Poll: What has been the #1 killer of your tarantulas so far?

[Pokie11]

1 possible impaction (P.ornata sling)
I have sent away 4 MM, and I dont know what happened to them, they probably died from old age

 

[Swoop]

1 to dehydration (almost lost 3. My heater really dried out the T room over the winter)

1 to stuffy conditions

 

[JohnR]

5 DOAs
1 Mystery
1 Sling gone missing in the enclosure, possible escape or just died and decomposed, that I thought was in premolt & hiding in its burrow for a long period of time

 

[Wolfspidurguy]

This is a somewhat morbid topic, but I am interested to see the results, and I hope it will give newer keepers some awareness of the potential hazards they may encounter at some point. I'm hoping that old age wins, but we'll see how it shakes out.

For me, the answer is shipping issues. I've lost 4 slings that way. 1 had a ruptured abdomen for no apparent reason (all the others right next to it were fine) and 3 died from cold in a different shipment because FedEx was several hours late, and despite there being a heat pack present.

I've also lost 1 mature male G. pulchra to old age (I'm assuming this, since I sold him to Net-Bug for breeding purposes over a year ago now. It's possible that he was eaten during mating as well.)

What is it for you?

i dont own any Ts currently but i feel like i should still talk about my true spiders. my number one killer is freak accadents things like one haveing a parcite multiple that found ways to break a leg ext

 

[Formerphobe]

Bad molts and old age probably tie for number one at my house. In "bad molts" category, I include the ones that survived their last molt initially, then failed to thrive and ultimately expired days, weeks or months after the fact.

 

[Dave Jay]

After reading numerous threads about impacted Tarantulas it seems no one knows why they become impacted? Are there tips on preventing impaction?
(I was thinking of starting a separate thread, but if its a simple "no" answer then it's hardly worthwhile, and it seems somewhat relevant here)
Also, Epsom salt is widely used to relieve constipation/impaction in many creatures, has anyone tried dosing a Tarantulas water? Just a thought.

 

[Ungoliant]

After reading numerous threads about impacted Tarantulas it seems no one knows why they become impacted? Are there tips on preventing impaction?

I've heard that most impactions are caused by the anus being blocked during a defective molt, in which case there is not much you can do to prevent them.

Also, Epsom salt is widely used to relieve constipation/impaction in many creatures, has anyone tried dosing a Tarantulas water? Just a thought.

I wouldn't assume anything works on tarantulas the same way it does on humans. Their physiology is just too different.

Also, if the impaction is caused by a bad molt, I wouldn't expect a laxative to help, as the cause is not in the stool itself but a blockage in the anal passage.

 

[boina]

Epsom salt is widely used to relieve constipation/impaction in many creatures,

Epsom salt works by drawing water from the surrounding tissue and thereby hydrating and softening the stool. So...you give your tarantula salty water to drink... provided it will even drink that kind of water the salt will then draw water from the tarantulas tissues into the intestines... I think it's very likely you will end up with a severely dehydrated and probably dead tarantula. Tarantulas just can't afford to lose much water from their tissues, in contrast to mammals.
And there's not even any kind of proof that impaction in a tarantula is caused by hard stool. In fact, in all cases I know about where the reason has been found, an incomplete molt was to blame.

It is never a good idea to try remedies that work on mammals on inverts. They have a completely different physiology.

 

[Mini8leggedfreak]

I had around 15 spiders (tarantulas) when I decided I needed to go get smarter somewhere anyways I went to school for 2 years and home from around April to September. School was 11 1/2 hours from home and didn’t allow “pets”
Mom almost killed everything. I showed her everything and how to take care of them and idk what happened but I had one dwarf T at the end of everything.
Never leaving my spiders with anyone again

 

[shaneshac]

Mostly slings due to bad moults. Lampropelma seem to be my nemesis species. I have had 4 slings (violaceopes, nigerrium, 2 sulawesi black) die during their moult. Also lost a P ornata sling during the moult

 

[Andrea82]

1 E.sp.Red sling died, cause unknown
1 A.metallica sling died cause unknown
1 H.pulchripes sling died, impaction
And some mature males, either eaten or died of old age.

 

[mconnachan]

I've only ever lost T's to old age, and DOA, other than that, there's been one Avicularia (not surprising)
Versicolour that got stuck in its molt. Hopefully you guys have had pretty much the same experience, @nicodimus22 good topic, very interesting.

 

[mconnachan]

Mostly slings due to bad moults. Lampropelma seem to be my nemesis species. I have had 4 slings (violaceopes, nigerrium, 2 sulawesi black) die during their moult. Also lost a P ornata sling during the moult

My O. schioedtei has just molted once again, so no, no trouble with that species, I hope you have more luck in future @shaneshac

 

[mconnachan]

1 juvie T stirmi nematodes
a freebie redrump spiderling doa

I sent all mature males off for breeding so far, so haven't had to deal with old age deaths yet.

I had one P. regalis die of old age and my other MM's went out for breeding, it's a great way to give back to the hobby.

 

[Mjb30]

I've put fallen but really I don't know. The avic didn't have any visible injuries but was slipping continually.

 

[mconnachan]

I've put fallen but really I don't know. The avic didn't have any visible injuries but was slipping continually.

Sounds like old age, the tarsi not being able to grip, then subsequently fell, that's my thinking and yours going by your reply @Mjb30

 

[mconnachan]

Mostly slings due to bad moults. Lampropelma seem to be my nemesis species. I have had 4 slings (violaceopes, nigerrium, 2 sulawesi black) die during their moult. Also lost a P ornata sling during the moult

I meant to say some Lampropelma have been changed to Omothymus and from Cyriopagopus as well - good luck with any of these stunning ornithoctoninae (Earth Tigers).

 

[Nightshady]

I’m only about 5 months in on the hobby, so my zero casualties doesn’t count for much. Four T’s doing great with two more on the way.

 

[athlete96]

One escapee and one bad moult. P. irminia 1.5" sling.. I received when in premoult, put up a dirt curtain, and I didn't see it at all for two weeks. Came home one day to find it hanging on the side dead. I removed it, and discovered there was a complete exoskeleton underneath... I assume it just couldn't get out.