Red fluid on Pedipalps

[EveRobinson]

Hi, everyone! This is my first post. I've been tarantula keeping for a bit of time here and have never experienced anything like this. I've tried to Google this, as well as asked a few of my fellow keepers and they haven't heard of it either. I just brought home a beautiful Indian Violet. She has this red fluid on the underside of her pedipalps right at the first joint. I was concerned this was an injury she may have gotten when the seller retrieved her from the previous enclosure, but as we know, tarantula blood isn't red. I just brought her home about 3 days ago, and I was hoping it was just maybe something she picked up and would wipe away? But it still seems to just be pooled there. It's not leaking or dripping, though there was some red "fluid rub" on the side of the enclosure where she was digging. Any idea what this fluid maybe be? She's eating, and digging and doing regular tarantula things. So it's not seeming to bother her. Thank you all for your time!

The best photo I can get of the fluid. You can see it on the right. Its a small red fluid dot. It's on the bottom of both pedipalps.

*EDIT* I have both realized and have been informed that it is indeed, his penises.

My prior spider experience has only been with slings and large females. So seeing spider junk first hand being told he was female from the breeder frightened me that he was injured. Thanks for all your input for my initial panic! I had some keeper friends tell me to "super glue" the injury. Glad I errr....Did not follow that instruction.

 

[A guy]

Those are well... his penises

 

[EveRobinson]

I have now realized what they are and feel dumb , lol. All of my other spiders are female (minus the few slings who are too small to sex.). I just saw fluid an panicked about injury. Since I'm not the best at sexing, when I got this guy off the breeder, they told me he was female. Didn't even think of them being emboli. Woops. I feel better knowing he's not dying and he's just mature.

I think I confused my spider friends when I was like "She's like, BLEEDING from her PEDIPALPS." So not trolling, just stupid, and panicking. And I'll be thr first to admit it. 🫠

Those are well... his penises

I realized that now! Hahaha. Breeder told he was female. I'm super glad to know that it's just his junk saying "Girl, I'm ready" than him bleeding out. All of my other larger specimens are female, so. Not too familiar with mature spider junk, but now I am.

 

[campj]

Breeder told he was female

What kind of breeder cannot identify a MATURE MALE?! Either a very stupid one, or a very dishonest one.

 

[The Snark]

@EveRobinson Honest error anyone new to the hobby could make. Welcome to AB.

 

[EveRobinson]

What kind of breeder cannot identify a MATURE MALE?! Either a very stupid one, or a very dishonest one.

I'm going to be swinging by the shop on Tuesday and I have some questions for him about that myself. We literally had a whole conversation while I was there about how I am not too great at sexing them from molts and such, and I asked him several times if this one was female. And allegedly, this one was even one of his "Pet Projects" so he was very familiar with "her". Honestly, I'm just glad he's not injured and now I know what a mature spider penis officially looks like in person an will never mistake it again.

@EveRobinson Honest error anyone new to the hobby could make. Welcome to AB.

I appreciate your kindness on the situation! I adore all my spiders and a a bit of a "helicopter" spider Mom, and I was just in panic "she" was injured. Glad to learn that just wasn't the case.

 

[curtisgiganteus]

I appreciate your kindness on the situation! I adore all my spiders and a a bit of a "helicopter" spider Mom, and I was just in panic "she" was injured. Glad to learn that just wasn't the case.

It shouldn’t be too hard to find someone with a breedable female Chilobrachys fimbriatus for you to loan him to. However, if you payed female price for a MM I’d at least get a third to half your money back.

 

[campj]

I'm going to be swinging by the shop on Tuesday and I have some questions for him about that myself. We literally had a whole conversation while I was there about how I am not too great at sexing them from molts and such, and I asked him several times if this one was female. And allegedly, this one was even one of his "Pet Projects" so he was very familiar with "her". Honestly, I'm just glad he's not injured and now I know what a mature spider penis officially looks like in person an will never mistake it again.

Yeah I'd get a refund and stay far away from this person. It also sounds like it's time for you and your friends to expand your research a bit. I say that in the least insulting way, but would also like to emphasize that your friends recommended gluing your spider's man-parts, which would have been uncool.

