T fell onto her back and didn't move

[Great Basin Ben]

I hope she's alright.

She has not moved AT ALL since yesterday morning, and I'm seriously beginning to WORRY!!!

I know the consensus is to leave her alone, but do I just essentially wait now to see if she's going to die? This is breaking my heart. When I say she hasn't moved, I mean AT ALL... This cannot be normal, can it?

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

I don't know what to tell you now, you're gonna need some others opinions. So I would just leave it alone until others have commented. Hope it's okay.

 

[jebbewocky]

It is absolutely normal.
Calm down!

 

[Redneck]

Sorry if this sounds harsh.. You seem to be taking it hard already.. But IMO it doesnt sound good for the T..

The flipping on it back.. Its normal... It was probably about to molt.. You stopped it from molting 3 times.. Thats not normal for the spider..

Know this.. Not every T is going to build a molt mat.. But! Every T (If its healthy enough!) can & will flip off its back if it just "falls over"...

Sounds like the out come of this will not be to well.. Hope I am wrong though.. If not.. Sorry for your loss..

 

[Great Basin Ben]

Sorry if this sounds harsh.. You seem to be taking it hard already.. But IMO it doesnt sound good for the T..

The flipping on it back.. Its normal... It was probably about to molt.. You stopped it from molting 3 times.. Thats not normal for the spider..

Know this.. Not every T is going to build a molt mat.. But! Every T (If its healthy enough!) can & will flip off its back if it just "falls over"...

Sounds like the out come of this will not be to well.. Hope I am wrong though.. If not.. Sorry for your loss..

This is my worst fear. That I am the one who screwed things up. The ONLY reason I flipped her the first time, is because I saw her slip on the side of the enclosure wall, and figured it was accidental, and I was just being helpful. I justified the second flip, because she got wet in her water dish with the first flip, and again, I assumed, she just slipped, due to the moisture. There were NO signs of any premolting aside from her lack of interest in food and water, and sluggish behavior, but her abdomen didn't at all look like a pre-molting T would.

When I saw her on her back the first morning I woke up with her in the house, I figured again, it was my fault again, for not having enough substrate, but again didn't rationalize a molt even being a possibility, so flipping her again, and adding substrate seemed again, like the correct move.

Is it possible that she was not doing well previosly, or did not handle the trip well, and THIS is the reason behind her apparent lack of vigor? Is this maybe why she couldn't flip off of her back ,if in fact she isn't molting at all?

 

[jebbewocky]

Pre-molt makes them sluggish.
Maybe you did mess her up. Maybe you didn't.

Either way, leave her alone, don't worry about it. If nothing else, this is a learning experience--while she's molting, read the forum stickies to kill time. Or, better yet, buy a copy of the Tarantula Keeper's Guide.

T's pretty much only go onto their back if they are trying to molt (or, if they're weird and construct their burrow in such a fashion that they can only enter/exit by turning upside down, like my OBT)--she IS trying to molt. Leave her alone.

 

[Great Basin Ben]

The one OTHER consideration that I'm willing to entertain, is that because she is a WILD CAUGHT specimen from the Arizona desert, she has likely "wintered over" for at least 5 years successfully to get to be the 2 1/2 inch Aphonopelma that she is, and being considerably colder in the winter months in Reno, than in Arizona, maybe what I'm seeing is a natural biorhythm that she's exibited in order to make it as long as she has so far. It would (or possibly could) explain her progressively sluggish demeanor. The room she's in lingers in between 70 and 75 degrees, and I have NO HEAt on her enclosure at the moment.

Should I add any heat, or is the ambient temp, adequate?

 

[Redneck]

The thing is.. Not every T is going o get a shiny black color to their abdomen before they molt... Yeah it does help to show they are in premolt.. But it does not mean they will follow the rules.. (Not really rules.. But you get what I am saying..)

I have an A. brocklehursti.. She pulled an upright molt on me.. My first time seeing one IRL.... She looked normal.. Didnt look like she was even in premolt.. No dark abdomen.. She kept eating up to two days before molt..

I also had a B albopilosum.. He did darken.. He ate a cricket.. Tossed the cricket 30 minutes later.. I catch him on his back molting..

Anyways.. Enough gibbering.. My point.. Just because there is no "visible" signs of premolt.. Doesnt mean its not going to molt..

In reality... Your T was showing signs of premolt.. It refused to eat & was on its back preparing for a molt..

You could have read & even asked someone here.. I bet you would have gotten told to leave it alone.. Might have saved yur Ts life.. Might not have.. But at this point.. I doubt you or any of us will ever know..

