Should I help my sling thats stuck?

[dreamingblue]

I got a versicolor sling literally two days ago and it just molted and got its right pedipalp and two front legs on the right stuck. I know they can survive without those appendages so I just have to make sure its alright for the next molt (if it makes it), but it hasn't dropped them yet. Unfortunately it fell from its web trying to wriggle free, but other than its legs and pedipalp, it doesn't seem to be injured from what I can tell because its still moving around and trying to climb. Should I do anything for it? I'm trying not to get my hopes up in case it doesn't end well, and I'm going to repticon in a week so I can get another, I just feel bad for it. Its still on the ground at the moment and I tried to help it with a damp q tip but its definitely stuck pretty much right at the tips :/ I'll take any input, I'm a newbie ready to learn. Thanks

 

[Smotzer]

What is stuck?, from the photo it just looks like a freshly molted C. versicolor. Is it just little bits and pieces that are stuck on to its pedipalps and front legs, or is the entire molt stuck on and for example the meta/tarsus on legs stuck and havent molted out?

 

[BoyFromLA]

That is one HUGE enclosure.

 

[dreamingblue]

@Smotzer Yeah its not a good photo but its the only angle I can get right now sorry. The entire thing is still attached at the metatarsus I think, even I can't entirely tell with how its positioned.

That is one HUGE enclosure.

It was the only one had left and I didn't want to leave it in the vial for another day and a half. It didn't seem to mind, it went right to the top and immediately made a tunnel. I can rehouse it now if you think I should? Not sure that it would matter if it doesn't free itself though.

 

[Smotzer]

It was the only one had left and I didn't want to leave it in the vial for another day and a half. It didn't seem to mind, it went right to the top and immediately made a tunnel. I can rehouse it now if you think I should? Not sure that it would matter if it doesn't free itself though.

Something like this size and set up would be more appropriate. And if you can not loosen it with wet Q-tip theres not much you can do, I would try to pull it off let it do that on its own, is what I would do.

Aviculariinae Sling Set up

• Smotzer
• Feb 20, 2021
• 1
• arboreal avicularia avicularia avicularia caribena caribena versicolor enclosure

Type of set up used for my Aviculariinae. This one was made for a Caribena versicolor. Need to...

 

[ccTroi]

Something like this size and set up would be more appropriate. And if you can not loosen it with wet Q-tip theres not much you can do, I would try to pull it off let it do that on its own, is what I would do.

Aviculariinae Sling Set up

• Smotzer
• Feb 20, 2021
• 1
• arboreal avicularia avicularia avicularia caribena caribena versicolor enclosure

Type of set up used for my Aviculariinae. This one was made for a Caribena versicolor. Need to...

i assume u got the amac from the container store. i use the ones with bigger lids (not flush) and i invert them. do u have any issues with avics webbing the lid? also what is that wood and where did u get it. it looks cool

 

[dreamingblue]

Something like this size and set up would be more appropriate. And if you can not loosen it with wet Q-tip theres not much you can do, I would try to pull it off let it do that on its own, is what I would do.

Aviculariinae Sling Set up

• Smotzer
• Feb 20, 2021
• 1
• arboreal avicularia avicularia avicularia caribena caribena versicolor enclosure

Type of set up used for my Aviculariinae. This one was made for a Caribena versicolor. Need to...

I can do something like that with what I have now. I guess its just a waiting game then? Do you know if they always pop those appendages off that get stuck? Mines starting to burrow

 

[ccTroi]

I tried to help it with a damp q tip but its definitely stuck pretty much right at the tips

if it's still stuck after you did this, i think it won't be able to free itself from the exuviae. from the picture it looks like it has hardened already which makes it harder to remove. i had an H. pulchripes that had multiple legs and a pedipalp stuck good in its molt, and it has hardened but still couldn't break free. i amputated the stuck areas, but later passed away. it was active and responsive the following several days post amputation. i suspected that i cut through the trochanter which made it lose lots of fluid. in hindsight, i should have used flour (i think that's what is often suggested) to clot the exposed cuts. ime and imo if a tarantula has hardened from a molt but still stuck in its exuviae in the way you described and the H. pulchripes i mentioned, it will be difficult for it to eat and will pass away. last night, i saw an E. murinus stuck in its exuviae (abdomen and carapace are out; each side legs 3 and 4 metatarsi+ stuck; each side legs 1 and 2 patellas+ stuck). the spider was unresponsive when prodded. last time i checked on it was few days prior. it's not easy losing a spider esp for smaller collections. a person i look up to and great mentor and friend told me "there's always another spider." simple and easy to say, but i've found it to be true lately.
anything can happen though. i'm hoping your spider pulls through

