Stung by a Pepsis

[Wade]

A few weeks ago, I was in southern Arizona collecting inverts. One of my favorite methods is road cruising...driving slowly down back roads and watching for critters crossing the road. I have found many male tarantulas this way, and when I saw a tarantula on the side of the road, I assumed it was a male, but when I got out to look, it turned out to be a female (or immature male) A. chalcodes being dragged by a huge pepsis wasp! Having never seen this before, I was facinated, but tarantula lover that I am, I intervened and collected both animals (the wasp will be a pinned specimen). The spider was almost totally paralized, but it did seem capable of sloooowly returning its legs to a more or less normal resting position. I set up the spider in an ICU (small container with moist towels as a substrate, see the Tarantula Keeper's Guide for more details). Every couple of days, I gently turn the spider on it's back and drip a little water on it's mouth so it can drink. I've also taken a smahed cricket and placed it on the mouth, and I think it actually ate some. From reading the ATS Forum Magazine, I think it may be possible to rehabilitate the tarantula, at least partially. We'll see. If anyone has any advice, let me know!

Thanks,

Wade

 

[MrDeranged]

Having read the same material you have, it sounds as though you are doing all you possibly can for the T. Was there full paralysis of the T or only partial? From what I remember the ones that are fully paralyzed have a better chance of coming out with no complications. Just stick with what you're doing and hopefully within a couple of months it will come out of it.

Scott

 

[MrDeranged]

BTW, how was the SASI conference? Anything interesting?

Scott

 

[King_Looey]

Just put the poor thing out of its misery, i would ask the same for myself.

 

[Wade]

Scott-

I guess you could say it's fully paralized, or at least was. It looks pretty normal sitting there, not like a dead tarantula, but it just does't move. Since then, however, its regained some movement, albiet in slow motion!

The SASI conference was good as always, although the exceptionally dry summer made collecting a little leaner than usual, but I still got a few tarantulas, vinegaroons, centipedes, giant water bugs...can't complain too much!

King Looey-

Would you ask to be "put out of your misery" if you knew you had a good chance to recover? I sure wouldn't! Keep in mind that the wasp venom doesn't kill the tarantula. Since no egg was laid (this is done when the wasp burries the spider) the tarantula has a chance, it's been done before!

Wade

 

[Wade]

Update

It's moving around! The spiders a little sluggish, but she's up and about. Once I know she's definitely feeding, I'll set her up in a real cage.

Wade