 

[EveRobinson]

Yeah I'd get a refund and stay far away from this person. It also sounds like it's time for you and your friends to expand your research a bit. I say that in the least insulting way, but would also like to emphasize that your friends recommended gluing your spider's man-parts, which would have been uncool.

I do not take that in insult at all and will do so as such. I just found this particular forum today and it seems to be a wealth of knowledge and I've been reading though a bunch of things and am learning a lot already. I literally called my friend right away and went "Oh my GOD. Its his PENISES! He's not dying and I'm going to superglue yours!" So. Needless to say, we BOTH have been learned today. They said they were only suggesting it as if it was indeed an injury, and not you know bright bulbous spider testies, that it wouldn't coagulate so to prevent bleeding out, the good old super glue. It didn't strike me as an injury though, because spiders don't bleed red, so hence the post.

Seriously though, you all could have been super mean, and you all have been polite courteous and informative in all your answers. Not one person has been insulting and I genuinely appreciate that cause not a lot of people are nice to newer people in anything, really. My fiancé and I got into the hobby about 8 months back, and have been slowly expanding the collection. Still lots to learn, but we'll get there! My fiancé wants desperately a poecilotheria metallica like in your PFP, and I told him...lets uh, wait a bit on that. Like a few years.

It shouldn’t be too hard to find someone with a breedable female Chilobrachys fimbriatus for you to loan him to. However, if you payed female price for a MM I’d at least get a third to half your money back.

Look like I'll be getting some sort of refund then

 

[curtisgiganteus]

I do not take that in insult at all and will do so as such. I just found this particular forum today and it seems to be a wealth of knowledge and I've been reading though a bunch of things and am learning a lot already. I literally called my friend right away and went "Oh my GOD. Its his PENISES! He's not dying and I'm going to superglue yours!" So. Needless to say, we BOTH have been learned today. They said they were only suggesting it as if it was indeed an injury, and not you know bright bulbous spider testies, that it wouldn't coagulate so to prevent bleeding out, the good old super glue. It didn't strike me as an injury though, because spiders don't bleed red, so hence the post.

Seriously though, you all could have been super mean, and you all have been polite courteous and informative in all your answers. Not one person has been insulting and I genuinely appreciate that cause not a lot of people are nice to newer people in anything, really. My fiancé and I got into the hobby about 8 months back, and have been slowly expanding the collection. Still lots to learn, but we'll get there! My fiancé wants desperately a poecilotheria metallica like in your PFP, and I told him...lets uh, wait a bit on that. Like a few years.

Super glue isn’t a good option, use 100% corn starch for an injury

 

[campj]

Look like I'll be getting some sort of refund then

Sounds like the breeder is local. I'd take the spider back and demand a full refund if that's the case. They misrepresented the product and way overcharged you.

 

[EveRobinson]

Super glue isn’t a good option, use 100% corn starch for an injury

That actually makes a lot of sense. That's exactly what I use on my birds for when they've been injured (Blood feather stuff). Noted for future reference. Have that around for that purpose as is.

Sounds like the breeder is local. I'd take the spider back and demand a full refund if that's the case. They misrepresented the product and way overcharged you.

He IS local! Like, 5 minutes down the road. I'll be heading there on Tuesday when they open. You all have been super helpful.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

My virgin eyes! ;-}

I also have only had mature females and now slings and juvies....and now, I've been exposed.

 

[The Snark]

@EveRobinson Trivia: While the color red is occasionally found in aranaea, hemoglobin, red blood cells, most certainly is not, with the exception of certain usually parasitic members of the class. In fact it is toxic to some species. Thus the title of your post sends the medically trained scurrying to investigate the matter.

If you want to come down hard with the proverbial hob nail boots on the seller of your spider, casually mention you inquired on an international spider forum and his error or ill education is being widely discussed.

 

[viper69]

He IS local! Like, 5 minutes down the road. I'll be heading there on Tuesday when they open. You all have been super helpful.

Eve- this person took advantage of your ignorance. There are no questions to be asked other than the demand of I want my money back. This person STOLE from you. You could file charges with the police as you the proof.

Also if you paid by credit card- something I always do- you can call card company and file a fraud claim to get money back- I’ve done that.

This sort of thing should be taken seriously as it goes to the core of this person’s ethics.

This isn’t about “just a T”