P. ornata premolt or dying? Please help!

[Spidermax]

Hello everyone,
I've been a silent reader around here for quite some time. Now that I'm having problems I figured it's time for me to actually join.
So recently, my Poecilotheria Ornata female started refusing food. No biggie, as we all know that's normal for tarantulas that are preparing to molt.
I noticed her hanging around in the same spot on the side of the terrarium pretty much all the time, which isn't what worries me as well.
However, yesterday I noticed she was hanging on the glass wall and looked kind of "weak". I didn't think much about it either, but when I checked on her this morning, she looked even weirder.
I decided to gently prod her to see if she would react and noticed her movements were kind of "off" and she didn't really do much (usually she gets furious if I only get close to her and immediately throws up her legs in "scare posture". Sorry, I dont know the English word for that). This is when I started to worry a bit, so I carefully put her in a cricket box for an inspection.
At this point I noticed she was unable to support her own bodyweight. She looks weak in general and moves in a weird manner. I decided to put her into a "Tarantula ICU" (box with moist paper towel and heated to 26°C), thinking it was dehydration ( Water dish is of course present and always full).
At this point she has been in there for ~8 hours. She has gotten a little bit better, but still cant really carry her own weight. At least it hasn't gotten worse.
So since her last molt was about a year ago and her abdomen is kind of fat although she hasn't been eating, could this have to do with her molting soon? What's weird to me is that she was fine back when she stopped eating.
Ive had hr for about 2 1/2 years now and really love her. Never had any problems, always very healthy in every way possible. I love her and do not want to lose her. Please, if anyone of you guys knows what the problem could be, I would really appreciate your advice.

Thanks alot for your help!
~Spidermax

PS: I forgot to mention I rehoused her kind of recently (~a few weeks ago).
I can upload pictures of her as well as her enclosure if that helps.

 

[Iamconstantlyhappy]

I will preempt the first posters. Pictures please.

 

[Smotzer]

scare posture"

We call it a threat posture

Tarantula ICU" (box with moist paper towel and heated to 26°C),

I would remove it out of here, these ICU’s are an undated thing, that may make things worse.

if you can I woukd try and flip her over and administration drops of water directly to her mouthparts. I had to do this and mashed up the innards of a mealworms into the water as well. It may be dyhdrated. I don’t really know but the weakness suggests that or maybe some sort of chemical exposure.

I can upload pictures of her as well as her enclosure if that helps.

Yes please!! Without pictures it’s best guesses.

 

[Edan bandoot]

Most likely dehydration if it's not premolt

 

[Spidermax]

Hi and thank you for your swift reply!
I attached pictures of her.
I just realised I already emptied most of her enclosure. What I was thinking is that there wasn't too much "ground space" left. The water dish was pretty big and I had a big piece of wood in there. Maybe she couldn't find a place to web her "molting web"? Just a thought, I don't know

 

[Edan bandoot]

Doesn't look like severe dehydration (abdomen shriveling) I'm not sure

 

[viper69]

Just looked at pics..looks fine

 

[Spidermax]

Wow, that's what I call an active forum

We call it a threat posture

Thanks!

I would remove it out of here, these ICU’s are an undated thing, that may make things worse.

Are they? I mean I did it because I saved a Linothele that was probably dehydrated as well some time ago by putting her in such a thing. I figured I would leave her in there overnight and if she doesn't get better I will put her back in her terrarium. Or do you think 8hrs is already a long time and I should move her back now?

if you can I woukd try and flip her over and administration drops of water directly to her mouthparts. I had to do this and mashed up the innards of a mealworms into the water as well. It may be dyhdrated. I don’t really know but the weakness suggests that or maybe some sort of chemical exposure.

Yes please!! Without pictures it’s best guesses.

I tried giving her something to drink with an eyedropper, but without flipping her over. I will try that. Thank you!

Just looked at pics..looks fine

That's what I find so weird... she looks kind of fine, but stumbles around as if she was really weak or drunk. She can't support her own weight. She doesn't curl her legs up underneath her body though, she's just really unresponsive and "limp"...

I was thinking about the chemical exposure thing, but really don't have an idea what it could have been... I mean I put in some plastic plants when I rehoused her... that's the only thing I really changed. But I have the same plants in other terrariums and all other spiders are fine.

 

[Smotzer]

Wow, that's what I call an active forum


Thanks!




Are they? I mean I did it because I saved a Linothele that was probably dehydrated as well some time ago by putting her in such a thing. I figured I would leave her in there overnight and if she doesn't get better I will put her back in her terrarium. Or do you think 8hrs is already a long time and I should move her back now?



I tried giving her something to drink with an eyedropper, but without flipping her over. I will try that. Thank you!

well after looking at the pictures It looks normal and does not look dehydrated. but you can still try giving it water directly if it will let you, cant hurt, unless its not happy with that being a pokie lol.

