Post molt complications

Jmc21

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
5
Hey everyone,

So my Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens just molted today though really badly. I’ve had it as a sling and it’s had many successful molts so I knew when something wasn’t right. After performing some surgery (with a soft wet makeup brush) it seems one side has all janked legs, the other has 4 healthy ones. I wasn’t able to get some of the molt off but I was able to separate each leg so it has some freedom to move (saying “it” because I haven’t sexed yet though I think he’s a he). I was wondering will it be able to survive if I tong feed it till next molt? Will it detach its legs on its own? Asking for advice, bless.
 

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magouilles

Arachnoknight
Active Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2020
Messages
252
Hey everyone,

So my Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens just molted today though really badly. I’ve had it as a sling and it’s had many successful molts so I knew when something wasn’t right. After performing some surgery (with a soft wet makeup brush) it seems one side has all janked legs, the other has 4 healthy ones. I wasn’t able to get some of the molt off but I was able to separate each leg so it has some freedom to move (saying “it” because I haven’t sexed yet though I think he’s a he). I was wondering will it be able to survive if I tong feed it till next molt? Will it detach its legs on its own? Asking for advice, bless.
oof I’ve never had any molts going this bad so I can’t really help you about that all I know is that you can’t forcefeed a t but I wish you and your t the best😓
maybe try the q-tip method (dripping wet q-tip and push lightly in the desired direction) as soon as you can so the exoskeleton doesn’t harden,,,but since you tried with a wet brush already idk if it’d change anything
 

Poonjab

Arachnoking
Active Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2019
Messages
2,755
It’ll probably survive with lots of assistance. I say probably lightly
 

lazarus

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 3, 2010
Messages
156
If she eats (after the fangs harden ofc) it will be a very good sign. Is she able to move?
 

Jmc21

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
5
It’ll probably survive with lots of assistance. I say probably lightly
Aside from balance and movement, it’s been active right out of molt. I’ve seen a thread that shared some lost legs from molts and pictures a few molts later (even a two legged tarantula) so I was wondering if my baby has a chance. I’m definitely giving it as much care as I must to make it to next molt

If she eats (after the fangs harden ofc) it will be a very good sign. Is she able to move?
Yeah he (boy I think) does. As I was manipulating him to try to remove the exo his healthy legs were grasping me. I’ll see once he’s fully recovered and hardened up how his activity can truly be.
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
2,423
You really do have to wait until their exoskeleton has hardened to assess the total damage. A lot can change in the days after moulting. They might drop those legs and they might not. Tarantulas have survived in worse shape. Can you please check the shed exoskeleton and ensure that the sucking stomach was shed properly.
 

Liquifin

Arachnoking
Active Member
Joined
May 30, 2017
Messages
2,110
For starters, you need to wait a few days for it to recover from its bad molt. During these few post-molt days, you need to keep an eye on behaviors and its health because it's most likely to might drop its legs that it finds unnecessary or damaged. Also make sure the proper parts of the tarantula are shed out in its recent molt such as the sucking stomach, book lungs, and spinnerets.

maybe try the q-tip method (dripping wet q-tip and push lightly in the desired direction) as soon as you can so the exoskeleton doesn’t harden,,,but since you tried with a wet brush already idk if it’d change anything
A wet q-tip is not really helpful for a larger specimen/tarantula stuck in a molt. The wet q-tip method is fine for a sling or small juvenile, but for a larger specimen I recommend using a syringe to provide moisture on a larger specimen stuck in molt. The reason why is because a wet q-tip doesn't provide enough moisture/water for a larger specimen that stuck in a molt in comparison to a smaller specimen.
 

Jmc21

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
5
You really do have to wait until their exoskeleton has hardened to assess the total damage. A lot can change in the days after moulting. They might drop those legs and they might not. Tarantulas have survived in worse shape. Can you please check the shed exoskeleton and ensure that the sucking stomach was shed properly.
So he’s definitely okay for now. Moving on his own. The only thing stuck during the molt was the legs, I also realized two legs were completely underneath him and were squished so now they’re upright like antennae. The carapace, abdomen and spinnerets all came out fine though. If legs are going to detach I’d say those upright ones will definitely be gone first. Will update this thread with the progress.

For starters, you need to wait a few days for it to recover from its bad molt. During these few post-molt days, you need to keep an eye on behaviors and its health because it's most likely to might drop its legs that it finds unnecessary or damaged. Also make sure the proper parts of the tarantula are shed out in its recent molt such as the sucking stomach, book lungs, and spinnerets.


