats!
Vanessa
Grammostola Groupie
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@EmJayy I hope you will consider sticking around and using this forum to do more research on your tarantula. You need to do more research, please. You have picked one of the best tarantulas available to start out with, because they are extremely hardy and forgiving of new comers mistakes, but you will still need to bone up on the basics of care and what you can expect as time goes on.
Willuminati
Arachnosquire
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Pet rocks are fun
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If this was happening, why did you remove the T?
Your T is not dead. I STRONGLY suggest you read a lot more about Ts and their behavior. You clearly don't know enough yet to provide the best husbandry you can. Your T looks perfectly fine.
It wasn't my first reaction to poke him.. My first reaction was to move his hide to see if he'd move because he usually does.. When I saw he wasn't moving I got scared and poked him.. I'm also not a newcomer I have 2 tarantulas and I've experienced both of them molting
I moved him because he is not moving at all.. I left him for a couple hours before I moved him
Crone Returns
Arachnoangel
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Please. Just put him back in his cage. Put the hide back over him. Fresh water. Ignore him. He's doing what B. albopilosums do -- driving their handlers crazy. They are sneaky little devils. Ignore him.
Don't do anything to him unless he starts smelling, then yes -- the experts were wrong. Which is unlikely.
Having 2 Ts doesn't make you an authority.
If you're just trolling then you've had your laugh.
If not READ and LISTEN to the old timers!
I just put him back in his cage .. But you you understand what I mean when I say he literally is not moving at all.. I had him on my hand now to get him back and his body hasn't even changed position..
Please. Just put him back in his cage. Put the hide back over him. Fresh water. Ignore him. He's doing what B. albopilosums do -- driving their handlers crazy. They are sneaky little devils. Ignore him.
Don't do anything to him unless he starts smelling, then yes -- the experts were wrong. Which is unlikely.
Having 2 Ts doesn't make you an authority.
If you're just trolling then you've had your laugh.
If not READ and LISTEN to the old timers!
I'm not trolling either. I actually care about him a lot he was my first tarantula and I haven't stopped crying. And yes I know spiders don't get attached to us but I'm doing everything you guys are telling me to do. I'm not trolling at all
Please. Just put him back in his cage. Put the hide back over him. Fresh water. Ignore him. He's doing what B. albopilosums do -- driving their handlers crazy. They are sneaky little devils. Ignore him.
Don't do anything to him unless he starts smelling, then yes -- the experts were wrong. Which is unlikely.
Having 2 Ts doesn't make you an authority.
If you're just trolling then you've had your laugh.
If not READ and LISTEN to the old timers!