Off behaviour from 2 inch L. Paryhabana

[Tarantula Chris]

I have a 2 inch leg span L. Parahybana walking very strangely with it's leg's very flat and it looks like it's struggling to walk, was expecting it to moult around a month/six weeks ago and it still hasn't. I tried to check it to see if it would do anything else that I could attempt to use to diagnose if it was okay or not and it just seemed to be struggling to move at all although it was clearly trying. Very worried. Any Ideas?

 

[ledzeppelin]

Can you provide any pictures? It would be very helpful.

 

[Tarantula Chris]

Can do shortly, Nothing strange, you'll pick up from a picture. Walking without bending joints on legs. Expecting a molt any minute hopefully.

 

[ledzeppelin]

It might be just getting ready to molt. I have seen T's walk funny just before they molted. Try not to bother it too much. Just examine it from afar. When you see it placing webbing on the floor in circular motion and kicking hairs whilst doing it, you're hours, maybe minutes away from molting At least my LP does it this way

 

[gypsy cola]

how is the humidity in the cage? have plenty of water in a water dish available? may need to over flow it
'

 

[Tarantula Chris]

Webbing for moulting was made around 4 weeks ago. And has seemed to spend most of the time on the webbing as if it's near moulting. After so long I expected that my assumptions of an any minute molt weren't proving true. Regrettably ( which is why the spiders abdomen is looking bald) I rehoused into a tank with a bigger bowl for better moisture containing and a clean tank. Spider is wandering about and seems better than usual but whiter, stretched area that suggests premoult is there and a lighter colour than usual also suggests premoult. If anyone can provide any help I would massively appreciate it. been pulling my hair out over this one.

 

[Tarantula Chris]

And humidity - always kept pretty moist (slightly more so than usual in there as it's in pre moult)

 

[ledzeppelin]

And humidity - always kept pretty moist (slightly more so than usual in there as it's in pre moult)

This seems almost too moist. But the main question I have is - Are you really sure the T hasn't molted yet, or is in fact really in premolt? that bald patch is light coloured. It should be totally black to signal the molt is near.. It might be in premolt but really early stages. For how long has it been refusing food?

 

[EulersK]

Not premolt. At least not yet.

It's possible that it's behaving this way due to a stuffy, moist enclosure. L. parahybana's like it humid, but not nearly that humid. Not even my most humid species get that treatment. For an LP that size (looks to be about 4-5"?), heavily overfill the water dish about once per week and that should be sufficient.

 

[Tarantula Chris]

I know, and I know that overmoisture can lead to fungus or infection but dehydration during moulting will cause problems. And yes I'm sure it hasn't moulted. It is 12 months old and has seemed to be in pre-molt for 6 weeks now. which is a long time for a spider this age. It was more the behaviour when mobile. I am not going to add stress by getting it to walk for video.

 

[Tarantula Chris]

I moulted last around 3 and a half moths ago. maybe 4

 

[Tarantula Chris]

it's 2 and a half inches

 

[EulersK]

I know, and I know that overmoisture can lead to fungus or infection but dehydration during moulting will cause problems.

A stuffy enclosure will kill any tarantula, trust me when I say that's far more dangerous. How large is this spider? After a certain size, LP's actually don't like it that humid.

EDIT: So, at 2", keep it mildly humid. Again, heavily overfill the water dish about once per week. You've got a swamp in there, it's simply too humid... for any species, really.

 

[Tarantula Chris]

12 months old and 2.5 inches

 

[ledzeppelin]

So it hasn't eaten in 6 weeks? If it really is in premolt, it won't molt for at least 2 more weeks I guarantee it.
1. Do a rehouse. Put it on dry substrate, overfill the dish and let it be.
2. Next day, once it settles, offer food. If the food is refused - refill the dish every week until it molts.
This would be my advice.

 

[Tarantula Chris]

Rehouse was done yesterday to include the bigger waterdish and clean enclosure ( was due routine clean) admittedly the substrate I used was too moist hence the moisture on the sides. I am going to leave it be now. But thanks ledzeppelin. Think I'm just worrying, only just back into t keeping after over 10 years away from it.

 

[Rittdk01]

I mist the surface of a quarter of most of my enclosures, but don't make any like that. i have two stirmi, which are the very tops for moisture dependency. I keep my lp dry with a water bowl at either end. you need to put dry substrate in, add a water dish and try to feed every few days. Check later and pull out the cricketor roach if not eaten. leaving the guy alone would go a long way as well

 

[REEFSPIDER]

Rehouse was done yesterday to include the bigger waterdish and clean enclosure ( was due routine clean) admittedly the substrate I used was too moist hence the moisture on the sides. I am going to leave it be now. But thanks ledzeppelin. Think I'm just worrying, only just back into t keeping after over 10 years away from it.

You should never rehouse a premolt tarantula

 

[EulersK]

You should never rehouse a premolt tarantula

There are circumstances that would constitute a rehouse even in heavy premolt. A swampy enclosure is one of them

 

[cold blood]

Rehouse was done yesterday to include the bigger waterdish and clean enclosure ( was due routine clean) admittedly the substrate I used was too moist hence the moisture on the sides. I am going to leave it be now. But thanks ledzeppelin. Think I'm just worrying, only just back into t keeping after over 10 years away from it.

I think you're missing the point. Its way way too wet in there, it needs to be re-housed so its housed like a tarantula and not a salamander. That enclosure is not good for the t, and when ts struggle with overly damp or stagnant conditions, they tend to refuse food and get very sluggish...then die. If I misunderstood and its now in dry, I apologize...I'm understanding that the pics posted were after the re-house.

I never flood or over moisten any species in pre-molt, even heavy pre-molt, I just leave it set up as I always would, drinks are common for pre-molt ts, this internal moisture is most important.

It doesn't look pre-molt though. I'd offer pre-killed prey if its not taking live...not only does it not look pre-molt, it really doesn't look that plump.