Lost leg questions
- Thread starter Joelolly
- Start date
Missing legs sometimes happen. It could be for a number of reasons such as it got stuck during the molting process, got damaged after it molted, got damaged just before it molted. If the leg was damaged just before the molting took place the T wouldn't have had enough time to regenerate a new one. Sometimes a T will remove a leg on its own if the damaged limb impedes its ability to function properly.
Now whether or not the leg grows back depends. Most of the time depending on age and size, the T will regenerate a new leg but it usually comes back a bit smaller and thinner then the rest. It eventually catches up in size over the next few molts. However in my experience, very old T's and sometimes very large T's (Theraphosa, Pamphobeteus, Lasiodora etc.) do not always regenerate a missing limb after one is lost.
If its a young T I wouldnt worry about it too much. Just feed it well and keep it hydrated. You should see a new leg on the next molt.
Chris
Thank you much for the response. It is about 2.5''. Still a very young T. I keep water in there for it at all times. I was told not to worry about humidity with this species. It's substrate(peat moss) is very dry and I didn't know if that had anything to do with it.
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2008
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The leg should regenerate in about 2 molts at that size. It will have a gimpy one the first molt and then hopefully the next, it will be good as new.
As far as what caused it, there are many causes of a lost leg and there is no way to tell you for certain how it happened. A fall can cause legs to be shed, it could get stuck in the molt, it could have gotten its toe caught somewhere and then the T detached/ shed the leg. As long as you don't see any blood, you should be in the clear and it is time to start playing the waiting game.
As far as what caused it, there are many causes of a lost leg and there is no way to tell you for certain how it happened. A fall can cause legs to be shed, it could get stuck in the molt, it could have gotten its toe caught somewhere and then the T detached/ shed the leg. As long as you don't see any blood, you should be in the clear and it is time to start playing the waiting game.