Melly, the G. rosea with a LOT of issues!

[Ixithel]

She's webbing, pooping and hunting still. Her poo smells the strongest of the rotted lilac scent.

How can she poo when she doesn't even eat? @__@

 

[Verneph]

How can she poo when she doesn't even eat? @__@

Perhaps she is expelling whatever is ailing her?

 

[Ixithel]

I hope so because her poo smells just like the lilac scent only much stronger.

 

[Ixithel]

Not good at all

Hey guys. As you know I've been fighting hard to keep my baby girl well...however I think she's starting to give up on me.

Her abdomen is horribly tiny. She is no longer drinking. She can hardly hunt and when she does get ahold of a food item she cannot digest it so it ends up dying and rotting.

She's been curling. It's not quite a death curl but it's partial, she will go out of it when I touch her but she can't even walk straight. She limps and when I lightly tap her spinnerets she seems to flinch and quiver. Her abdomen is also the very source of the rotted lilac scent.

She hobbles and gives up and leans forward with her back legs outstretched and the rest bunched around her, body flat on the ground. Sometimes she'll stand upright but rarely and when she does she usually wanders into a corner and curls. She's not even going into her hide anymore.

I don't even think she has the strength to cling on with her feet hooks anymore.

I've been doing my best for her...but I don't like how she's walking or how she flinches when I touch her. I don't want her to suffer. At this point I'm not sure what I should do...she could still have a chance and I don't want to take that chance away from her but I do not want her to be hurting.

I'm going to film a short video of her walking so you guys can actually see how she is and I'll post that along with a couple pictures but...idk I'm crushed. I hate seeing her like this and I think this is as bad as she's ever been.

 

[demonanjel117]

I dont want to tell you to give up and Im not going to as much as I may want to. Just think of whats best for her and do that. Hope you and her the best.

 

[Ixithel]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57rzHxlB6HM

Video is kinda dark but you can see how she sets and how she walks...her abdomen size...

 

[vickywild]

:-(

I hope this story has a happy ending.

 

[HighFlyer]

Thats a rough video.. I really admire everything you've done for her. Best of luck.

 

[8leglock]

Sorry to hear about your T. I recently had a king baboon shipped out to me and I am going through the same problem .

 

[Drakk]

Poor girl...
You've truly made a heroic effort already.
She would not have even still been around to fight without your dedication.
In my opinion you have done what every spider lover should...much love and best wishes.

 

[synyster]

First of all, I have followed this thread but never responded. But I bow down to your efforts as I have never heard a care story even close to yours. You are a true passionate and have all my respect. Continue like that, your are on the right track

Now I just finished watching your video and have to give you a bit of hope. My Theraphosa blondi (thread viewable here) had some issues as well, and even though it was a whole other matter, at the end was walking the exact same way as yours. I transfered her when I noticed that and one week later, she wouldn't even walk any more and was almost fully deathcurled. I transfered her without any hope to an ICU, and she surprise molted that night and is completely healthy since

Now I'm not saying that yours will do this, but don't let all hope be gone as these little guys can really be surprising sometimes. I wish you the best and hope everything pulls out fine

Keep us updated...

 

[Ixithel]

Thank you everyone for your support. I'm going to be crushed if she passes, she's in an ICU and so far not improving. Hopefully she will dunk her face in one of the water dishes I have in there and recover. If not...well, i'll be sure to update as soon as I discover her body

 

[Jon3800]

I'd would keep the paper towels in her ICU a little more wet than usual. In case she doesn't have enough strength to dunk her face in the water dishes, she can get to the moisture on the paper towels. You've done a miraculous job keeping her alive this far

 

[8leglock]

Couple of questions. I have read pretty much posts but don't remember. You said the container smelled with my baboon I'm having the same issues . Her ice smells really bad like rot however she is still very aggressive quick to hiss and dart away from me. O and what a species to try and do this with ug don't care if I get bit I just want her ot get better. She had a hardened white gunk neR it's mouth and was very stubborn to come loose. Finally got it removed last night and this morning no new white stuff but cage still smells cleaned everything and new water. Honestly I change the water every few hours. I really do feel bad for both our T's I'm too much of a humanitarian. He'll I trap feral cats and bring them to my vet to get fixed and vaccines before letting them go.
So if anyone can answer this if my baboois hissing at me is that a good sign? That means it can move it's fangs if she wanted to correct? Other than the smell and white gunk no other signs of nematodes are present. She just molted last week 4 days after I received her . She is close to 3.5-4 inches and very pretty.

