Uh oh

[avaent]

Just got my very first T s’ling recently (g. Pulchra, about 1”-1.5”) and to make a long story shorter, I messed up badly and the poor thing took about a 3’ fall.

I feel so awful. My bare foot broke its fall a little... and then it bolted into an area that honestly had a lot of random dust in it. Seemed to be moving normally, no obvious rupture to its abdomen or anything overtly injured looking. Got it back into its enclosure and it was preening on and off like crazy for the rest of the afternoon/ early evening. But now it’s huddled in the corner of its enclosure, and hardly moving. Its legs are up around its face as if it’s in just a stress huddle... but it hasn’t moved at all. The little guy or gal is typically active enough to where if I peek in on it after a couple of hours it’s usually moved at least a little bit.

My concern is that maybe it has some kind of internal damage? Or maybe picked up some kind of toxin while it was evading capture?

I dropped some water in front of its face but otherwise have been just leaving it alone...

How long can T’s stay in that stressed, face-hiding huddle? Or is this how a death curl starts?

 

[DomGom TheFather]

just leave it alone.
Slings are less prone to injury from a fall.
It was probably very stressful for it so it might settle like that for a while.
Here's to good luck.

 

[BoyFromLA]

To make a short story long, how did it fall?

 

[viper69]

T looks fine

3’ ft fall- wonderful

 

[avaent]

Thanks, reassuring to know baby spood is a little more durable than I was fearing... it is still in basically the same position from the night before and the photo- so here’s to hoping it relaxes soon and resumes normal spood things.

To make a short story longer: I went into the enclosure yesterday with the purpose of removing a bolus from the previous day. And baby T was very chill and not as bolt-y as it usually is so I was like. ‘I wonder if you’d let me handle you right now...’ (I know this is a very controversial subject; hello T police.) So prior to letting the sling out I thought the only thing that might be a problem would be if spood bolted under this lamp that I have- so I cornered that off. But, in my stupidity I forgot that the earth is not flat. The little it crawled off of my hand, onto the table and then started down the side of it... and I was like. ‘Oh no! You could fall! Please crawl onto my hand and I’ll put you back in your home!’ But pider was like, ‘NO I DON’T WANT TO GO THERE.’ And continued horizontally alongside the side of this table... and before I could do anything it lost its footing and fell.

I take full responsibility for my stupidity, and lack of Jedi reflexes. Hopefully baby T isn’t stressed from the ordeal too much longer.

 

[SlyOwlet]

And hopefully this can be a relatively painless lesson in the risks of handling any T, even if they seem docile at the moment

 

[Matt Man]

just let it chill and keep an eye on it

 

[KeGathings17]

This is why you shouldn't handle your T, no matter what. Hopefully this animal doesn't die, good luck.

 

[Kitara]

‘I wonder if you’d let me handle you right now...’ (I know this is a very controversial subject;hello T police

the poor thing took about a 3’ fall.

No real need for "T police" when you set such a perfect example of actions/consequences.

 

[avaent]

Thank you all for the information, advice, and criticism.

Would this have happened had I prepared a safer environment (i.e. lower toward or on the ground) for handling? Logically, no.

Would this have happened had I not handled my T at all? Clearly not.

I’m not going to debate opinion, because ultimately people will do what they choose to do. The takeaway here- whichever side of this issue you are on- is that readers here definitely shouldn’t do what I did. My little sling definitely didn’t deserve its’ ordeal because of my carelessness. I hold myself accountable.

As for the sling, itself- while it doesn’t seem interested in moving from its’ “hiding” place, it is continuing to support its own weight, its’ stance has relaxed and it has begun preening again. Sling and I are both lucky that it appears to be doing alright.

 

[RoachCoach]

The bigger they are the harder etc...