My tarantula is not moving and shrinking

[Oskar wolters]

I have my 2 year old rose she shed when we got her. Recently she's been moving less and doesn't have the strength to catch her food. Her abdominal is no longer plump and is shrinking. She was the size of my hand now she's around half my palm. Any advice of what to do?

 

[Andrea82]

Are you sure it is a female? Mature males wither and die like that. But it also is likely she was much much older than you were told and she is nearing the end. Pictures could help, from her and her enclosure.

 

[KezyGLA]

Sounds like mature male behaviour, probably nearing the end of its life cycle. Can you post photos please?

 

[EulersK]

I always find it funny that people automatically assume a spider is female

Yeah, it's almost certainly a mature male reaching the end of its life. The timeline is about right, too. Males of this species usually live between 1.5-2 years after maturity. Unfortunately, there is absolutely nothing you can do. Mature males simply don't live very long.

A picture would confirm what we're guessing.

 

[Graves6661]

Agreed... Sounds like a mature male. My GBB matured last spring and I am surprised he is still kicking. Spends most of his time in a partial death curl but will still bolt if I touch his legs. Granted, he doesn't go more than a few inches before he stops.

 

[cold blood]

Agreed... Sounds like a mature male. My GBB matured last spring and I am surprised he is still kicking. Spends most of his time in a partial death curl but will still bolt if I touch his legs. Granted, he doesn't go more than a few inches before he stops.

MMs require more moisture than others. Its my belief that most MMs die of eventual dehydration.

 

[Aslwyzx]

Mine isnt shrinking like that i was told that its female shes inactive and legs are the ones that are shrinking but i can tell shes healthy though when i poke her she usually walk away sometimes raises here front legs like it wants to bite me... i was also told that my tarantula is gravid anyone know about this????

 

[JoshDM020]

Mine isnt shrinking like that i was told that its female shes inactive and legs are the ones that are shrinking but i can tell shes healthy though when i poke her she usually walk away sometimes raises here front legs like it wants to bite me... i was also told that my tarantula is gravid anyone know about this????

If it molted, its not gravid. Just how that goes.
Seriously though, pictures would be excellent. "Pictures are worth a thousand words" and all that jazz.
Also, just because the seller said female doesnt make it true. Sometimes they lie so they can charge more for it or get rid of a male they didnt want to watch die.
Theres only so many ways a tarantula can shrink. Starvation, and dehydration. Starvation points to MM. Dehydration could be that or errors in care. Only a picture or a very detailed description of the spider and enclosure.
Is the abdomen wrinkly?
Do you have a water dish in the enclosure?
Does it have a sponge in it?
Is it those weird water crystal things?
Could it have fallen from the top of the enclosure onto something hard and sharp?

 

[Aslwyzx]

Heres the picture doe

If it molted, its not gravid. Just how that goes.
Seriously though, pictures would be excellent. "Pictures are worth a thousand words" and all that jazz.
Also, just because the seller said female doesnt make it true. Sometimes they lie so they can charge more for it or get rid of a male they didnt want to watch die.
Theres only so many ways a tarantula can shrink. Starvation, and dehydration. Starvation points to MM. Dehydration could be that or errors in care. Only a picture or a very detailed description of the spider and enclosure.
Is the abdomen wrinkly?
Do you have a water dish in the enclosure?
Does it have a sponge in it?
Is it those weird water crystal things?
Could it have fallen from the top of the enclosure onto something hard and sharp?

Dont know if she is gonna molt or nah

 

[Nightstalker47]

Heres the picture doe

That's a G.pulchripes man not a rose hair, doesn't appear to be a mature male either. Looks quite plump, why do you have it in an ICU?

 

[Aslwyzx]

It seemed weak heres the picture.

That's a G.pulchripes man not a rose hair, doesn't appear to be a mature male either. Looks quite plump, why do you have it in an ICU?

it also dosent move when it does it seemed weak due to being slow n sluggish

 

[Little Grey Spider]

G. pulchripes is not a fast moving spider. Can they haul butt? Sure! But they usually move very calmly and slowly. They can also fast for long periods in premolt. That spider looks perfectly healthy from here. I'd take it out of the ICU.

 

[boina]

It seemed weak heres the picture.


it also dosent move when it does it seemed weak due to being slow n sluggish

So because it seemed week you put it in an ICU to kill it???

This is a perfectly healthy spider. Put it back in it's enclosure and stop trying to kill it. An ICU definitely WILL kill your spider and rather sooner than later.