---------- Post added 09-03-2011 at 12:27 PM ----------

http://s1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa375/dementsha/
New to this photo bucket stuff so bare With me. A few pics of what I was trying to describe but iPad don't have the best resolutions.

 

[Ixithel]

Jon3800- will do! I just wish I had more time to try and water her with a syringe myself. Though when I do it pools up and she shows no sign of actually drinking it.

8leglock I know with Melly's white gloop every few days or so I would drop some water onto it and wait for it to become a gooey texture, then wipe at it with a wet Q tip. Occasionally swishing it around and then sucking it up with the syringe. Examining this under a microscope has shown mite-like critters but no nematodes at all. Doing this frequently got rid of the white completely as she has not had it for some time now. I also change her substrate frequently.

If the cage still smells it might be the OBT itself. I know Melly's cage had a rotten lilac scent to it UNTIL I removed her. I'm still confused to what the smell could mean but i'm guessing it might be some sort of bacterial infection as it comes out very rancid in her poo. If your OBT has what Melly has and it molted and is still uppity and fiesty then this could be a good sign. I think my Melly is simply too old to molt out and fight whatever might be killing her.

Nematodes and Melly's condition do not add up, so I wouldn't be too worried about it if it seems to be acting normal otherwise. I would try to get a good look at the goo under a microscope mixed with a little water to see what you find. If she eats then she might pull through. Melly can move her fangs but she has no strength to dig them into her prey.

With an OBT my method I used with Melly would be dangerous but if you're confident and know your T well I say go for it and I hope she doesn't turn out like mine

 

[D3N2]

I hope she doesn't turn out like mine

Wellll.. Don't speak too early, Melly might still have a chance!

I, too, have read this whole thread. It took almost an hour and a half, but it's quite a story! I don't think I would ever have the persistence to do what you have done, Ixithel. Definitely props to that. I do hope Melly makes it. If she doesn't, at least her suffering would be over.

PS. What does rotten lilac smell like?

 

[Ixithel]

Wellll.. Don't speak too early, Melly might still have a chance!

I, too, have read this whole thread. It took almost an hour and a half, but it's quite a story! I don't think I would ever have the persistence to do what you have done, Ixithel. Definitely props to that. I do hope Melly makes it. If she doesn't, at least her suffering would be over.

PS. What does rotten lilac smell like?

I re-soaked her paper towels and put her somewhere warm so hopefully she pulls through.

Rotten lilac smells like...lilacs that have been baking in the sun too long with sour undertones?

and thanks for taking the time to read through this. Lots of people skim the front and accuse me of being a horrible T owner lol

---------- Post added 09-03-2011 at 12:35 PM ----------

Also. Some may not agree with this but I have her over a heating pad. It doesn't get very hot and her ICU enclosure is lifted so it's not directly on it. Once it warmed up she seems to have uncurled...she will be closely monitored throughout the day. I will not let her get too hot but right now it seems to be helping...the paper towels were so cold before.

 

[Ixithel]

She was pulled from the heating pad around 3 and has been near my computer. She's half way laying on her side right now... i'm going to attempt to hydrate her by syringe

 

[0siris]

That video was sad. I know you don't want to give up on her, but I urge you to consider that if you think for a moment if she is suffering, consider the freezer.

I'll admit I did not read all of the 16 pages of this thread but I have been roughly following her progress (way from the beginning when she had the discharge from her mouth) but I thought I would throw that out there.

It's not an easy decision but she's obviously been "uncomfortable" (loose terminology there) for the past 4 months now...I just hate seeing any animal in this condition.... :cry:

 

[Ixithel]

That video was sad. I know you don't want to give up on her, but I urge you to consider that if you think for a moment if she is suffering, consider the freezer.

I'll admit I did not read all of the 16 pages of this thread but I have been roughly following her progress (way from the beginning when she had the discharge from her mouth) but I thought I would throw that out there.

It's not an easy decision but she's obviously been "uncomfortable" (loose terminology there) for the past 4 months now...I just hate seeing any animal in this condition.... :cry:

Yeah... I was considering it. But at the same time I don't want to rob her of a chance at life if she isn't. x.x