Tliltocatl Albopilosus dead? Pls help :(

[DrsquoochGooch]

I just recently purchased my first slings 2 weeks ago, I have taken care of a bark scorpion, and house centipede, but these are my first T’s and all are healthy and eating with the exception of a grammostola pulchra I believe to be in pre molt and my Tliltocatl. I thought I had done my research, but found my tliltocatl upright with its legs tucked but it still looked alive, not dry but unresponsive to touch with fine tipped paint brush the slings I purchased are of varying sizes, a Davus Pentaloris and tliltocatl albopilosus at 0.25”, a Caribena Versicolor at 0.5”, And Grammostola pulchra at 0.75”, Seeing the little curly hair in that state has me extremely worried for my slings and I want as much advice and help I can get with any enclosure improvements, humidity, ventilation, etc..

All of them are feed every 3 days about one pre killed pinhead cricket, and the Grammostola I attempted to feed pre killed extra small red runner roaches, but it didn’t take them but seems otherwise healthy but the versicolor and D pentaloris both are good eaters, and the tliltocatl had taken the first pinhead it was fed, but refused all other feedings, and had lethargic behavior in comparison to other slings, could this just be molt related, and if not what adjustments should be made to my husbandry any and all advice is welcome and greatly appreciated, I don’t want to see the sweet little guy go. Photos of enclosures and the tliltocatls state are attached

Substrate is pure coconut fiber from a brick, oven dried for sanitation

hides are made from a cleaned seashell and/ or cardstock

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

It’s possible it died of dehydration if the soil wasn’t wet in any spots , I give them a corner atleast.

 

[DrsquoochGooch]

I’ve been overfilling the water dish so it dampens one side of the enclosure, do they require more moisture in the substrate than that?

 

[kingshockey]

are you positive that shell and carboard are chemical free?

 

[DrsquoochGooch]

As for the cardboard, it’s a raw filter paper I’m not 100% sure it was chemical free but as for the shell I sanitized everything I used except the enclosures with water and heat, the enclosures I cleaned with diluted vinegar then rinsed with water and air dried, I tried my best to be as careful as I could, I believe it could’ve been humidity as I kept the enclosure fairly dry in fear of mold

 

[Wolfram1]

I’ve been overfilling the water dish so it dampens one side of the enclosure, do they require more moisture in the substrate than that?

that doesn't tell us much about how moist it was sadly, i second it may have been too dry

you provided a water dish, so i can't really fault you for it, and usually that is enough

ultimatly it seems to me like there is way too much ventilation for the size of enclosure, not a problem if you keep it fairly moist, but it will make things dry out too quick for my liking

if you decide to go with a dry setup, i would reduce ventilation a more in order to reduce the rate of evaporation

i see you added a few holes at substrate level in the arboreal setup, thats good, would be nice to see in the terestrial enclosures too, but in this case its just too much ventilation at the top already

at that size and in a dry setup it would be fine with 4 small holes at the bottom and 4 at the top

i'd go with double that to be safe if you ever want to add more moisture, but you went overboard


if you have been keeping one side consistently moist that shouldn't have matterd, especially in combination with the water dish, but if it has been completely dry for weeks at a time that may have been too long


anyway, its just a guess, not sure what ultimately was the cause, just something for you to think about

PS: paper isn't really suitable, nor are the shells good hides, you probably know that already since you added the paper to make them work... but i get it, i tried using them at one point too, didn't work out as hide or water dish...

 

[viper69]

If it died of dehydration then it sounds like you have not been watching its abdomen. Though you can’t control if it eats or drinks. They are decent eaters.

Nit sure why you are feeding on a schedule

the setups look fine. The versi needs to change.
Just out a cork slice at a 45 with water dish

Is that a cardboard hide on the GROUND for an arboreal T???

 

[Wolfram1]

Is that a cardboard hide on the GROUND for an arboreal T???

i think he is using it to prop the bark and hides up...

 

[DrsquoochGooch]

What signs do I look for in the abdomen if it was unhealthy, it definitely was not deflated but was small?

Also should feeding be at random intervals?

As for the Versicolor it has a large piece of cork bark, with lots of grooves to hide in, would it need to be higher in the enclosure? I would have to start fresh as it’s secured with a screw from underneath.

 

[fcat]

On the abdomen I'm looking for a smooth surface, no dents or ripples, or pulsating... ideally about as wide as the carapace when viewing from above or behind.