Pink toe has been sitting in her water dish for a little over 24 hours, only moved twice

[littlefaerie]

As a warning, this is going to be a long post, explaining past molts and such. And yes, I'm going to be "that person" and ask another "is she molting or sick/dying" topic. I'm sorry, I'm just really really worried. She's my first tarantula and I've come to really care about her.

So, I've had my Pink Toe for a little over a year, and she's had two molts since then. Her first one was a few months after I got her, and was stupid and scared me; she didn't make a web or anything, she was just hanging out on top of her enclosure. When I went to investigate (because she was hanging really weirdly and limp), it turned out it was her old skin, and she had fallen maybe two feet down. She surprisingly made it fine, even though I was terrified her abdomen ruptured. I guess she's just a trooper.
Her second molt she webbed up, did her thing, and my fiance tore open her web and got out her old skin. All was okay.
Her first molt was probably about two months after we got her (around May of last year), and her second was around...maybe February? of this year. She's my first tarantula, and my fiance bought her on a whim. Horrible idea, I know. Once she arrived we did hella research, so we're much more informed nowadays.

So, onto the problem. She's been having pre-molt symptoms since around April. She stays mostly on the ground, because she can't stick to the glass very well anymore, which I've read is a sign of premolt. She ate like 4 or 5 crickets maybe a week or a week and a half ago, but I've read that some tarantulas will still eat while in premolt. Her abdomen is super bald, but I've also read it's a myth that balding abdomens are a sign of it. She's been getting pretty lethargic, and has drank from her dish like twice in about a month or two, despite not showing any signs of dehydration except lethargy, which is also a sign of premolt. It's been a little over 24 hours or now that she hasn't moved (besides misting her tank, and a few light drops landed on her accidentally. She reacted, thank god, so she's alive. At least for now, if she isn't molting). Someone online said they had a spider chill in their dish for like four days, and were just super thirsty. Someone else also said it can take like 3 - 4 days for a tarantula to molt. I took a couple (probably not so great/helpful) pictures so you guys could get a visual and get a better idea.

Like I said, I'm just really worried. She's my first eight legged buddy, and I'm pretty sure she's actually a he, and I know males have shorter lifespans, and I don't know how old she/he was when we got her/him. She was just a little guy. Anyway, enough rambling. I'm a worrywart by nature, and I know everyone here is much more experienced that I. Neither my fiance nor I have poked or touched her, because disturbing them while molting can be deadly.

Sorry again for the annoyingly long post. Hopefully you guys can have pity/sympathy for me on this, and be gentle.

 

[boina]

From the pictures it does look to me like a mature male, but I'm not absolutely sure. It looks really rough with not only a bald abdomen but hair also scraped off on the legs - typical for a mature male in the late stages of his life. In that case there's absolutely nothing you can do.

Oh, and ignore all that online (Facebook?) advice you got: a spider "chilling" for days in it's water bowl? That may happen if it's really hot and you can't get the temps down - or something is really off with your husbandry.
And taking 3 or 4 days for the actual molt?? Nope. That spider would have a really serious problem, too. Premolt, however, can take much, much longer.

 

[littlefaerie]

From the pictures it does look to me like a mature male, but I'm not absolutely sure. It looks really rough with not only a bald abdomen but hair also scraped off on the legs - typical for a mature male in the late stages of his life. In that case there's absolutely nothing you can do.

Oh, and ignore all that online (Facebook?) advice you got: a spider "chilling" for days in it's water bowl? That may happen if it's really hot and you can't get the temps down - or something is really off with your husbandry.
And taking 3 or 4 days for the actual molt?? Nope. That spider would have a really serious problem, too. Premolt, however, can take much, much longer.

Aw, man. That's what I was afraid of. I was mostly reading those types of things to give myself some type of hope to hold on to. After we hit around the 24 hour mark, I had a bad feeling. I actually had a dream/nightmare two or three nights ago that he died. I guess subconsciously I just knew.
If this is the end, is there anything we can do to make her (well, now I should say his) passing easier/smoother for him?

 

[mconnachan]

From the pictures you provided the spider does look like a mature male, so unfortunately there's not much you can do to help, keep a full water dish, and keep the spider as comfortable as possible, if your T was a female it would only take a few short hours to actually molt. The best advice and research you can get is on this Forum, a lot of well educated, caring owners. You can help by keeping the spider just the way you have been. Sorry this was not the news you wanted to hear, but alas that's what happens to mature males, just keep him in the fashion he's become accustomed to.

 

[littlefaerie]

From the pictures you provided the spider does look like a mature male, so unfortunately there's not much you can do to help, keep a full water dish, and keep the spider as comfortable as possible, if your T was a female it would only take a few short hours to actually molt. The best advice and research you can get is on this Forum, a lot of well educated, caring owners. You can help by keeping the spider just the way you have been. Sorry this was not the news you wanted to hear, but alas that's what happens to mature males, just keep him in the fashion he's become accustomed to.

Okay, I definitely will. I don't know how old he was when we got him, so he might've/probably was older than we thought. We've had him a little over a year, so assuming he was around that old when we got hom, I find solace in the fact that he lived a whole life.

 

[littlefaerie]

An update:

I checked on him this morning, and he's pulled himself mostly out of the dish. I'm going to try and be optimistic that this was a fluke and he'll be alright, despite logically knowing he won't be.

 

[littlefaerie]

Little Delilah didn't make it. It must've just happened a couple hours ago.
My fiancé misted her tank, some water landed on her. No movement. So he opened the door and looked, and she was in the death curl. Picked her up and she was limp. We straightened out all her legs and put her in a tubberware container, and tomorrow he and his friend are going to try and encase her so we can keep her.

I never thought I'd actually cry over a spider, but here we are.

 

[mconnachan]

Little Delilah didn't make it. It must've just happened a couple hours ago.
My fiancé misted her tank, some water landed on her. No movement. So he opened the door and looked, and she was in the death curl. Picked her up and she was limp. We straightened out all her legs and put her in a tubberware container, and tomorrow he and his friend are going to try and encase her so we can keep her.

I never thought I'd actually cry over a spider, but here we are.

So sorry to hear this awful news, it's amazing how attached we get to our beloved spiders, hope you manage to have him mounted appropriately, to do him the honour he deserves.

 

[cold blood]

Guys, look at the set up......ok, are you done.....its set up terrestrially.

Op, there should NOT be a hide on the ground....the cover should all be elevated....wood to climb on and surround the middle and top of the wood with those plants....many even glue the plants up high.

Please post a pic of the entire enclosure.

It does look like a MM, and a MM will require more moisture....thats basically what the t is telling you by hanging out in the water dish....fill the dish and dampen half the sub.

If you can get pics of the ubderside of the palps that would help us verify that it is indeed a MM. Aging MMs have the same difficulties with climbing and grip.