Research Paper Survey: For those of you who have dealt with "dyskinetic syndrome"

[Aurelia]

I got permission from my professor to take a survey. I am researching what most hobbyists call "dyskinetic syndrome" in tarantulas and trying to find the most likely source for this malady. Even though dyskinetic syndrome is actually a human malady, I will use the term here because everybody knows what I'm talking about. If you have ever had a T afflicted with this, I would really appreciate your input.

1.What substrate was the affected T living on?

2.What did you feed it?

3.What kind of water did you use? (tap, distilled, filtered, etc.)

4.How big/old was the spider?

5.What species?

6.What kind of area do you live in? (urban, rural/farmland, etc.)

7.Did the T die? If so, how long after first showing symptoms? If not, how long did it take to recover?

8.What else was in the tank with the T? (decorations, kind of hide, plants, etc.)

9.Any other thoughts?


Thank you very much!

 

[T_DORKUS]

Any pets in the household being treated for fleas? Always wondered if there was a connection.

 

[FuzzOctave]

I've never had a T come down with this, thankfully. The more I read about it, on all the boards, the further my opinion is swayed to pesticide exposure through prey items.

I would be most interested in reading the result of your research.

 

[nexen]

1.What substrate was the affected T living on?
Not sure, it was a gift.

2.What did you feed it?
Crickets.

3.What kind of water did you use? (tap, distilled, filtered, etc.)
tap

4.How big/old was the spider?
about 5 months

5.What species?
Grammostola rosea (rose hair tarantula) GCF

6.What kind of area do you live in? (urban, rural/farmland, etc.)
suburban

7.Did the T die? If so, how long after first showing symptoms? If not, how long did it take to recover?
died after 2 weeks of progressively worsening symptoms

8.What else was in the tank with the T? (decorations, kind of hide, plants, etc.)
cork bark

9.Any other thoughts?
We blamed frontline flea & tick medication. I had just finished petting my dog before picking up the tarantula. It started exhibiting symptoms immediately upon being held.

 

[nexen]

I've never had a T come down with this, thankfully. The more I read about, it on all the the boards, the further my opinion is swayed to pesticide exposure through prey items.

I would be most interested in reading the result of your research.

The symptoms of DS seem extremely similar to an insect that has just been sprayed with pesticide. The description of action inside of the target animals also seems to match completely with what I witnessed.

 

[CRX]

I got permission from my professor to take a survey. I am researching what most hobbyists call "dyskinetic syndrome" in tarantulas and trying to find the most likely source for this malady. Even though dyskinetic syndrome is actually a human malady, I will use the term here because everybody knows what I'm talking about. If you have ever had a T afflicted with this, I would really appreciate your input.

1.What substrate was the affected T living on?

2.What did you feed it?

3.What kind of water did you use? (tap, distilled, filtered, etc.)

4.How big/old was the spider?

5.What species?

6.What kind of area do you live in? (urban, rural/farmland, etc.)

7.Did the T die? If so, how long after first showing symptoms? If not, how long did it take to recover?

8.What else was in the tank with the T? (decorations, kind of hide, plants, etc.)

9.Any other thoughts?


Thank you very much!

1. Coco fiber.

2. Crickets.

3. Tap.

4. They were both slings, about 1/3''. Not sure about the age, but probably a few months.

5. Stromatopelma calceatum and Heteroscodra maculata.

6. A subdivision in the city, but not far from rural/farmland.

7. The first one died about a week after it began showing the symptoms, and I put the 2nd one out of it's misery after a couple days.

8. A small piece of corkbark.

9. I am 100% sure it was NOT pesticide, and it wasn't chemicals in the tap water, as all my other Ts are doing fine, and they too are drinking tap water. I really think they caught it from crickets infected with the same disease.

 

[arrowhd]

1. Coco fiber.
2. Crickets.
3. Tap.
4. 3 inches.
5. Ceratogyrus brachycephalus.
6. Urban.
7. Died within 3 months of first symptoms. Symptoms noticed immediately after a successful molt.
8. Half piece of flower pot molded out of peat.
9. Dogs and cat in home were being treated with Frontline. Cross contamination is possible but unlikely as I always wash my hands before feeding, maintenance, etc.

 

[CodeWilster]

Here's a thought, what (IF you do) do you feed your crickets/roaches/other feeder insects?

