Lifeless Giant white knee

[Ryano]

Hi all, i have a 4 year old Brazillian giant white knee T. I am unsure of the sex of my T. For 2 days ive noticed my T on its back having a molt. I am a little concerned as i am unsure whether or not my T has made it through the molt alive.It hasnt moved at all and looks pretty lifeless, and still has one leg to come out of the molt.

I know that this is a very stressful time for my T and should be left alone but there really does not seem any signs of life from the poor thing and it still feels soft and floppy.

Is it dead, i really dont know what else to do with it.

Anyone with any help??

 

[Andrew Clayton]

pics?
did you buy it 4 years ago or was it hatched 4 years ago?

 

[Liquifin]

Pictures will greatly help, since we can't see what's going on with your T. but it does sound concerning. A picture is going to be needed before we can assist you.

 

[TownesVanZandt]

Hi all, i have a 4 year old Brazillian giant white knee T. I am unsure of the sex of my T. For 2 days ive noticed my T on its back having a molt. I am a little concerned as i am unsure whether or not my T has made it through the molt alive.It hasnt moved at all and looks pretty lifeless, and still has one leg to come out of the molt.

I know that this is a very stressful time for my T and should be left alone but there really does not seem any signs of life from the poor thing and it still feels soft and floppy.

Is it dead, i really dont know what else to do with it.

Anyone with any help??

Moults doesn´t take that long and if it has been on its back for two days already there is little to be done I´m afraid.

 

[Ryano]

Pictures will greatly help, since we can't see what's going on with your T. but it does sound concerning. A picture is going to be needed before we can assist you.

pics?
did you buy it 4 years ago or was it hatched 4 years ago?

I bought it 4 years ago when it was 1/4 inch in size.

I bought it 4 years ago when it was 1/4 inch in size.

The photos make it hard to see whats going on. Just looks like a mass of legs with a poor T under there. It feels warm still and very lifeless. Do i just leave it for a bit longer and hope?

 

[Andrew Clayton]

View attachment 317659

if it has been like that for 2 days there isn't much you can do imo it has just been a bad moult

 

[chanda]

The photos make it hard to see whats going on. Just looks like a mass of legs with a poor T under there. It feels warm still and very lifeless. Do i just leave it for a bit longer and hope?

Tarantulas are not warm-blooded animals. Their body temperature is going to be basically the same as the ambient temperature. They cannot thermoregulate internally, so the only way they can regulate their body temperature is by moving toward or away from a heat source or by burrowing into cool, moist substrate. If it feels warm, that just means that the cage is warm - it is not a sign of life.

If it is dead, it should start to stink pretty quickly and you may notice small flies swarming around it.

Unfortunately, from what you describe, it does sound like the spider is most likely dead or dying. I'm very sorry for your loss.

 

[Ryano]

if it has been like that for 2 days there isn't much you can do imo it has just been a bad moult

I saw its legs twitching yesterday while on its back , so i left it. Checked it today and noticed one leg still needed to come out but was not moving.

Tarantulas are not warm-blooded animals. Their body temperature is going to be basically the same as the ambient temperature. They cannot thermoregulate internally, so the only way they can regulate their body temperature is by moving toward or away from a heat source or by burrowing into cool, moist substrate. If it feels warm, that just means that the cage is warm - it is not a sign of life.

If it is dead, it should start to stink pretty quickly and you may notice small flies swarming around it.

Unfortunately, from what you describe, it does sound like the spider is most likely dead or dying. I'm very sorry for your loss.

I guess il have to accept that i may have lost it. Feel so helpless towards it as i know there is very little i can do without causing more stress to it. Such a gentle giant to.

 

[Thekla]

If there's anything to be done at all, you have to do it NOW! Read this thread, it'll help you: https://arachnoboards.com/threads/tarantula-stuck-in-its-molt-look-here-for-advice.306038/
Sadly, I think you can't make it any worse if your T is like this for 2 days already.

 

[Ryano]

If there's anything to be done at all, you have to do it NOW! Read this thread, it'll help you: https://arachnoboards.com/threads/tarantula-stuck-in-its-molt-look-here-for-advice.306038/
Sadly, I think you can't make it any worse if your T is like this for 2 days already.

I think ive lost my T i followed the advice, even tho i was bit reluctant. I took away the old skin to if it would help. The T never moved and when i lifted it out of the tank it feels a bit more stiff than it did a few hours ago. 1 leg looks badly twisted and there is another stuck in the old skin. Think its the end of the road for my T?

 

[TownesVanZandt]

I think ive lost my T i followed the advice, even tho i was bit reluctant. I took away the old skin to if it would help. The T never moved and when i lifted it out of the tank it feels a bit more stiff than it did a few hours ago. 1 leg looks badly twisted and there is another stuck in the old skin. Think its the end of the road for my T?

Yes, it seems to be dead. Unfortunately bad moults happens from time to time.

 

[Mirandarachnid]

Can't hurt to try and give it some water on the off chance it's still alive. Just leave it on it's back and place a drop of water on it's mouthparts. Although looking at the enclosure I doubt it was dehydrated, but it can't hurt.

 

[Ryano]

Can't hurt to try and give it some water on the off chance it's still alive. Just leave it on it's back and place a drop of water on it's mouthparts. Although looking at the enclosure I doubt it was dehydrated, but it can't hurt.

Thanks for that, i tried watering around its mouth parts in hope it might come round later, but no joy. I was just hopeing it was too exhausted to move and come round later after a good rest. Think i need to accept ive lost it now. What do people do with a dead pet spider? Gutted!

 

[Vanessa]

Thanks for that, i tried watering around its mouth parts in hope it might come round later, but no joy. I was just hopeing it was too exhausted to move and come round later after a good rest. Think i need to accept ive lost it now. What do people do with a dead pet spider? Gutted!

If the tarantula is still moving, then you are writing it off too soon. Especially since she is out of her exoskeleton for the most part. Try giving more water, it sometimes takes a while for the effects to kick in.

 

[Tenebrarius]

yup, looks pretty dead mate. sorry for the loss it's always sad to lose a friend.

Thanks for that, i tried watering around its mouth parts in hope it might come round later, but no joy. I was just hopeing it was too exhausted to move and come round later after a good rest. Think i need to accept ive lost it now. What do people do with a dead pet spider? Gutted!

you can persevere it in alcohol or mount it. whatever you wish.

 

[NukaMedia Exotics]

If it has been like that for 2 days its had a bad molt and passed, sorry it was a beautiful T.

 

[Arachnophoric]

What do people do with a dead pet spider?

If in good physical condition, some people preserve them. Yours might look a little rough due to being stuck in the molt but you could always keep them as a wet specimen.

Sorry for the loss. Sometimes these things just happen, and doesn't reflect on you as a keeper. At least next time you'll know to act sooner, as well. If your lucky though, there won't be a next time.

 

[Ryano]

Thank you you all for your messages, my T was still in the same postion this morning. Not moved at all so i can safely say my T has passed on. I would be very reluctant to interfere with any of my Ts when they are going through a molt with the worry of killing them with stress or pulling a leg off. Ive never experienced this ever before. Surprising how attached we become to our 8 legged friends, such a gentle giant too. I will get another one tho at some point. Cheers everyone.