Do you ahve any othher pets that have been treated for fleas or anything? Any other chemical use in the house?

 

[tdark1]

That's what I find so weird... she looks kind of fine, but stumbles around as if she was really weak or drunk. She can't support her own weight. She doesn't curl her legs up underneath her body though, she's just really unresponsive and "limp"...

I was thinking about the chemical exposure thing, but really don't have an idea what it could have been... I mean I put in some plastic plants when I rehoused her... that's the only thing I really changed. But I have the same plants in other terrariums and all other spiders are fine.

She looks fine to my eyes in the pictures you posted... Maybe if you are seeing other behavior that you are having a hard time describing, try taking a short video of the animal via phone and upload it online, post a link here and that way we can actually see what you are? Just an idea...

Best regards,

Rob

 

[Spidermax]

well after looking at the pictures It looks normal and does not look dehydrated. but you can still try giving it water directly if it will let you, cant hurt, unless its not happy with that being a pokie lol.

I will try, thank you. So should I just do that and then move her back? And yes, I probably will be able to flip her and give her water... which is really odd. Normally I wouldn't stand a chance at that.

Do you ahve any othher pets that have been treated for fleas or anything? Any other chemical use in the house?

No other pets, no chemical use that I can think of.
Do you think it could just be a part of her molting soon? I'm not sure if she looks like she's about to molt, but I was thinking maybe she's a bit dehydrated and in premolt, and the combination is just exhausting for her?

 

[Smotzer]

Do you think it could just be a part of her molting soon?

It could be, often we know very little about what is actually going on with them when things like this happen. Truly only time will tell.

I will try, thank you. So should I just do that and then move her back? And yes, I probably will be able to flip her and give her water... which is really odd. Normally I wouldn't stand a chance at that.

Personally I would, I dont get the ICU thing, Hostptial ICU's arent stuffy moist rooms and a tarantula isnt going to recover from dehydration by being on wet paper towels in a tupperware with little ventilation, they need to physically ingest liquid to do that. Thats just me though.

 

[Spidermax]

She looks fine to my eyes in the pictures you posted... Maybe if you are seeing other behavior that you are having a hard time describing, try taking a short video of the animal via phone and upload it online, post a link here and that way we can actually see what you are? Just an idea...

Best regards,

Rob

She looks fine to my eyes in the pictures you posted... Maybe if you are seeing other behavior that you are having a hard time describing, try taking a short video of the animal via phone and upload it online, post a link here and that way we can actually see what you are? Just an idea...

Best regards,

Rob

The requested video. I flipped her over after the video and she just remained in that position, on her back. If she was fine she would have bit me 15 times already
View attachment Unbenannt.mp4
#

It could be, often we know very little about what is actually going on with them when things like this happen. Truly only time will tell.

Personally I would, I dont get the ICU thing, Hostptial ICU's arent stuffy moist rooms and a tarantula isnt going to recover from dehydration by being on wet paper towels in a tupperware with little ventilation, they need to physically ingest liquid to do that. Thats just me though.

Thank you and everyone else very much for helping! I will try your suggestions and update tomorrow. Hopefully she will live!

 

[Edan bandoot]

It is unusually docile looking forward to the updates

 

[Smotzer]

The requested video. I flipped her over after the video and she just remained in that position, on her back. If she was fine she would have bit me 15 times already
View attachment 376553
#

Hmmmm....thats a very calm Poecilotheria. Hope its alright!

 

[spideyspinneret78]

That's definitely concerning. All you can really do is make sure that she has access to water and watch her closely. Any chance she may have been exposed to chemicals or pesticides? I hope she recovers.

 

[Spidermax]

That's definitely concerning. All you can really do is make sure that she has access to water and watch her closely. Any chance she may have been exposed to chemicals or pesticides? I hope she recovers.

No, no chemicals or pesticides I think. I mean something has to be wrong with her as you pointed out. I will make sure she has access to water and hopefully she still has a chance. Thanks for helping

 

[Spidermax]

Hi guys!
I have to tell you that sadly, she died. There is still some twitching going on every now and then, but she is pretty much gone. A sad day for me.
I guess I'm just going to let nature take it's course.
Some people on reddit suspected it might in fact really be old age, as this species is rather short lived. I hope that is in fact the reason.
Thank you all for your help!

 

[Edan bandoot]

Hi guys!
I have to tell you that sadly, she died. There is still some twitching going on every now and then, but she is pretty much gone. A sad day for me.
I guess I'm just going to let nature take it's course.
Some people on reddit suspected it might in fact really be old age, as this species is rather short lived. I hope that is in fact the reason.
Thank you all for your help!

How long did you have her?

 

[Spidermax]

How long did you have her?

Almost 3 years. She was already more than half grown when I got her. They also suggested that it might be that I fed her too often. I don't know actually, I fed her a dubia a week as an adult. Whenever she looked too fat I skipped a meal.