Also, there are two different people in this thread asking questions:

- the OP about a rosea that does seem to be a MM

- someone else entirely with a perfectly healthy and possibly gravid female G. pulchripes that for some reason he put in an ICU.

@Aslwyzx - again: get your perfectly healthy spider OUT of the ICU. You should NEVER EVER put a GRAVID and ARID spider in an ICU unless you want to slowly kill it.

 

[Aslwyzx]

Also, there are two different people in this thread asking questions:

- the OP about a rosea that does seem to be a MM

- someone else entirely with a perfectly healthy and possibly gravid female G. pulchripes that for some reason he put in an ICU.

@Aslwyzx - again: get your perfectly healthy spider OUT of the ICU. You should NEVER EVER put a GRAVID and ARID spider in an ICU unless you want to slowly kill it.

By not putting it on ICU will kill it. I was lucky its a bit healthy now but rest assured i dndt close the container so she can get out of there whenever she likes she stayed there for a couple of hours meaning shes a bit dehydrated i jist checked her about a minute ago and she was out of the container which means shes a little bit healthy now and she was already in her enclosure right now....

 

[Aslwyzx]

Also, there are two different people in this thread asking questions:

- the OP about a rosea that does seem to be a MM

- someone else entirely with a perfectly healthy and possibly gravid female G. pulchripes that for some reason he put in an ICU.

@Aslwyzx - again: get your perfectly healthy spider OUT of the ICU. You should NEVER EVER put a GRAVID and ARID spider in an ICU unless you want to slowly kill it.

Plus i dont think you have much experience on spiders and did you read my comment carefully? I said that it was walking sluggish you dont know what sluggish is dont you? Let me make it clear she was dragging her abdomen when she walks also she does not stand on the tip of her foot and you wanted me not to kill it by not putting it on ICU? It was clearly dehydrated but hopefully it can walk very well and seems healthy( she stayed on ICU for like 12 hours before getting out of there)

 

[boina]

Plus i dont think you have much experience on spiders and did you read my comment carefully? I said that it was walking sluggish you dont know what sluggish is dont you? Let me make it clear she was dragging her abdomen when she walks also she does not stand on the tip of her foot and you wanted me not to kill it by not putting it on ICU? It was clearly dehydrated but hopefully it can walk very well and seems healthy( she stayed on ICU for like 12 hours before getting out of there)

OMG. Read my profile. I'm a biologist with years and 100s of spiders in experience.

ICUs are a myth. The stuffy, moist enclosures kill tarantulas more often than not. Sluggish walking is NO indication at all for it being dehydrated, it's normal for gravid spiders. From the picture you posted it is very clear that your tarantula was not dehydrated at all.

Do whatever you want - I'm out of here.

 

[Little Grey Spider]

It seemed weak heres the picture.


it also dosent move when it does it seemed weak due to being slow n sluggish

Dude, you hijacked someone else's thread. Make your own.

I have my 2 year old rose she shed when we got her. Recently she's been moving less and doesn't have the strength to catch her food. Her abdominal is no longer plump and is shrinking. She was the size of my hand now she's around half my palm. Any advice of what to do?

please post pics OP. we'd love to help you try to figure it out, but photos are needed of the spider AND the enclosure. Hope all is well.

 

[TownesVanZandt]

please post pics OP. we'd love to help you try to figure it out, but photos are needed of the spider AND the enclosure. Hope all is well.

The original post is from January...

 

[Nightstalker47]

So because it seemed week you put it in an ICU to kill it??

I get your point here, but that's clearly not his intention. He's not purposely trying to kill his spider, just misinformed. On that note @Aslwyzx The ICU is unnecessary, instead of going that route just provide a large water dish for your spider. ICUs are almost always a bad idea for arid species, they make for a very stuffy and overly moist environement.

If your really think your spider is dehydrated try and coax it towards it's water dish. Your G.pulchripes could very well be gravid, that or its pre molt. Either way it should not be disturbed for some time. Just be sure it has access to fresh water.

 

[cold blood]

Plus i dont think you have much experience on spiders and did you read my comment carefully? I said that it was walking sluggish you dont know what sluggish is dont you? Let me make it clear she was dragging her abdomen when she walks also she does not stand on the tip of her foot and you wanted me not to kill it by not putting it on ICU? It was clearly dehydrated but hopefully it can walk very well and seems healthy( she stayed on ICU for like 12 hours before getting out of there)

*face palm*

why are so many people lately going out of their way to be on ignore user?

this post is completely ridicolous....funny, but ridicolous.