Is my tarantula near death?

Alecs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
0
I have a G. Porteri who is a male and does not have an identified age. I've had him for about three months now. He doesn't show signs of maturity. I'm familiar with tarantulas who are near death doing the "death curl". I'm very worried because my tarantula had about three or four of his legs curled under him and the rest were normal. Was he in a death curl or preparing for it? I find it odd that he would die because he doesn't show maturity yet and I give him clean water every day, feed him twice every one-two weeks and I check for mites consistently. He uses a safe coconut substrate. I'm very worried that he's sick. Can anyone explain why some of his legs were curled up underneath him, and is there any way I can fix this? Thank you.
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404
A picture of the Tarantula and enclosure would help out a lot.

Are you sure it's not mature? Males don't live long after they mature.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
There's no such thing as a partial death curl - either all legs are curled or none of them are. More likely than not, it sounds like it was simply grooming and stopped in a strange position. I see it all the time with my NW terrestrials.
 

Flexzone

Arachnodemon
Joined
Mar 1, 2015
Messages
721
Post a pic, One either possibility is that it was grooming and didn't put its legs back in position. @EulersK you beat me to it lol
 

Alecs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
0
For some reason, it won't let me attach pictures because I tried in the question I sent. He isn't curled like that anymore because he moved when I went to make sure there was still water. The enclosure is 10 gallons, a little over halfway filled with coconut substrate, has a half log enclosure on one side and a shallow dish on the other side. I know that he's not mature. I've heard that tarantulas can curl up a bit when they're dehydrated. His water dish is right next to him though?
 

Alecs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
0
Post a pic, One either possibility is that it was grooming and didn't put its legs back in position. @EulersK you beat me to it lol
I've seen him groom and I've just never seen him stop in that position. He also wasn't moving like he does when he grooms because I was sitting at the desk where his enclosure is.
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404
For some reason, it won't let me attach pictures because I tried in the question I sent. He isn't curled like that anymore because he moved when I went to make sure there was still water. The enclosure is 10 gallons, a little over halfway filled with coconut substrate, has a half log enclosure on one side and a shallow dish on the other side. I know that he's not mature. I've heard that tarantulas can curl up a bit when they're dehydrated. His water dish is right next to him though?
How does his abdomen look? Nice and plump? Or small and shriveled?
 

Alecs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
0
There's no such thing as a partial death curl - either all legs are curled or none of them are. More likely than not, it sounds like it was simply grooming and stopped in a strange position. I see it all the time with my NW terrestrials.
Okay! I just never saw him grooming, I might've missed it I guess. But I heard that a dehydrated T will curl up somewhat? That was what I thought it was.
 

YagerManJennsen

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jan 3, 2016
Messages
508
For some reason, it won't let me attach pictures because I tried in the question I sent. He isn't curled like that anymore because he moved when I went to make sure there was still water. The enclosure is 10 gallons, a little over halfway filled with coconut substrate, has a half log enclosure on one side and a shallow dish on the other side. I know that he's not mature. I've heard that tarantulas can curl up a bit when they're dehydrated. His water dish is right next to him though?
Do you see bulbous pedipalps or tibial hooks? sometimes they just get themselves in weird positions without there being anything wrong.
 

Alecs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
0
Do you see bulbous pedipalps or tibial hooks? sometimes they just get themselves in weird positions without there being anything wrong.
I don't remember and he moved out of the position when I checked his enclosure. If he does it again, I'll make sure to look.
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404
Same size as usual I guess? It's never been really plump. It definitely doesn't look shriveled, though.
Dehydrated T will have a small shriveled abdomen from what I've heard. If his looks fine, and he is moving ok now then I would assume @EulersK is right and he was just groomimg, and looked kinda silly
 

Alecs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
0
Dehydrated T will have a small shriveled abdomen from what I've heard. If his looks fine, and he is moving ok now then I would assume @EulersK is right and he was just groomimg, and looked kinda silly
Dehydrated T will have a small shriveled abdomen from what I've heard. If his looks fine, and he is moving ok now then I would assume @EulersK is right and he was just groomimg, and looked kinda silly
Yeah I'm aware. There's also some substrate in his water which means he's been in it. Maybe I just overlooked him grooming himself.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
For some reason, it won't let me attach pictures because I tried in the question I sent. He isn't curled like that anymore because he moved when I went to make sure there was still water. The enclosure is 10 gallons, a little over halfway filled with coconut substrate, has a half log enclosure on one side and a shallow dish on the other side. I know that he's not mature. I've heard that tarantulas can curl up a bit when they're dehydrated. His water dish is right next to him though?
Tarantulas have two types of propulsion - hydraulic and fibrous tissue (muscles). They use fibrous tissue to curl in their legs and hydraulic pumps to extend them. If they are dehydrated, their legs curl because they are unable to extend them due to lowered pressure in the pumps. This is what actually causes the "death curl", and you can see why it wouldn't just be a few legs. It would be all of them.

Of course, this is very simplified, but the point stands :)
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
Here's his enclosure.
It's getting ready for a molt. Like, very soon. As in, a few hours soon. That's a molting mat that it's laid down. Lose the heat mat immediately, offer a full water dish, and leave it alone. Don't change substrate, don't bother it, don't try to feed it.
 

Alecs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
0
Tarantulas have two types of propulsion - hydraulic and fibrous tissue (muscles). They use fibrous tissue to curl in their legs and hydraulic pumps to extend them. If they are dehydrated, their legs curl because they are unable to extend them due to lowered pressure in the pumps. This is what actually causes the "death curl", and you can see why it wouldn't just be a few legs. It would be all of them.

Of course, this is very simplified, but the point stands :)
Thank you so much! Now I know, lol. Very interesting.
 

Alecs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
0
It's getting ready for a molt. Like, very soon. As in, a few hours soon. That's a molting mat that it's laid down. Lose the heat mat immediately, offer a full water dish, and leave it alone. Don't change substrate, don't bother it, don't try to feed it.
He laid the mat about two weeks ago so I wasn't sure. The heating mat is because my place can get to the 40s and it's just in case. I've never used it anyways.
It's getting ready for a molt. Like, very soon. As in, a few hours soon. That's a molting mat that it's laid down. Lose the heat mat immediately, offer a full water dish, and leave it alone. Don't change substrate, don't bother it, don't try to feed it.
 

Alecs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
0
I'd change out the screen top and give him more substrate so if he falls he is okay.
He has crawled a couple of times when I first got him but he hasn't done it in almost three months. He doesn't attempt to crawl up anything at all anymore, so I wasn't worried about it.
 
Top