But hey.. Learn from your mistakes.. Dont beat yourself up over it.. Get another one.. Try again! We all make mistakes.. Only some of us learn from them.. Be one that learns from your mistake..

 

[Redneck]

The one OTHER consideration that I'm willing to entertain, is that because she is a WILD CAUGHT specimen from the Arizona desert, she has likely "wintered over" for at least 5 years successfully to get to be the 2 1/2 inch Aphonopelma that she is, and being considerably colder in the winter months in Reno, than in Arizona, maybe what I'm seeing is a natural biorhythm that she's exibited in order to make it as long as she has so far. It would (or possibly could) explain her progressively sluggish demeanor. The room she's in lingers in between 70 and 75 degrees, and I have NO HEAt on her enclosure at the moment.

Should I add any heat, or is the ambient temp, adequate?

70-75 degrees is fine for almost any T.. They wont grow fast.. But they can live just fine at those temps without any problems..

I seriously doubt that the issue s/he is having is because she is W/C or even shipping lag.. It honestly sounds like s/he was preparing to molt & you interupted her to many times.. So.. She gave up..

Im not saying that "is" what happened.. Im saying that is what "I" think happened..

There is no real way to know what cause her to just expire.. She could have been weak.. She could have had internal injuries.. Ect Ect... There are so many things that "could" be the cause..

But.. With your description.. It honestly sounds like she gave up molting because you kept interupting her..

 

[Great Basin Ben]

70-75 degrees is fine for almost any T.. They wont grow fast.. But they can live just fine at those temps without any problems..

I seriously doubt that the issue s/he is having is because she is W/C or even shipping lag.. It honestly sounds like s/he was preparing to molt & you interupted her to many times.. So.. She gave up..

Im not saying that "is" what happened.. Im saying that is what "I" think happened..

There is no real way to know what cause her to just expire.. She could have been weak.. She could have had internal injuries.. Ect Ect... There are so many things that "could" be the cause..

But.. With your description.. It honestly sounds like she gave up molting because you kept interupting her..

If this is indeed the case, is her death eminent? If I indeed did screw things up, then am I doing her a disservice by leaving her just sit there, or is there ANY kind of chance that she could pull through something like that?

For the time being, I continue to not disturb her, but is this just a slow painful death for her? I just want to know when the appropriate time to euthanize would be, if in fact she isn't long for this world. But then again, how can I tell, if she's on her way out, or not??? This is NOT how I was hoping that my first experience with a Tarantula would be. Not to mention, I've already grown quite fond of this beautiful little desert Tarantula. I'm not too happy with myself, to say the least...

 

[Redneck]

If this is indeed the case, is her death eminent? If I indeed did screw things up, then am I doing her a disservice by leaving her just sit there, or is there ANY kind of chance that she could pull through something like that?

For the time being, I continue to not disturb her, but is this just a slow painful death for her? I just want to know when the appropriate time to euthanize would be, if in fact she isn't long for this world. But then again, how can I tell, if she's on her way out, or not??? This is NOT how I was hoping that my first experience with a Tarantula would be. Not to mention, I've already grown quite fond of this beautiful little desert Tarantula. I'm not too happy with myself, to say the least...

I cant say for sure if her death is eminent.. There have been cases where the T pulled through.. Hell.. Robc's T. blondi looked almost dead.. He was almost ready to bury her.. Then BAM! She molted..

Always remember the rule of thumb.. Never toss a T until they stink..

For now.. All you can do is wait.. From what I have read.. Ts cant feel pain so she is not really suffering a painful death.. Just let it be.. If she starts to stink.. Toss her & get another one.. (I dont mean that to sound as mean as it does.. But thats the only other way for me to put it..)

 

[AmbushArachnids]

Have you supplied a water dish for your T? Hydration is important before a molt. I would recommend you read the tarantula keepers guide. That way when something happens you know what you can do to help. (in alot of cases help means leaving it be) Good luck with your T. Keep us updated on her status. I also second: If it doesnt stink its not dead.

 

[Great Basin Ben]

Redneck,
I don't think it sounds mean, the way you put it. I will leave her alone until she does in fact stink, but I need to be real about things too, and if she dies, then it is a valuable learning experience, that I can definately grow from. I actually DO have a copy of the TKG, but I'd like to get a more recent printing, as I'm sure there's plenty of updated info.

I did however read about their molts, and like I mentioned, didn't think what was taking place looked like a molt, but rather an accidental slipping, causing her to go onto her back. It was whn she didn't move subsequently that I got scared, and should I EVER, (I mean EVER,) see a T on their back again, I will refrain at all from touching it. This is without question, a valuable lesson learned, regardless of WHAT her condition is, or turns out to be.