A wet q-tip is not really helpful for a larger specimen/tarantula stuck in a molt. The wet q-tip method is fine for a sling or small juvenile, but for a larger specimen I recommend using a syringe to provide moisture on a larger specimen stuck in molt. The reason why is because a wet q-tip doesn't provide enough moisture/water for a larger specimen that stuck in a molt in comparison to a smaller specimen.
Yeah I know it’ll be more of a frequent assessment. I do think multiple legs will detach but I’ll be completely fine with that and rehabbing through next few molts. Seeing those legs are pretty disheartening. Will update the thread in the next few days. Also thank you everyone for the replies
 

Almadabes

Arachnoknight
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
163
I recently made a post about my versi sling in the same situation - maybe under a week ago.

her front legs are completely messed up but within the last 4 days or so it has managed to use them despite being lopsided. One of the legs is completely bent under the spider and I worry most about this one. it has laid good web mats so I'm hoping its trying to fix the molt soon. I'd say its moving pretty well despite the damage. sounds like we are in similar situations.

I'm a little luckier in that I have a sling and I am able to leave pre-killed prey in that it has been eating on its own. I don't know if your adult would take prekill, but perhaps you could try an injured feeder once it's fangs have hardened up. I gave mine a dubia as I'm trying to make sure its eating as "nutritionally" as possible.
 

Jmc21

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
5
I recently made a post about my versi sling in the same situation - maybe under a week ago.

her front legs are completely messed up but within the last 4 days or so it has managed to use them despite being lopsided. One of the legs is completely bent under the spider and I worry most about this one. it has laid good web mats so I'm hoping its trying to fix the molt soon. I'd say its moving pretty well despite the damage. sounds like we are in similar situations.

I'm a little luckier in that I have a sling and I am able to leave pre-killed prey in that it has been eating on its own. I don't know if your adult would take prekill, but perhaps you could try an injured feeder once it's fangs have hardened up. I gave mine a dubia as I'm trying to make sure its eating as "nutritionally" as possible.
Thanks for the response, and I'm sorry to hear that. It is good that yours is still young. Right now it's moving here and there, but the damage and handicap is so severe. I usually prekill still since I don't want to risk the worms burrowing and doing damage as a beetle later on. My T's are fairly adolescent. With my gbb, i leave food on its web and dont have to worry since theyre already stuck and thats what I did just now, so that when its fangs are ready there'll be food ready. I'm going to post progress on this thread so if this happens to anyone else they can know what to expect.
 

Jmc21

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 28, 2018
Messages
5
Hey everyone,

So my Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens just molted today though really badly. I’ve had it as a sling and it’s had many successful molts so I knew when something wasn’t right. After performing some surgery (with a soft wet makeup brush) it seems one side has all janked legs, the other has 4 healthy ones. I wasn’t able to get some of the molt off but I was able to separate each leg so it has some freedom to move (saying “it” because I haven’t sexed yet though I think he’s a he). I was wondering will it be able to survive if I tong feed it till next molt? Will it detach its legs on its own? Asking for advice, bless.
Update everyone. He did not make it. So he lasted a few days wandering his enclosure from time to time, and I waited patiently for his fangs to harden. I noticed he would get trapped a lot in his own webbing since most of his old molt kept getting caught in his full webbed enclosure (basically everywhere he went was a death sentence). I ended up tearing all the old web but that wasn’t the only issue. I placed prekill right under his fangs eventually, but soon after I saw him dead in the same spot with the food under him. I guess this was too much of a complication and in the end he just suffered for days unfortunately. Lesson learned, don’t believe the “wait and be patient” when suspecting something wrong with a molt. If you know your T well enough, you should intervene or at least assess very carefully the beginning stages before it’s too late, like if positioning is off or in this case if legs are trapped under its entire body. Thanks everyone.
 

Almadabes

Arachnoknight
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
163
Oh man... This sucks.

You did what you could, I think that says a lot about you and many of us in the hobby.
Many people are terrified of spiders and here you are performing surgery mere inches from its fangs.
We don't get the luxury of having a doctor that can help and unfortunately we can't save them all the time :(

Thanks for sharing.
 

Rigor Mortis

Arachnobaron
Joined
Nov 7, 2018
Messages
498
Lesson learned, don’t believe the “wait and be patient” when suspecting something wrong with a molt. If you know your T well enough, you should intervene or at least assess very carefully the beginning stages before it’s too late, like if positioning is off or in this case if legs are trapped under its entire body. Thanks everyone.
I'm very sorry about your T, however I'll venture that no amount of intervening before he hardened from this moult would have saved him. We know precious little about tarantulas and how to help them when they fall ill, have a bad moult, get poisoned, etc. and most of it is unfortunately a waiting game.
 
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