Urgent!

[violentblossom]

After having been missing for 2 months, we have JUST found our M.I.A 4 inch smithi. She's very, very thin, and she looks very ragged. I need advice on what to do to save her, because she's not doing well at all.

I've already placed her back in her tank, sprayed the walls like crazy, and refilled her waterbowl... any more advice?

I don't have access to crickets right now and won't any time soon because stores that would sell them are closed.. is food even a good idea right now? Will it stress hurt out too much? Obviously I don't want her to starve. I'm really kind of freaking out.

 

[endoflove]

ICU and keep her in a dark space

 

[PrimalTaunt]

I agree, ICU is probably needed more than anything else at this time as the poor thing is probably on the dehydrated side. But then, yes! Get her food! Happy that you found it and fingers crossed on it making a full recovery.

 

[violentblossom]

Thanks, guys. Any more advice is definitely wanted. I love this spider so much, it would just kill me if she died.

 

[cobaltbrew]

It sounds to me like you're doing the right thing so far. shhe needs hydration which you've got covered.

Also you should probably try a feed ASAP. I've heard of T's choosing to go longer without food so I'm sure water is the real issue here. If you think she's too weak to hunt try tong feeding her if you can. Or recently killed prey.

 

[xhexdx]

I see no reason to put her in an ICU if she is moving around and otherwise functioning normally.

Make sure she has a water source, and you might want to put her in a smaller enclosure (I'm not sure how big her current one is) to make sure she can find the water.

A dehydrated spider will take water before food, so water is the absolute key to making sure she survives.

That being said, once she's had water, you're going to want to get her food pretty quickly.

 

[Arachnoholic420]

A dehydrated spider will take water before food, so water is the absolute key to making sure she survives.

100% true...

 

[Teal]

Glad you found her alive!

I agree - water first, then try food. I hope she makes it for you!

 

[Bosing]

well they said everything... goodluck on her. hope she recovers fast. keep the thread updated on any developments.

 

[Henry Kane]

I see no reason to put her in an ICU if she is moving around and otherwise functioning normally.

Make sure she has a water source, and you might want to put her in a smaller enclosure (I'm not sure how big her current one is) to make sure she can find the water.

A dehydrated spider will take water before food, so water is the absolute key to making sure she survives.

That being said, once she's had water, you're going to want to get her food pretty quickly.

^^ Good advice here. If it's alive and moving, you have a pretty good chance of reviving it. I wouldn't worry at all about food until it is clearly re-hydrated and moving/walking normally.

Congrats on finding the little Houdini and good luck with its rehab. Don't forget to update!

Take care.

 

[Steve Calceatum]

Well, everyone already took the words right out of my mouth: hydrate, hydrate, hydratre.....

But, on a more personal note:
Congrats on finding your B. smithi!!!! I completely agree with you......Not only would I have to kill myself for losing mine, but I'd have to let my son kill me first for losing his favorite spider.

 

[Hobo]

Glad you found her!!
I hope you remembered to fix whatever problem there was with the cage that allowed her to escape in the first place!

 

[Shrike]

Glad you found your sling! It sounds like you're on the right track to recovery. Let us know how things go.

 

[Jilly1337]

Good advice above on hydration. Any update on how she's doing?

 

[violentblossom]

Hey, everyone!

Okay, first off, thanks for the speedy responses last night, guys.

Pamela is doing okay for the time being.. when I put her in the ICU last night, she immediately sort of put her belly on the floor of the container, and it seemed like she was sucking up water from the paper towels. Right now, she's grooming herself. She looks pretty pale.

I still won't be able to have food for her for a while as I don't have a working car here with me, but my fiance intends to grabs some crickets as soon as he can today, as he's currently working.

And also, yes, I am remedying the problem with Pamela's enclosure. My fiance is going to make a new lid, this one hinged.

 

[Moltar]

If she's hydrated now another day or two without feeding won't really make a difference. Grats on finding her! Where was she? In the same room as the tank? At the other end of the house? Under the dryer...

 

[Hobo]

Yeah, now that she's safe and sound, you should regale us with the tale of her epic 2 month odessey and recovery!

 

[violentblossom]

@ Hobo: I will regale you with the tale of her journey once she tells me herself.

If she's hydrated now another day or two without feeding won't really make a difference. Grats on finding her! Where was she? In the same room as the tank? At the other end of the house? Under the dryer...

My fiance found her in the corner of our bedroom, right before we were going to bed. I was brushing my teeth, when he goes, "Babe, babe! Is that Pam??" Lo and behold, it was, and so tooth paste still in my mouth, I ran to the corner, scooped her up, and put her in her still vacant tank.

Now, we literally searched EVERYWHERE for her in the time right after her disappearance, and never saw any sign. The only place that we didn't look was my roommates' bedroom (and only because they repeatedly refused to let me search), and their room is right next to our's, so I'm pretty sure that that is where she has been this whole time. I'm only glad that we found her before my fiance's brother's girlfriend, because she's said several times that she would kill her if she found her.. all the more reason for me to continue loathing that girl, but I'm getting off-topic.

I'm just so glad that she's back, and just a couple of days before my birthday, too!

 

[AudreyElizabeth]

Your roommates refused to let you search!?
What do they have their room I wonder? rofl
Glad you found her, and that she is on the road to recovery.

 

[violentblossom]

Okay, I've just looked in on the ICU, and here and there, there are black little bits on the floor of the enclosure.

They aren't just U hairs... they look like bits of her exo flaking off.