Need some opinions on sick Hysterocrates sp.

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
Background - I got this female about 3 months ago along with another female and a male. She was the skinniest one of the group. I noticed about a month ago that she was refusing food. I figured pre- molt. I offered food each week and pulled it if it wasn't taken immediately.

A few days ago I went to offer food and she was out of her burrow and her abdomen was extremely shriveled.. I keep a large water dish with her and she has about ten inches of moist sub so I was pretty confused as to why she would be in such rough shape.

I pulled her out of her enclosure and put her into a eight inch diameter deli container with a water dish sl I could monitor her.. I was surprised to see that she didn't drink at all when I introduced her. So I let her settle over night.

The next day I noticed that she was not looking any better so I offered a small cricket which she ignored so I pulled it out. I let her be for 2 days figuring it's premolt and for whatever crazy reason she just isn't drinking.

Looking at her abdomen I decided She would not make it through a molt without hydrating so I thought maybe roach guts would intice her.. I split a roach and rubbed it against her chelicerae. She hesitsntly took it and sucked on it all night. I did this once more last night and she only hung onto it for about 30 minutes.

Her behavior is very odd, the way she "eats" in particular.. She just held onto the roach with her fangs seemingly barely trying to ingest the innards and not "chewing" with her fangs.. The roach just kind of dangles by it's guts. She isn't death or stress curling but she just looks off..

I decided earlier it was time to investigate a little and examine her from under neath so I put her into this lexan cup that I use mostly for sexing and took a peek.. After seeing what I saw and what you will see I will be throwing this cup away.. I believe this is some type of fungal infection or possibly nematodes but I have been blessed with healthy Tarantulas over the last two decades so diagnosing illnesses is not my speciality thank God! I don't think it's nematodes because of how far away from her mouth it is but at this point I'm not sure about much with this one.. I'm not giving up on this girl yet but I'm not optimistic that she will survive as she severely malnourished and she will not drink..
20170124_220556.jpg 20170124_220710.jpg

Any idea's as to what this is?

*Edit* I should of mentioned she is a LTC import. If I remember correctly she has been in captivity just about a year.
 
Last edited:

BobBarley

Arachnoprince
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
1,486
Don't know what it is, but perhaps, you could use a Q-tip wetted with salty water to rub it off, then use normal water to wash off any excess? Have you tried to get it off yet? Good luck, and like you, I am not at all experienced in this sort of thing.
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
Here is a terrible pic (sorry) just show the severity of her condition.. Her abdomen went from twice this size to this in a month.. 20170124_225918.jpg
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
Don't know what it is, but perhaps, you could use a Q-tip wetted with salty water to rub it off, then use normal water to wash off any excess? Have you tried to get it off yet? Good luck, and like you, I am not at all experienced in this sort of thing.
Thanks.. No just found this and want some opinions before I do anything..
 

DrowsyLids

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 4, 2016
Messages
95
Wow sorry to see that. Hope for the best. I don't have any experience either but is she showing any signs of poor movement or inability to extend legs? I know you said she's not curling but I'm just wondering out of curiosity
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
Wow sorry to see that. Hope for the best. I don't have any experience either but is she showing any signs of poor movement or inability to extend legs? I know you said she's not curling but I'm just wondering out of curiosity
She moves very slow but seems coordinated and in full control..
 

Venom1080

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
4,611
sorry to hear that.. :(

sounds like some sort of internal parasite, maybe nematodes.. as a last ditch effort, you can try a salt water bath. ive seen reports of this killing off nematodes and saving a bunch of slings. its better than doing nothing..
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
sorry to hear that.. :(

sounds like some sort of internal parasite, maybe nematodes.. as a last ditch effort, you can try a salt water bath. ive seen reports of this killing off nematodes and saving a bunch of slings. its better than doing nothing..
The wetness around the mouth and the way she doesn't use her pedipalps also had me thinking it could be nematodes also..

If the consensus is nematodes I'm going to freeze her.. I know it's harsh but I have around 100 other Ts in my house to think about.. It's just not worth the risk.
 

Venom1080

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Sep 24, 2015
Messages
4,611
The wetness around the mouth and the way she doesn't use her pedipalps also had me thinking it could be nematodes also..

