Mexican Fireleg (Brachypelma boehmei) Died After Moult

[jondee84]

Hi All,

I am relatively new to owning Tarantulas but find it fascinating.

Recently a few things have happened in the space of a few days which leaves me begging the questions to whether I am at fault or whether its jusr one of these things.

So please help if possible.

I have been waiting for my Fireleg to molt/shed for the last month or so it is a juvenile and the sex is unknown.
I went on vacation for 3 days and came back to find that it had shed, i was very happy with this as it was the first shed since I'd got it but sadly it seems to have died in the last day.

The tank was at the correct temp/humidity, there was water available and it was not desturbed while or after the shed. When i found it, it was almost as if its legs were too weak/soft to take the body weight and they were curled slightly below the body.
Its abdomen and body seems to be in tact and the shed seems full and without tears etc.

Can anyone tellm eif this is common in this species, or whether I may have contributed to its death?

Many Thanks.

Jon

 

[Den]

As far as I know it's not common for a fire leg to die in a moult. But it could have been that it lost fluids, since you say that's how the legs were. Also slings need to be kept a little bit moister than larger T's. Theraphosa sp. does this a lot. Hope it helps. Sorry for your loss dude.

 

[jondee84]

Thanks for your reply.... there was some debate as to whether it was actually a Fireleg or a very similar species.

Ive read that they can get stressed pretty easily.

 

[treeweta]

When we lose a spider its always useful to ascertain a cause as we can learn from it: eg parasite, dehydration, insecticide, bacteria or whatever but sometimes i'd be surprised if a spider wont literally just drop dead (or at least fade quickly, they arent quite like us), just like people do, whereby the actual cause is probably impossible to determine (In people the cause is generally easier to figure out, eg heart condition).

There are so many spiders in the hobby that some through sheer number out there will just happen to die and there is nothing the owner could ever do. maybe this happened in your case?

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

Just a few questions:
1. What was your setup like? Temp? Humidity?
2. Was it upside down and curled or turned back over?
3. Have you thrown it out yet?
4. Did you ICU it?

The rule is to never throw them out until they start stinking.

 

[jondee84]

Just a few questions:
1. What was your setup like? Temp? Humidity?
2. Was it upside down and curled or turned back over?
3. Have you thrown it out yet?
4. Did you ICU it?

The rule is to never throw them out until they start stinking.

Hi there,

1. I had the tank at about 65-70f and humidity at around 60% (it was perfectly active prior to molting)

2. No, it was the correct way round and close to the shed (which was lying upside down).

3. No, Ive left it alone in the tank for now (not sure how to throw away really.)

4. Ive not ICU'd it (just read up on what that actually means). perhaps im too late.

thank you.

 

[jondee84]

Took another look at the spider last night and was just about to move it when i saw its spinneretts move for a spit second, I then dcided to stick it in an ICU for the night. Ive yet to go home and check it out.