Large Theraphosa sp lost during molt

[Terry D]

Hello all, Well, I walked into the t room yesterday evening at 10:50 and looked into the Theraphosa sp. enclosure. Initially, I was elated to see that it appeared to have molted. However, my happiness quickly turned to horror when I noticed that leg 1, 2, and 3 on the t's left side were still stuck and had only slightly emerged . Even that wasn't so bad at first until I noticed HAEMOLYPH HAD CONGEALED AND WAS BEGINNING TO DRY IN FAIRLY LARGE LUMPS at the base of each leg. In addition, those legs were pinned under the body at an unnatural angle. The t was completely upside down and the 3 left legs were under it pointing toward the right side. The t was still moving, although barely. I figured it knew what was going on better than I so I left it alone. The fangs were aready turning pink. All other parts had made it out of the molt and appeared sleek and healthy. I checked on it every 15 minutes for 3 hours in which it made no progress. I then, very slowly and carefully lifted the left side of the t slightly with a wide, soft piece of cloth and moved the legs out from under it and left it alone. It is still barely moving occasionally but it does not look good. I tried carefully snipping the old skin away but it is very hard to do without pulling on the fresh, soft leg so I stopped. This is terrible!

Terry

 

[spiderworld]

Hi Bud! Terrible indeed! sorry to hear! We have all lost some spiders not realy knowing why!
I take it all conditions were fine though!?

Anyway! try pick yourself up!

 

[Terry D]

Possible causes

First off- I'm not blaming myself or anyone else- just trying to make reasonable deductions from facts. The t had been fed hopper to small adult mice only for a considerable amount of time before I purchased it. It reportedly molted right before I got it. I fed it two hoppers in the first two weeks after getting it. I then kept it off feed a few weeks before putting it on a strict diet of adult dubia. I fed it 5-6 the first week, 4 the next, then 3. It was eating two to 3 a week and appeared healthy before beginning to refuse around a month and a half ago. I did feed it one small piece of lean beef approx 1/2 the size of a mm dubia body tied to a pre-killed dubia. The following week it ate a couple of more dubia before finally going off feed. The enclosure was amply large and moist. There was no mold or harmful insects present. Temps were at 80-85, 90-95 at most for a short period of time on a couple of occasions.

I lifted the spider very carefully off the substrate and placed into a softly lined container. I fear that it is gone entirely now but I still have a faint ray of hope. My uncle owns a local pest control company and is out of town for a couple of days. He has been casting insects in resin since the mid 70's. I'll freeze it but only once I'm sure it's gone.

Terry

 

[MichiganReptiles]

I'm so sorry , Terry.

 

[Terry D]

Additional info + no more wc of this sp for me.

This spider, although always being a good eater and appearing physically healthy, is at best a morose captive. Most of the time it just sits, often somewhat scrunched. Other times it wanders about the enclosure continuously looking for an avenue of escape. Only at rare times did it sit sprawled out and appear to be somewhat happy with it's situation. I've only handled the spider 3 times since I've had it. Once to move it from the enclosure where I bought it, once to softly pinch-pick it up in attempt to figure out the sex, once other when I let it crawl onto my hand briefly. I'm pretty sure it's a male. A neighbor's friend snapped a pic with his cell last night shortly after I found it. I ruin cell phones quickly otj so I only use a cheap go-phone. Will try to get the photo and post asap.

I will never buy a wildcaught subad or adult Theraphosa again. The only possibility would be to attempt breeding. I researched care of this species thoroughly before obtaining it. I took good care of this spider while I had it. Who knows what exactly could be the cause but I did my part as best I could. :barf::barf:.....and so it currently goes.

 

[Terry D]

Spiderworld, Toni, Thanks alot for the encouragement. Yep, I'm really bummed atm. I said a few years ago that I would never buy wc anything again. I went against my better judgement when I saw how healthy this spider appeared, although I DID notice it didn't appear to be happy then as well. I mean, why? WHY? Everyone else in the collect is doing outstandingly fabulous healthwise.....then this! I'll say again- the big one looks extremely healthy other than the bleeding around the stuck legs. :wall::wall::wall:

Terry

 

[Redneck]

Oh man! Sorry to hear this Terry! I know you really enjoy that little...er not so little one..

Got those H. gigas slings today.. Phew they are tiny! Want a couple?

 

[Terry D]

Tommy, Thanks. Yeah, I really liked it, although I'm fairly sure it did not like me or becoming captive after such a late time in life.

I really appreciate your generous offer but am gonna hold off for now on any new acquisitions. Eventually I'd like to do what I'd intended in the first place- get me a CBB, or at the very least CB Theraphosa blondi or sp juvy female. I'm guessing that'll probably be hard to come by.

I'm almost 100% sure my big one is entirely gone now.

Terry

 

[moose35]

it happens...

sorry to hear about the spider



moose

 

[SentinelPokie]

Nooooo

No No you shouldnt feed a tarantula an animal with a vertabrae because the calcium levels are too high in the food and it causes molting problems

 

[smallara98]

Wow that really sucks Sorry !

 

[sharpfang]

Sux Terry

I know ya liked that T alot GL w/ your next 1 guy

 

[Terry D]

additional info

All, Thanks for the replies. Yeah, that one meant alot to me and did not make it through the problematic molt.

Slinglover123- I'm well aware that t's THEORETICALLY shouldn't have the excess calcium of vertebrate prey. However, I was not absolutely sure when the last time the spider had eaten upon obtaining it. I did change the diet quickly after getting the spider. It has eaten dubia only with exception of the one small piece of beef since Feb. Other t's that received a single piece of beef are doing great! Other than the first two hoppers for the Theraphosa sp. and a single piece of meat for T, sp, N tripepii, and A geniculata, all of my spiders receive nothing but dubia and crickets.

Other info possibly pertaining to the death-

1. Strangely, the t never constructed any type of molt mat. There was absolutely no webbing or mat of hairs kicked off prior to molt attempt- only pure peat under the t.

2. What I believe likely happened due to position in which the spider was found.- I think the t began an upright molt and everything was okay with exception of only slight emergence of leg 1, 2 and 3 on left side. This likely caused the spider to begin tilting sideways during the molt, finally rolling over upside down onto those legs and pinning them under the t at an unnatural angle which probably ruptured them. The spider had likely been bleeding for quite some time before I found it due to congealed lumps of haemolyph. That's all I can figure from what I found. Thank goodness everyone else in the collect appears to be doing great!


Terry