If the consensus is nematodes I'm going to freeze her.. I know it's harsh but I have around 100 other Ts in my house to think about.. It's just not worth the risk.
maybe not nematodes exactly, but probably a parasite eating away at her from the inside. would explain the abdomen.
id still try something, for future references sake, before freezing.
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
maybe not nematodes exactly, but probably a parasite eating away at her from the inside. would explain the abdomen.
id still try something, for future references sake, before freezing.
She isn't destined for the freezer just yet.. Every treatment I have heard about for nematodes fails 99.9% of the time. The longer the T with nematodes is in my house the greater the chances are of cross contamination..

For me it's like a doctor telling me I have bone cancer in my foot and if they amputate mid thigh I will be fine or they can try treating it and it may spread.. I would be on the operating table in the morning..

Believe me I value the life and well being of Tarantulas as much as if not more than many people on the boards but life experience has taught me that dead already is dead already.. I haven't given up though as I'm less than convinced it's nematodes or internal parasites..
 
Last edited:

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
Looks like a fungal infection to me. Drying her out might help, although it seems counter-intuitive considering a shriveling ab...but it does look like fungal growth.
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
Looks like a fungal infection to me. Drying her out might help, although it seems counter-intuitive considering a shriveling ab...but it does look like fungal growth.
Right.. I had thougt about housing her on bone dry eco earth but with her refusing to drink I'm very hesitant to try that.. On the flip side I could house her like that and pinch grab her and turn her upside down in my hand and drop water into her mouth either daily or every few days but that will add a tremendous amount of stress and I'm not sure how much this girl can take before she kicks..

I'm of the mindset that Tarantulas know how to be Tarantulas and the best course of action is minimal interaction and proper husbandry. I have been telling myself the time to flip her and force hydration is if she starts to curl. I'm considering it though as I'm curious if she will even drink if provided water that way..

I hate bothering her but at this point I'm a little lost..
 

G. pulchra

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
592
If I remember right you purchased all three together not too long ago? Have you had a real good look at the other two, if not it might be worth your time.
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
If I remember right you purchased all three together not too long ago? Have you had a real good look at the other two, if not it might be worth your time.
Yup about three months ago give or take.. I can see the one female often as she comes out to grab whatever prey I toss in cricket/roach and the male is visible from the opening in his burrow.. Both look fat and healthy but I plan on pulling them out tomorrow and giving them a good close look..

This one honestly looked kind of funky from the start and was on the thin side.. She never had a great appetite either that is why I was leaning towards pre-molt causing the funky behavior early on.

With these being W/C she could just be dying of old age also and it has made her susceptible to a bacterial infection picked up from who knows where or what..
 
Last edited:

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
Quick update... The day after I created this thread I decided I would pinch grab her and clean the affected area in the pictures provided.. Upon opening her enclosure she seemed to be a little more plump and lively..

With my philosophy that doing the least is best for sick or injured tarantulas I decided I would forego the stressful pinch grab and just gently coax her into that lexan container to see if her underside looked any worse or any better.. To my surprise it looked a little better so I put her back in her enclosure on fresh substrate..

For the last few days I have just let her be only disturbing her to clean and refill the water dish.. Over the last few days I have noted that the water has been disappearing faster than simple evaporation could account for so she must be drinking! I figured tonight I would offer her a medium sized night crawler and she took it almost immediately :angelic:... Not only did she take it but she is using both her chelicerae and her pedipalps to manipulate the prey.. In my eyes that is major progress for her!

She isn't out of the woods yet and I still have no idea what caused the sudden weight loss and dehydration but it looks as though she may on the road to recovery..

Depending on how much of the worm is left in the morning I may attempt another feeding tomorrow. If that's successful I will continue a heavy feeding schedule over the next week..Unless I notice a dramatic decline in her health I will wait about 7 days before I pull her out again to check on that nasty area on her underside..

Thanks again to everyone that offered there opinions and advice.. I will continue posting updates good or bad..
 
Last edited:

Rittdk01

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 4, 2016
Messages
258
That's great :) only tarantula to die in my care was a t stirmi that got nematodes. After I froze him I was scared my others were going to get sick. Luckily, all good. I did go out and buy tweezers for every tarantula and if a cricket or roach goes uneaten, I throw it out never put it in another enclosure like I used to. I'll also never buy another wild caught tarantula.
 
Top