Red Leg question...

Gillian77

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
31
We have a male Tarantula red leg thats never been mated and it's slowly getting thinner and weaker by the day...it's still very active but keeps falling onto it's back and we feel really sorry for him...would it be better to put him out of his misery as we've been told that he's too far gone to mate now...if we had known about mating him before this happened we would have, but we we're told he was female. What would you do and if you agree that he should be put out of his misery, what is the kindest way to do it. All help appreciated. Thanks
 

bigo

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 1, 2006
Messages
92
Before i could answer your question i need to know for how long has he been mature for? I have the same problem with my male G.rose but he is still go strong and i would let him die a natural death instead of going into the freezer, he has given me 500+ sling and maybe more b/c i have other females that are gravid by him. I guess i owe him.
 

cheetah13mo

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 10, 2006
Messages
2,151
At this point it is up to you as to what you think is moral.
It's hard to watch but I would let him pass on his time.

Sorry for your loss.
 

missy

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
35
oh that is sad i am sorry, i read a post the other day about another t different kind that the person had to put it out of its misery, i think they put it in the freezer, i think this might be the kindest way although it doesnt sound like it, sorry once again. it is really how you feel about it ?
 

Gillian77

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
31
He's been mature for quite a while now...to watch him just seems cruel but if you say it's better to allow him to die naturally then that's what we will do. We know more about Tarantulas now and so had we known about this, then we would have mated him...being told he was a female was the problem. Putting him to death in the freezer seems much worse...I just thought there might have been a kinder way of doing it.
 

Mushroom Spore

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
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Oct 14, 2005
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4,588
When you say he's falling, how far is he falling? If the distance between the substrate and the top of the enclosure is more than his legspan, he might well put *himself* out of his misery with a horrific fatal body-splitting injury before long. :eek:

I see no need to freeze them. It never sounds like males suffer (besides from lack of getting laid {D ) so much as they just sort of wind down. I'd let him go in his own time, myself, and will do the same for any T of mine that turns out to be male. Enjoy 'em while you have 'em.
 

missy

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
35
i dont think i could do it, put any of my babies in the freezer, that is .
 

kitty_b

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 28, 2006
Messages
1,110
i put a mature male t. blondi in the freezer last month. he wasn't even mine.. he was a loaned male who never figured out how to woo the women.

when i actually did freeze him, it was because he had been in a death curl for a whole day and had not passed. it broke my heart to give him the "deep freeze," but i couldn't stand him just laying there anymore.

on the opposite end of the spectrum, i've had males and slings alike death curl and die before i was even aware.
 

Gillian77

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
31
He climbs to the top of the tank and falls...he's already lost a leg through doing this...I really don't know how they stay so active without eating for so long though...it's amazing how sex is far more important to a T than food is.
 

Annie3Ponies

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Messages
200
If this information is of any use to you, arachnid spiders can be anesthetized with chloroform - a cotton ball with some on it in a smaller enclosure - like an ICU - will work in less than 45 minutes. Then you could freeze him while unconscious, if that makes you feel better.

I am assuming T's would react the same as arachnids here - this is how black widows are anesthetized to be milked of venom.
 

Gillian77

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
31
Good news...Tarantula has started eating again and has been eating every day for the last week...thank goodness we didn't put him to sleep...he is fattening up and seems ok but I guess the sexy time will come round again lol.
 

Brian S

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
May 29, 2004
Messages
6,526
Does he have the tibial spurs and bulbous pedipalps as a mature male would?
If you are reffering to Brachypelma emilia (I suck at common names) I have a female that is borderline to being large enough to mate. What is the size of yours?
If you think you might possibly be interested in breeding him send me a PM. Remember, his days are certainly numbered ;)
 

Gillian77

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
31
Thankyou to everyone that posted, to help with our dilemma....it is with great sadness that I write this..poor Spider passed away yesterday...even though he had started to eat and enjoy life again, he obviously wasn't going to make it...thanks to everyone.:)
 
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