T. sp "burgundy" - Completely Stuck Molt Removal

Draychen

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
164
I returned home last night at 2030ish Est to find my roomate's T. sp "burgundy" on his back! Checked on him again at 2300ish, and then finally at ~0200 today, only to find he had not moved an inch. Figuring he's such a big guy, it'd take forever to molt, I went to sleep. Waking up at 1000, I found he was still in the same posistion.. upon further investigation, I found he was completely stuck within his molt...



I figured by this point, I'd have to intervene to attempt to save him



I was EXTREMELY careful in moving him, and then with a scalpel and a pair of surgical scissors; I began freeing his segments



(Have a small video example of freeing each leg: but cannot upload it while at work). Snipping the coxa of each leg, I gently grabbed between the metatarsus and tarsus, placing the tweezers at the femur - slowly contracting and extending the leg to simulate proper removal.. to which the T responded to and expanded and contracted with it as well.



Once all segments were safely removed, he spent aprox. 30mins inside of a critical condition ICU (in which he drank deeply):



And then finally; into a enclosure with a water drip (set up like an IV) towards his mouth from above to assist in rehydration while he streaches.



Surgical removal from the molt took aprox. 25 mins (counting the time for pictures, proper doccumentation). His legs seem to be virtually undamaged, though the appearance of right side leg IV causes some concern.


It is too soon to announce failfure or success at this point and time, however, upon my departure to work, he was streaching VERY well. I remain optomistic.
 

captmarga

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
339
Fingers crossed! That he is moving a bit on his own and drank sound like good signs! Let us know when you get home. Looks like you did a really good job!

Marga
 

Draychen

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
164
Remarkably, not even in the slightest itch! Just sad that a controlled experiment is completely botched now.. however, it'll be worth it if he survives!
 
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BlackVenom

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 28, 2010
Messages
39
Brovo! Brovo! :clap:

It's awesome to see someone go to these lengths to save a T. Best of luck I hope he makes it!
 

Draychen

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
164
wow got my fingers crossed for you how big is he?
He's slightly smaller than 9.5" spread out from legs I to IV diagonally. He's a BIG boy, I was hoping he'd mature this molt. My roomate has a female I bought about 3 months ago.
 

Draychen

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
164
Brovo! Brovo! :clap:

It's awesome to see someone go to these lengths to save a T. Best of luck I hope he makes it!
Many thanks goes out to Robc and his videos. I've pretty much done a slightly modified version of how he removed a stuck molt from his T not too long ago!
 

Bjamin

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 12, 2010
Messages
63
that is a big boy my female molted last night but has been in hidding she is young and only about 5.5" all these horror stories I am hearing about these guys getting stuck has had me nervious for her but her molt seemed to go well she tosswed her old skin out some time last night.
 

Draychen

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
164
That's very good to hear! I'm still awaiting for my roomate's female to molt. It's his present for when he returns from a deployment. Though, I never got an accurate measurement of this guy before the molt, I can say he was significantly smaller. He grew a LOT! That's probably why the molt was so bad for him.
 

Draychen

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
164
Update!

I have just returned home.. only to find that he has passed away. HOWEVER, I have noticed two bulging lumps on his abdomen (I am betting the heart.. but I'd like to know for certain) as well as an extremely depressed fovea. Dissection will commence as soon as dinner is finished, my real camera is charged, and after I go burn one.

Pics shall follow.
 

Draychen

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
164
Dissection results

Note: I left the images full sized for review.

Nothing really appeared out of the ordinary, however, I did not leave it in the deep freezer for quite enough time.. I was still able to dissect a majority of him. The only thing I found of interest during the dissection was many white.. 'tabs' of fluid, inside of his right book lungs, draining with his blood. However, the left book lung was clean.







The rectal sack was a complete mess and was leaking







Here's one of the many white pockets of thick fluid. I counted three or four in the right highest portion of the book lungs. One in the heart. I thought at first they may have been some fluid or waste from the digestive track, but I think I had done a pretty decent job at cleaning it away.



The cephalothorax dissection was much messier as he had thawed considerably. He didn't seem to be suffering from dehydration.

I left the images full size for anyone to review. Also, I found a pretty nifty way of ridding yourself of Urticating hairs: Shave cream and a dull Gillete Fusion razor (Since that damned thing pulls hair out easily when it's dull)! (I did it to my hands.. very carefully and I don't itch! However, the stuff that got under my nails is ANNOYING!) Pat dry.
 
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