Shrivelled leg

Spidergirl67

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Messages
10
Hi,
I'm wondering if someone can help explain what's wrong with my Tarantula.
One of my B. Smithi's legs is much smaller than the rest and "shrivelled" in appearance. She is otherwise beautiful and helathy and has never had any trouble in molting. I keep her cage quite moist. Is this normal and will it eventually fill out? This is completely new and the leg never looked like this before? Is there anything I should or should not be doing?
Any advice would be appreciated.
 

briarpatch10

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Messages
67
why do you keep her tank moist? I keep mine bone dry with a water dish. as for the leg I would wait for the next molt, It will more than likely fix itself
 

Cirith Ungol

Ministry of Fluffy Bunnies
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 22, 2004
Messages
3,886
There is a chance the tarantula will force an early moult. As soon as something isn't right, they tend to do that, meaning they'll moult within a few weeks or months after the last moult. But anyway way ahead of schedule.

You could pull the leg for the tarantula if it doesn't do it itself in a few weeks. Search for threads on leg removal for tips on procedure.
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Messages
1,661
Hi,
I'm wondering if someone can help explain what's wrong with my Tarantula.
One of my B. Smithi's legs is much smaller than the rest and "shrivelled" in appearance. She is otherwise beautiful and helathy and has never had any trouble in molting. I keep her cage quite moist. Is this normal and will it eventually fill out? This is completely new and the leg never looked like this before? Is there anything I should or should not be doing?
Any advice would be appreciated.
How long have you had the tarantula?

How long has it had the problem?

When did it molt last?

How big is it/ what is its D(iagonal)L(eg)S(pan)? DLS is measured from the front leg, not pedipalp, to the back leg on the opposite side.

Its enclosure shouldn't ever be 'quite moist', damp is good and only if it is over 2" or so. Adults are recommended to be kept on dry substrate with a large water dish.

Pictures would really help people, help you with this issue. Is it possible to use a digital camera to snap a few and post them? I must admit that I have no ideas, but the answers to those questions would be helpful to someone with a tad more experience than I.
 

forrestpengra

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 11, 2009
Messages
732
I would wonder about feeders nibbling at it. I think I've seen pics somewhere of legs damaged and shrilled by being nibbled at.
 

Spidergirl67

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Messages
10
I got Lucie in January of 2007 when she was very small. She last molted about a month ago, and I just noticed the smaller leg last week. I had been keeping the cage moist but now I'm realizing I probably shouldn't have. I was always worried because I had a G. Rosea die on me during a molt because she was too dry and it was very traumatic for me. I had always read to keep the cages moist, so I have been putting plastic over it so it doesn't dry out. She has actually done very well and has been thriving.
She measures about 5" DLS. And normally, I only feed her 1 cricket at a time and watch while she eats it, however, I did put 5 in the cage this time as I went away over Thanksgiving and took her with me. I put the crickets in her cage as she hadn't eaten in a while and I didn't see any of them when I checked two days later. Maybe some of them did "nibble" on her leg tho? She is acting normal otherwise and it obviously hasn't affected her appetite! She uses the leg but it just looks "spindly" compared to the others. ill try to post a pic, but not sure how to on here.
 

briarpatch10

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Messages
67
help me out guys.....A tarantulas internal moisture is more important before and durring a molt than external moisture.

I was told this but havent been able to find data on it. It sounds reasonable to me and the fact that I keep all of my tanks dry and have not as yet had a molting problem adds to the above belief
 

Midknight xrs

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
May 25, 2010
Messages
132
That looks like a regenerated leg. do you recall if it ever lost it's leg anywhere or did it come to you without a leg?
 

Spidergirl67

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Messages
10
Nope, she came in perfect condition, plus she's almost 4 years old now anyway. I have never seen a leg in her cage, unless it was inside her molt and I didn't notice it? Do regenerated legs typically grow back to look normal eventually? As you can see from the pic, she is really a beautiful, healthy T. and I would hate for anything to be wrong with her.
 

briarpatch10

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Messages
67
usually when a t had something wrong with a leg it repairs itself over a series of molts. It may have lost a leg in a molt and you didnt see it , give it a little time and check the leg after the next molt.
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Messages
1,661
It does have the look of a gimpy/spindly regenerating leg, which I have seen in person. If that is in fact what it is, it should be back completely by the next molt, or the one after. I wouldn't think that a cricket would be able to do that to the leg.
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Messages
1,661
Is this a common occurance and do you know what causes it?
Well, Ts do lose legs, so yes it is common; but the causes of losing the legs are varied. Usually there is some trauma to the leg and the spider decides to drop it, sometimes it can get caught in a lid and pulled off and the reasons could go on and on. It had to have been missing the leg for awhile though, since it is pretty much regenerated, just in the gimpy stage.
 

k2power

Arachnoknight
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
Messages
183
I have a Cameroon red baboon that I purchased with 2 gimpy legs in Sep just like that one. It molted 2 weeks ago and the legs are almost all back but just a tiny shade smaller. It should be normal next molt. Don't worry as I bought one like this and it is fine and was fine then. If it is still eating the next molt will be a ways off probably.
 
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