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..
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.
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..
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.
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