Rose hair injury

[MommaLola]

I have a rose hair tarantula and she has had an oozing scab on her abdomen for a few months. For most of the time it looked like it was improving and last night it looked like it was getting worse. She isn't eating but she is still webbing. Can I do anything to help her and if so, what?

 

[vancwa]

Submit pics so we can help you.

 

[omni]

I have heard you can put a little corn starch powder on the area. Has it molted in your care? in a molt or 2 it should be totally healed but that might take a long time depending on how old it is or size

 

[PidderPeets]

Can you please provide photos of the injury and the spider in general? Tarantulas do not heal like mammals do, and an injury remains until a molt, when they replace the exoskeleton entirely. If it's been constantly oozing hemolymph for months, that's extremely concerning.

 

[viper69]

Can you please provide photos of the injury and the spider in general? Tarantulas do not heal like mammals do, and an injury remains until a molt, when they replace the exoskeleton entirely. If it's been constantly oozing hemolymph for months, that's extremely concerning.

Agreed, and unlikely I think unless it's the smallest of openings. It would have died I think, even if drinking water.

 

[MommaLola]

Her abdomen is about the size of a quarter. The spot I circled looks new. The main bit has been there all winter sometimes just scabby other times it starts oozing again. I've had her for over a year and she has never molted. Her previous owner had her since birth and said she should be getting ready to molt when I got her.

 

[PidderPeets]

Agreed, and unlikely I think unless it's the smallest of openings. It would have died I think, even if drinking water.

Exactly what I was thinking

Her abdomen is about the size of a quarter. The spot I circled looks new. The main bit has been there all winter sometimes just scabby other times it starts oozing again. I've had her for over a year and she has never molted. Her previous owner had her since birth and said she should be getting ready to molt when I got her.

Can you circle the "main bit" too? I actually don't see anything besides the part you said was new. Everything else just looks like kicked off urticating hairs to me, but perhaps I'm just missing it. If the wound is still actively leaking, you could apply a bit of corn starch to it to act as a clotting agent. If it's stopped on it's own, leave it. Then the priority is to find out how it got that injury (too much height in enclosure, sharp objects, etc.) and prevent it from happening again. If you're not sure how she got hurt and would like some advice, post pictures of her full setup and we can give you some suggestions.

She is getting ready to molt. That very dark abdomen is a sign of heavy premolt. But with this species, that doesn't necessarily mean any time soon. She could molt in a few weeks to a few months. As long as she lasts until the molt, she should be alright and the injury should be gone.

And don't worry that she hasn't been eating. She's in premolt, and chunky, and of a species known for fasting exceptionally long times.

 

[MommaLola]

This is the old scabby bit.

 

[viper69]

Her abdomen is about the size of a quarter. The spot I circled looks new. The main bit has been there all winter sometimes just scabby other times it starts oozing again. I've had her for over a year and she has never molted. Her previous owner had her since birth and said she should be getting ready to molt when I got her.

I don't see any wetness- red circle has bumpy exoskeleton on my end.

 

[PidderPeets]

This is the old scabby bit.

I might see the tiniest little pinprick of hemolymph in that second circle, but I could just be really looking for it. Most of that, though, just appears to be urticating setae. if you look up images of "tarantula urticating hairs" online, at least a few images pop up to show a similar scabbed appearance. My Ts have been pretty well behaved lately, so I unfortunately don't have any images of my own to show you.

Other than that, my advice from my last post is still stands

 

[MommaLola]

There is wetness and dried wetness that has scabbed over. That is all that is in the second circled picture. It's not smooth like it was before it's very uneven and risen above the rest of her abdomen.

 

[PidderPeets]

There is wetness and dried wetness that has scabbed over. That is all that is in the second circled picture. It's not smooth like it was before it's very uneven and risen above the rest of her abdomen.

If you're referring to the white/light patchy spots in the circle, I'm still thinking that's just kicked off urticating hairs. As far as I'm aware, spider hemolymph dries clear (I've only had experience with true spider injuries, but tarantulas should be the same). We've had many people come on here posting pictures of patchy abdomens, thinking it's an injury or mold growing on their T, but it's just harmless hair kicking.

I'm not trying to doubt you or argue with you or anything, I just think you have a case of mistaken identity for at least part of the problem. Hopefully you don't take that as me being insulting.

But I do see spots that appear wet, as you've said. If the hemolymph is actively bleeding, use a small amount of cornstarch or flour as I said before. But if the bleeding stopped or the spot isn't getting any bigger, just leave it and wait for the molt.

 

[Vanessa]

That does look like some sort of injury to me and I am very surprised that they are still around. In the event that it is an injury, I would be feeding them sparingly in order to prevent them from becoming too large. There isn't anything else that you can do if the bleeding has stopped. Hopefully, things will be better when they eventually moult.
Can you post photos of the setup, please? How much space is between the top of the enclosure and the substrate?

 

[Olan]

That black scab is definitely not urticating hairs. This is quite a large injury. I would be surprised if she survived a molt. I don’t think there’s much to be done except food and water and hope for the best.