A lot of people gut-load their feeder insects just before feeding them off; I know I do. Fresh veggies and fruits are excellent, however the ones that are not organic could contain herbicides and pesticides. Just a thought

 

[BACKWOODS]

My Input

I lost several T,s G.rosea,P.miranda,C.elegans(adult female) kept on peat moss,well water,all were slings except C.elegans died aproxamatly 2-3 weeks after first signs elegans right after last molt and yes we have dogs and had recently been treated with frontline had not thoght about that!Oh and they are all fed crix but only a very few out of my entire collection got it those above and I have about 175 T,s!

 

[Bless403]

I think its safe to say pesticides and flee medication are the cause of this. Or mites. Have you seen a mite through a microscope. Looks like a spider to me same with ticks and flees. Whats designed to kill them will most certainly kill a t. They are sensitive creatures keep them away from all other pets and if they exhibit these symptoms try to hydrate the t. With a q tip and water around the mouth and keep it warmer and more humid to try to make it moult ive heard they actually heal from this disease with a good shed. Although im sure if the t has eaten too much of the toxin its probably too late

The way I see it. Tarantulas are a species 10 times older and more adapted then us. I dont think its chance that a adult female whos been healthy its whole life suddenly starts losing control of its body just cuz. This why it must be Chemicles That are problem or maybe like us they have allergies to certain things . But this is only my theory nothing more

 

[sugarsandz]

There is always the possibility of someone not realizing they might have contaminated the food the crickets eat, the tarantulas or their little habitats after coming into contact with a pesticide or flea and tick killer. It's like trying to remember where you got a bruise and nothing comes to mind, although you know you bumped into something at some point. Having said that, there are usually many different things that cause similar symptoms in humans and our pets so who knows what else could be contributing to this set of symptoms.

I haven't experienced the dks thing so far and I hope I don't have to but the more spiders I keep the more I mind what I touch before dealing with my crickets, tarantulas or their substrate.

 

[captmarga]

I have one that recovered and one currently with jerky movements.

1 (Rizzo) B albopilosum. Kept on coco coir same as the other 58 I had at the time. Eats crickets. Tap water. No flea meds, not other animals in room. Survived near freezing temps for unknown (but approx 8-12 hours) period of time. 9 deaths, 50 survivors of collection. Rizzo showed severe DKS movement. Kept nearly wet, in dark and quiet area. Fed approx every five days. Molted out and acts completely normal.

2 (Stumpy) A hentzi (CB). on Coco coir. Tap water. Person I purchased from had dropped her container the day I got her. She lost one leg. Moves with DKS twitching. Keeping her as I did Rizzo - moist, dark, quiet. Fed every 7 days, crickets. Will update when she molts.

Marga

 

[McGuiverstein]

1 (Rizzo) B albopilosum. Kept on coco coir same as the other 58 I had at the time. Eats crickets. Tap water. No flea meds, not other animals in room. Survived near freezing temps for unknown (but approx 8-12 hours) period of time. 9 deaths, 50 survivors of collection. Rizzo showed severe DKS movement. Kept nearly wet, in dark and quiet area. Fed approx every five days. Molted out and acts completely normal.

Very very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Arachtion]

In 15 years of keeping I HAD never experienced what people refer to as "DKS" after using mite treatment on my snakes I have had 10 specimens come down with the associated symptoms, of which 8 I managed to ICU back to health, there is no doubt in y mind it is 100% down to chemical exposure in my case and probably 90% of others, with the other 10% being other environmental factors including (but not limited to) dehydration, mould and stagnant air/poor air circulation.

 

[ZTguy]

1.What substrate was the affected T living on?
Peat moss, same stuff I had all my T's on.

2.What did you feed it?
Crickets.

3.What kind of water did you use? (tap, distilled, filtered, etc.)
Plain tap water, same that all my T's had at the time.(Around 35-40 at that time)

4.How big/old was the spider?
Not sure on age but she was about 6.5"

5.What species?
M.velvetosoma

6.What kind of area do you live in? (urban, rural/farmland, etc.)
Rural.

7.Did the T die? If so, how long after first showing symptoms? If not, how long did it take to recover?
She ended up passing away about 2 weeks after the symptoms started.

8.What else was in the tank with the T? (decorations, kind of hide, plants, etc.)
Artificial vine, cork bark, water bowel, and substrate.

9.Any other thoughts?
Not sure what caused it. I fed all the T's and scorps from the same crickets I had gotten at the time, I filled a majority of the T's water dishes that afternoon with tap water from the same spray bottle. None of the dogs were being treated for fleas and ticks at the time either(not within 2 months before or after it happened). I doubt it was the guy I got her from at the expo because I had gotten a few avics as well as a juvi scorp from him as well and they were all just fine, unless it was something that happened before he set up his table there? Hate to see it happen and hope any of the T's I get again never have it.