Sick spider? what to do?

[Benny]

After eating a moth, my 5 month old funnel web sling (hadronyche sp.) remained still in an upright position resembling the death curl outside her burrow entrace. but her legs were still moving like as if she was molting.

she has been like this for 20 hours. only moving when i open the container lid (barely) Is there anything i could possibly do? no signs of dehydration

 

[rob0t]

Where did you get the moth? Sounds like some possible pesticide poisoning but that is purely speculation.

Hate to say it, but probably nothing you can do at this point besides keep it in the "ICU" like it looks like you already have it. I'm not familiar with this species though, but I doubt there is anything further you can do.

 

[spiderengineer]

some times young spider just die I have had it happen to me were they seem fine and then one day I found dead next to the burrow. if that is a picture of her in an icu then you pretty much can't do anything else. obviously funnels are not allowed to leave your country, but from the pic I don't think its dehydration.

 

[Benny]

Where did you get the moth? Sounds like some possible pesticide poisoning but that is purely speculation.

Hate to say it, but probably nothing you can do at this point besides keep it in the "ICU" like it looks like you already have it. I'm not familiar with this species though, but I doubt there is anything further you can do.

yeah that might be the case but the house has not had any pesticides sprayed in it.

 

[spiderengineer]

I just notice that it said he fed it a moth and that could very well be it. that's why its bad to feed spider food from outside.

 

[Benny]

its starting to move a little now. stretching its legs in and out slowly

hopefully it'll recover from the "death grip" only one side has it and that's mainly side shes stretching her legs

 

[spiderengineer]

well its possible it had molted. since you have it isolated why don't you dig up the burrow and see if their is a exuvia

 

[Benny]

well its possible it had molted. since you have it isolated why don't you dig up the burrow and see if their is a exuvia

i don't think it molted and i didn't find her exuvia. because it was a 1 and half hour time frame from seeing her eat the moth and her in the death curl position with her legs moving.
also she molts usually once every two months (funnel webs are slow growers) and last molt was approximately one month ago

 

[alpine]

i don't think it molted and i didn't find her exuvia. because it was a 1 and half hour time frame from seeing her eat the moth and her in the death curl position with her legs moving.
also she molts usually once every two months (funnel webs are slow growers) and last molt was approximately one month ago

So wait, did you feed her the moth, or did it somehow get in the enclosure and you caught her eating it? I am confused O.O

 

[Benny]

So wait, did you feed her the moth, or did it somehow get in the enclosure and you caught her eating it? I am confused O.O

i fed her the moth, they're quite small and shes had at least four in her lifetime. they're easy prey too

 

[spiderengineer]

it sounds like the moth is the culprit if this happen an hour after eating the moth

 

[alpine]

it sounds like the moth is the culprit if this happen an hour after eating the moth

Yeah I agree. You really should only feed her feeders that you get from pet shops and what not, it really can cause problems when you don't know where the feeder came from. At this point she might have been poisoned by the moth so all you can do is hope that she is strong enough to make it through... I am sorry that she is sick though.

 

[spiderengineer]

as far as being able to do anything I don't think their is anything else you can do, but it doesn't sound good if he suddenly develop this way so quickly.

 

[Benny]

yeah i agree the moth... i'll have an eye out her her. i really hope she makes it through though because FW's from queensland are extremely hard to acquire if you dont live there

 

[jecraque]

I hope for the best... Could you ID the moth at all? It might not help, but it might give you more of a clue (or eliminate a possibility). I don't know much about Australian invertebrate fauna but I know there are several common US moths that have some degree of toxicity to them. Arctiid moths, for example, are often a little toxic... just a thought.

 

[Benny]

i would not have an idea about the moth im sorry. but it was dark brown and had a white head

 

[Benny]

I hope shes getting better ... - shes made it past the 24hour mark and is starting to respond better.

 

[jecraque]

Good luck. No worries about the moth, it was a long shot. I know anytime I've tried to feed WC spiders anything I shouldn't (read: toxic moths, etc) the spider will refuse it anyway. Keep us posted...

 

[alpine]

Good luck with her, she still has a shot, just give her some time so she can work it out of her system.

 

[Benny]

a.t.m her back legs are stretched all the out sideways like a ballerina, the 3 pair seems normal but the first two are being folded in and out again.

here is what she looked like when i found her ill.

she was very unresponsive and was in the "death grip"

Note those massive Chelicerae!