signs of old age?

[Immortal_sin]

I've got an H maculata female that I've been T-sitting since last October. She is an adult, and I have no idea how old she is.
About 6 weeks ago, I really noticed a change in her behaviour, but I think it's been so gradual, I didn't see the signs.
I'm wondering if it's old age, or something more sinister?
Oh hell, nevermind, I just checked on her again, and she's dead
Well, I'm still wondering about old age VS something else. She started having difficulty moving around, she would fall down (sometimes upsidedown) and have great difficulty righting herself. She couldn't climb, and she couldn't catch prey.
Her abdomen got quite thin as well.
I'm just wondering if this could be signs of aging?
Oh crap, I feel really really bad....

 

[Malhavoc's]

The closes thing to what you describe that I've read on here is the t's got pesticided.... but I dunno never dealt with an old T.. nor heard anyone talk about what happens I hope the t you've been sitting gets better though

 

[belewfripp]

I'm glad you mentioned this because I recently had a similar experience with a mature female H. gigas. She had molted about a year ago and ate off and on, had a nice deep burrow, seemed to be doing fine. About 3-4 months ago I began noticing prey going uneaten, everything from crickets to pinky mice to madagascar roaches. She would eat sometimes but not as often. Gradually she began losing weight as well, and started having difficulty moving. Over the last two months or so she began to seriously decline in weight, and nothing I tried did any good. I tried making it super moist, adding an extra water dish, providing a hide for her to dig a new burrow under (she'd abandoned her old one). For awhile she adopted the new hide but never ate again. In my experience a thirsty T presented with, even coerced into, getting face-first in a water dish will readily drink, but she refused it.

In the end she just wasted away and when I returned from vacation a week ago she had died. No sign of white gunk or paste or anything of the kind around her mouthparts or anus. I really don't know what happened. I have also had similar things happen to an adult female A. avicularia and an adult female E. constrictus. Part of me thinks it may have been old age, but I really don't know, it could just as easily have been illness or something I did wrong.

I'm sorry to hear the T died, hopefully it was just old.

Adrian

 

[Immortal_sin]

thanks Adrian
I contacted Kerry Gowin of RIESM, and am sending the T to her for dissection tomorrow.
It's better than the usual funeral we give them around here
Hopefully she can find the cause of death, if not, at least I know I tried to find out what went on.
I'd have guessed it was just old age, except for the spazzing out that she would do.
I never finished my thought in my original post, since the shock of finding her deceased drove it from my mind!
she would not drink either, and would do weird movements, very spastic and uncoordinated. She seemed to have lost the ability to hang onto things, so she couldn't climb her cork bark. She would also all of a sudden start flailing her legs around, but not really going anywhere.
And earlier today, her fangs were extended in a very strange position, like she had no control over them.
We know so little about them at this point, I'm just glad I have somewhere to send her!

 

[Malhavoc's]

Comparing what you just said to what I've read about t's that have come in contact with pesticides its very simmilair do a search on the forum for pesticide yourself and compare.. I dunno lets hope an autopsy will help us understand

 

[Immortal_sin]

there are NO pesticides allowed on our property. We are in a rural area, and we do not spray. Also, I have almost 150-200 Ts ( I haven't counted lately) and none of the others have EVER shown the same symptoms. I would venture to guess (if I HAD to) that it could possibly be internal parasites (nematodes) but that's just a wild guess!
I know the symptoms of pesticide poisoning ( I was at the ATS conference when they sprayed some of the rooms with RAID) and although some of the behaviour is similiar, I think it's highly unlikely.
thanks for your thoughts on it though!

 

[Malhavoc's]

Your welcome and if I sound rood or some such I dont mean too I am young to this hobby but was trying to help my appologizes if I have offended you.

 

[Immortal_sin]

Malhavoc's (both of you LOL)
absolutely no offense was taken ...thanks!
I think it's absolutely awesome that so many new people have come on board lately. This hobby is really taking off.
I always welcome input and suggestions, please feel free to comment on anything
It's how we learn!

 

[Malhavoc's]

heehee well right now its jsut mr drkaen armand malhavoc [jeeze nearly missspelled my own name how sad] oops wiat I did.. draken** my excellant typing/spelling skilsl eh! anyhow I've always enjoys invert and hope to go to university so I can becom an entomologist.. my dream since I was kid my mother never let me have a t then I moved out then I got two then I found this forum and well now I want more more more mwahahahaha Trying to convince m'beluved ot let me have a scorp [she thinsk there down right ugly and no way can I have oen but she wants a centipede or millipede go figure] anyhow yeah your welcome for hte help and hope you help me when I need it too

 

[MrT]

Originally posted by Immortal_sin

I know the symptoms of pesticide poisoning ( I was at the ATS conference when they sprayed some of the rooms with RAID) and although some of the behaviour is similiar, I think it's highly unlikely.

What?
The rooms got sprayed with raid? You have got to be kidding me?
Please explain..


Ernie

 

[Gillian]

Holley,
awww...gods..Sorry hon. This after, you thought you'd lost her, and then she re-appeared. Keep us posted on the why's of her demise.
Peace,
Gillian

 

[deifiler]

Was that the same one you posted a long time back with a picture of it on your arm? The huge white one thathad escaped and you said was weary (Sorry if that was someone else)

I recall it being said that you sprayed it with something to kill it as your husband was scared of the spider?

Apologies if I've mistook you for another poster

 

[belewfripp]

Ok, that is actually kind of different...the H. gigas didn't have spastic or uncontrolled movement, just slow degeneration and difficulty walking when she did try to move. Neurologically, though, spider seemed fine. I would guess that even if it wasn't a poisoning agent of some kind, your spider may have suffered some form of neurological damage, although I have seen the same symptoms occasionally in extremely dehydrated Ts and that may or may not have caused any 'brain' damage. Since nothing was sprayed, chances are it was some chance toxin or something that you probably couldn't have prevented.

Adrian

 

[Immortal_sin]

yes, this is the same spider that escaped and that I found. But nobody sprayed anything LOL
I'm now wondering though if she WAS too dehydrated, and never recovered. She seemed ok for a while though after her recapture.

@Ernie....yes, a few folks rooms were sprayed with raid at the conference. I think there was a whole thread on it a while ago.
Or maybe that was on the ATS list...I can't remember!

 

[Nixy]

Holly sorry to hear about her.
I was thinking too that perhaps she came in contact with something or became to dehydrated on her excersion out.
Even if there is no spraying or pesticides. Mercy only knows what a T can find wandering the average home. We have no idea and no idea what effects it might have on them.
There arn't alot of couches and carpet and cleaning agents and powders and all the crap we tromp in with us off the street on a daily basis in the wild.
Hopefuly it was a matter of old age.
Again, sorry for your loss.

 

[petitegreeneyes]

I had a H.gigas do the exact same thing and she was big and wild caught. She displayed all of the same symptoms as yours and lasted about a month before she died. I really believe it was old age. Definately would love to hear the answer after the dissection.

Becky