The outlook isn't good, but I shall maintain a watchful vigil over her, until I can smell death knocking at her door. I'll gladly keep you all posted, and also thank eveyone here GREATLY for their patience, and willingness to offer advice. I feel bad simply tossing her though, if in fact she may have a chance at life still, so until I can know for certain, I'll be waiting...

 

[Terry D]

The thing is.. Not every T is going o get a shiny black color to their abdomen before they molt... Yeah it does help to show they are in premolt.. But it does not mean they will follow the rules. QUOTE]

Hey Tommy, (and should've been an edit to my last post) 100% in agreement with you here! I have had a few that didn't even blacken much prior to molt- or if they did, it was in very a short period of time which I missed.

Ben, hope yours doesn't have any trouble.

 

[NikiP]

Also keep in mind for future use, the smaller they are, the more likely they are to molt with no warning.

I can't tell you how many times i've had slings eat then molt the next day or even later that day.

 

[TheFredz]

Im not sure if anyone mentioned this to you but some tarantulas are often labeled as pet rocks. Because some of them tend to stay in one place and never move. My Rosea always stand in the same spot. sometime even for weeks.

Also most T's are usually active when they are in the dark so it's not abnorma for it to stay in the one spot when you observe it with the lights on. more so if your T's don't like the Damp substrate and prefer to stay still on his hide.

in my experience , when I introduce a T's to a new enclosure it usually take a few days to a couple of week before it settle in and start eating again.

If the T's abdomen is not very small or shriveled and if there is no clear liquid leaking. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

most T's are very hardy and unless it's going in a evident death curl it's probably just fine and just very stressed from the new enclosure and all the poking around

PS: Pics could be helpful here. we could take a look at the enclosure set-up and also at the T's so we could tell you if the set-up look right and if the T's is in a death curl or if it look healty

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

Im not sure if anyone mentioned this to you but some tarantulas are often labeled as pet rocks. Because some of them tend to stay in one place and never move. My Rosea always stand in the same spot. sometime even for weeks.

Also most T's are usually active when they are in the dark so it's not abnorma for it to stay in the one spot when you observe it with the lights on. more so if your T's don't like the Damp substrate and prefer to stay still on his hide.

in my experience , when I introduce a T's to a new enclosure it usually take a few days to a couple of week before it settle in and start eating again.

If the T's abdomen is not very small or shriveled and if there is no clear liquid leaking. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

most T's are very hardy and unless it's going in a evident death curl it's probably just fine and just very stressed from the new enclosure and all the poking around

PS: Pics could be helpful here. we could take a look at the enclosure set-up and also at the T's so we could tell you if the set-up look right and if the T's is in a death curl or if it look healty

I'm pretty sure none of this applies to this situation.

 

[TheFredz]

I'm pretty sure none of this applies to this situation.

how so ? The guy get a tarantula and try to feed it the very first day he got it. I wouldn't expect my T's to eat anything on the first day tbh. the guy obviously don't know much about T's so maybe he thought it was not normal for a T's to just stay put in the same place all the time and it obviously worried him.

also the guy see the T's on his back several time and flip him back every single time,it was an honest mistake but we can safety assume it was most likely about to molt. I don't know about you but every T's I have are very lethargic when they are very close to molting. like you could poke em and won't get any reaction. It could explain the T's not moving around as much as he would expect.

I just think that redneck is a bit fast on the gun saying it's doesn't look well for the T's simply from a new hobbits description of a T's who doesn't move around and without any pics. It just worry the guy even more if anything while we can't really know whats really going on.

The T's might have gave up molting for now but it don't mean it's dying and I wouldn't consider a chaco staying on his hide without moving for 24hours a sign of imminent death.

 

[Balkastalkman]

As everyone has said first off calm down. If you want to help the T do you know what the best thing you can do is, LEAVE IT ALONE. The worst thing you can do is touch it or spray water in its enclosure when its trying to molt. You may have disturbed it to many times. But I think it will molt and be fine.

I think that you really need to look at some basics of T keeping. This will allow for you to care for the T(s) effectively until you begin to get a good idea of how they should be kept ie. not flipping it over when T is trying to molt, not knowing what a dead t looks like ect. This will also help you calm down and understand whats going on. Trust me when I say that you will get so much more out of the hobby if you do the research and learn the in's ad out's of T keeping. Its really not that complicated either, but its still worth the time to learn this basic knowledge so you dont stress yourself out when you accidentally interfere with a Ts molting. blah blah blah..... Well good luck.

 

[NikiP]

I'm pretty sure none of this applies to this situation.

I think that he was just trying to help reassure him that everything it's doing is normal