 

[dreamingblue]

if it's still stuck after you did this, i think it won't be able to free itself from the exuviae. from the picture it looks like it has hardened already which makes it harder to remove. i had an H. pulchripes that had multiple legs and a pedipalp stuck good in its molt, and it has hardened but still couldn't break free. i amputated the stuck areas, but later passed away. it was active and responsive the following several days post amputation. i suspected that i cut through the trochanter which made it lose lots of fluid. in hindsight, i should have used flour (i think that's what is often suggested) to clot the exposed cuts. ime and imo if a tarantula has hardened from a molt but still stuck in its exuviae in the way you described and the H. pulchripes i mentioned, it will be difficult for it to eat and will pass away. last night, i saw an E. murinus stuck in its exuviae (abdomen and carapace are out; each side legs 3 and 4 metatarsi+ stuck; each side legs 1 and 2 patellas+ stuck). the spider was unresponsive when prodded. last time i checked on it was few days prior. it's not easy losing a spider esp for smaller collections. a person i look up to and great mentor and friend told me "there's always another spider." simple and easy to say, but i've found it to be true lately.
anything can happen though. i'm hoping your spider pulls through

Thank you for that, I really appreciate it. I only have 5 right now so I’m taking it a little harder than I thought I would haha it does suck but I’m excited to get another one and hopefully this time it’ll have better luck molting. I think I’m gonna give it a little while and see what happens while I do research and gather supplies to maybe do an amputation to see if that'll help? I don't think its gonna do any harm to try at that point

 

[ccTroi]

Thank you for that, I really appreciate it. I only have 5 right now so I’m taking it a little harder than I thought I would haha it does suck but I’m excited to get another one and hopefully this time it’ll have better luck molting. I think I’m gonna give it a little while and see what happens while I do research and gather supplies to maybe do an amputation to see if that'll help? I don't think its gonna do any harm to try at that point

as it pertains to amputation, i'll leave it to your discretion. if you were close to me, i'd give you a couple

 

[dreamingblue]

as it pertains to amputation, i'll leave it to your discretion. if you were close to me, i'd give you a couple

Thats really nice thank you I’ve been staring at my little t for a while now and I think its also still stuck a little somewhere on its abdomen, so I think its gonna be a goner. Maybe I should just get one a little bigger to fit this enclosure

 

[Smotzer]

i assume u got the amac from the container store. i use the ones with bigger lids (not flush) and i invert them. do u have any issues with avics webbing the lid? also what is that wood and where did u get it. it looks cool

Yeah it is, personally I dislike the tall lids cause it’s hard to get a tall piece of wood stable in there with plant cover due to it opening basically halfway, either way. I prefer just straight top opening, they do at first try and web the top but after a couple openings they learn to stop webbing it and web under it, so it’s not a problem, and destroying webbing isn’t going to bother them.
And the wood is this “African Root” that I use instead of cork bark, that is more natural, and has curves, and doesn’t mold, I get it at my LPS I think it’s sold for aquariums as that mainly what my lps does a lot of.

I can do something like that with what I have now. I guess its just a waiting game then? Do you know if they always pop those appendages off that get stuck? Mines starting to burrow

good that’s what I would do!
They do have the ability to self amputate legs, hopefully it will do that! The burrowing is abnormal for an Aviculariinae. Can you get a video?

 

[viper69]

Need a smaller setup

Some remove legs etc some don’t.

Leave it to your T to make such decisions. What do any of us know about being a T- NOTHING.

 

[dreamingblue]

Update: Against my (and probably yours (sorry @viper69)) better judgement, I decided to try to intervene again. I read that if you can pinch and grab the stuck legs with tweezers, they might self amputate to get away. I figured the little one was done for anyway and I have nothing left to lose, considering it seemed to be stuck somewhere on the abdomen, which is the most concerning part for me. As soon as I got a hold of one leg with the tweezers, my versicolor immediately pushed on them and popped those stuck appendages off. It seems to have kept one of the legs actually, but I cant tell if the tip of it still has stuck molt. I also, in my quick glance of its abdomen, thought it looked like one of the spinnerets may be gone too so I'm guessing that's what was stuck at the back. Still don't want to get my hopes up but I'll let everyone know what happens.

 

[dreamingblue]

Next day update: its not looking great. My sling is just sitting on the ground, kind of tucked into itself, only moving if I touch it. It was walking around a little yesterday so maybe it just needs more time to adjust to losing appendages in a new enclosure after a bad molt? I guess we’ll see what happens when I try to feed it at the end of the week if it makes it that long.