my whipspider passed away unexpectedly and I don't know why?

[shedua]

Hello all, I had posted a thread earlier this year about my whipspider that I had gotten (d. diadema or d. medius, not sure which) and how it wasn't eating. everyone was really helpful in that thread and I soon saw her eat a few weeks later. However, I think that was actually the only time she ever ate with me. Soon after eating she molted, and had a clean molt with no problems. I think after her molt though she just stopped eating entirely. I would put crickets in her enclosure, one or two at a time and I never noticed her eating and her abdomen only seemed to be getting smaller. Yesterday I noticed her abdomen was extremely thin while she was out getting water and it worried me a lot so I put four crickets in her enclosure. This morning I woke up to find her dead. Her body was perfectly intact and still attached to the bark, it was like she had just stopped moving and passed away. I'm really distraught and confused by what happened. I kept the substrate in her enclosure moist, had a shallow dish of water in it that I kept full, and I would spray her enclosure every morning. I would put crickets in her enclosure at least once every two-three weeks. Could something have happened when she molted? Could I just have gotten unlucky? I would like to get another in the future but I also don't want to make the same mistakes as this has really upset me, and I don't want to cost another it's life. Thanks ahead of time for any input!

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

Sounds like there may have been an internal moulting problem. Not much you'd have been able to do about that. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Edan bandoot]

Sounds like molt problems, but could also be dehydration/moisture related.

If you were keeping the enclosure amply moist then it was the molt and there's nothing you could have done.

 

[Europus Gigantus]

This is the reality and difficult part about keeping exotics. A dog or cat has evolved and can tell us when something is wrong, or we can take them to a vet, but with these little creatures, all we can do is the best we can do, which it sounds like you did. I am sorry for your loss, but don't feel guilty. You sound like a good keeper.

 

[shedua]

Sounds like there may have been an internal moulting problem. Not much you'd have been able to do about that. Sorry for your loss.

I honestly didn't even think that maybe that would have been the issue. Her molt looked completely clean but I guess that there was probably something that went wrong that I wasn't aware of.. thanks for the input, it helps put my mind at ease

 

[shedua]

Sounds like molt problems, but could also be dehydration/moisture related.

If you were keeping the enclosure amply moist then it was the molt and there's nothing you could have done.

Moisture issues was what I originally thought but her dish was still full of water, and the bedding was still moist when I was cleaning out her enclosure. I wonder if it could've been a ventilation problem but I'm not sure...
Its sad when something like this happens so suddenly and with out warning... If only I could've done something to save her. Thank you for your input, it helps a lot.

This is the reality and difficult part about keeping exotics. A dog or cat has evolved and can tell us when something is wrong, or we can take them to a vet, but with these little creatures, all we can do is the best we can do, which it sounds like you did. I am sorry for your loss, but don't feel guilty. You sound like a good keeper.

Thank you for the kind words, it really helps especially since I've been desperately trying to figure out what I did wrong all day... Sounds like it could've very well been something that was out of my control unfortunately but I hope she rests in peace..