Weird Pumpkin Patch death???

[KeetahSpacecat]

Hello everyone, long time no see. The last year I have been raising four different species of tarantulas. For my birthday in August, I got me a little Hapalopus sp. Colombia sling that was about a month old already, very teeny still.

I have been caring for her just fine until today when I found her dead in her water thimble. She was eating well, webbing up her little enclosure and was molting and growing. The weird thing is that her book lungs weren't even under water. She was bigger than the thimble and could have easily climbed out. I haven't noticed any strange behaviors or movement. She would just sit on her web and wait for me to give her a prekilled pinhead cricket every other day or three. My room is a constant 70-75F and I mist to keep up humidity.

The thing is I am stumped on what could have happened. Did she just suddenly die and just happened to fall into the thimble? Was it just a completely random death from the universe? Is there anything I can keep an eye on to keep it from happening again? I don't watch my T's 24/7 cause they start getting angry if I peek at them too much.

Forgive me if the thread isn't necessary. This is my first T death and I want to be sure I'm doing my very best to care for them. I understand that death sometimes just happens, but If I could learn something from this experience it will help to soften the blow. Her name was Harvest and I already miss her She will be buried among the flowers tomorrow.

 

[clive 82]

Is it possible that it fell and landed in the water bowl? Do you have any pictures of the enclosure that you can post?

 

[KeetahSpacecat]

Here's the enclosure. It's a small one for slings. My eyes are not the best so these are great little things.

My curly hair is in the other. I have three of these all together. The other one is in case my roommate comes across a bug lol.

 

[spideyspinneret78]

How was the moisture level inside the enclosure?

 

[clive 82]

It looks ok. The only thing for me would be the mesh ventilation on the top. I prefer to drill ventilation holes in case the T gets stuck in the mesh. But other than that IMO it looks good. As for why your T died that is a tough one to answer. Did its abdomen look plump?

 

[KeetahSpacecat]

It looks ok. The only thing for me would be the mesh ventilation on the top. I prefer to drill ventilation holes in case the T gets stuck in the mesh. But other than that IMO it looks good. As for why your T died that is a tough one to answer. Did its abdomen look plump?

Yup, very plump abdomen. I felt it when I examined her body and if anything, she was REALLY plump. Maybe she got constipated? I keep my T's with bio-active cleaners so I don't see their poop often.

As for the mesh it came like that, tho once I learn how to i'll be making my own enclosures. She never really climbed up the top. She just liked sitting in her web when not being a pet hole.

 

[clive 82]

I know some people use the mesh lids with no issues. Ive never had any experience with compaction so I cant help you there but maybe its possible?

 

[KeetahSpacecat]

It may be. It might just be that I have to accept that these things happen and even having a perfect setup won't stop death forever. I don't know anything about an autopsy nor do I have anything on hand to preserve her. I think it might be better to put her among the flowers and try again in the future. I have three others to keep caring for after all.

 

[spideyspinneret78]

It's really difficult to say, especially when they're so tiny. It could've been a bacterial infection, impaction, or any number of things...and it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to know for sure. It's also important to remember that tarantulas produce a large number of slings, and not all of them are strong enough to survive for whatever reason. Unfortunately it happens sometimes. I'm sorry for your loss though. It's always hard losing a tarantula.

 

[KeetahSpacecat]

How was the moisture level inside the enclosure?

Missed your post, but for moisture, I kept it so that the water dish was always full, the substrate was slightly moist and not bone dry, and I would mist the sides and top so that the water can drip down in a more natural way.

 

[KeetahSpacecat]

It's really difficult to say, especially when they're so tiny. It could've been a bacterial infection, impaction, or any number of things...and it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to know for sure. It's also important to remember that tarantulas produce a large number of slings, and not all of them are strong enough to survive for whatever reason. Unfortunately it happens sometimes. I'm sorry for your loss though. It's always hard losing a tarantula.

Thank you. It might be worth saving up the money and spending more on a well established juvenile than start off from a teeny sling. She was no bigger than the ball at the end of pins when I got her and I am at least grateful I had her for a good ten months. I know I had three millipedes of the same species and one just never seemed to grow and passed away, so I know genetic dead ends do happen, sadly

 

[spideyspinneret78]

Tough to say, but sometimes excess moisture and not enough ventilation can be problematic. It's easy to overdo it with the moisture at times in such a small enclosure. But no way to know for sure. Just do the best you can with your other babies. I hope you get a female

 

[clive 82]

Sorry for your loss, they are a great species.

 

[KeetahSpacecat]

Thanks, Pumpkin Patches are my FAVORITE species! The other three are not the same species. I have a subadult female Aphonopelma chalcodes, juvenile female Brachypelma vagans, and a Tliltocatl albopilosus sling that I am unsure of the sex yet. Still too teeny yet. All are named after Jojo stands and I love them. I'll get another pumpkin patch later on in the year, hopefully once reptile expos are open again!

 

[spideyspinneret78]

Thanks, Pumpkin Patches are my FAVORITE species! The other three are not the same species. I have a subadult female Aphonopelma chalcodes, juvenile female Brachypelma vagans, and a Tliltocatl albopilosus sling that I am unsure of the sex yet. Still too teeny yet. All are named after Jojo stands and I love them. I'll get another pumpkin patch later on in the year, hopefully once reptile expos are open again!

I've noticed that a lot of vendors at reptile expos (where I'm from, anyway) often offer these as freebies when you spend a certain amount. Keep your eyes open and maybe you'll get lucky next time!

 

[viper69]

Did she just suddenly die and just happened to fall into the thimble?

No one knows

no one was there in your room watching at the time of death.

Was it just a completely random death from the universe?

see above- line 1

Is there anything I can keep an eye on to keep it from happening again?

No

I don't watch my T's 24/7

No one does, we all sleep (unless they record their Ts 24 7

 

[SC Tarantulas]

Possibly fell in that deep water dish. (Deep in relation to the size of the spider) Id suggest a better water bowl option that is far more shallow like a plastic cap of some sort with a rock or two in it. This way the specimen can easily get in and out.

 

[PidderPeets]

Hello everyone, long time no see. The last year I have been raising four different species of tarantulas. For my birthday in August, I got me a little Hapalopus sp. Colombia sling that was about a month old already, very teeny still.

I have been caring for her just fine until today when I found her dead in her water thimble. She was eating well, webbing up her little enclosure and was molting and growing. The weird thing is that her book lungs weren't even under water. She was bigger than the thimble and could have easily climbed out. I haven't noticed any strange behaviors or movement. She would just sit on her web and wait for me to give her a prekilled pinhead cricket every other day or three. My room is a constant 70-75F and I mist to keep up humidity.

The thing is I am stumped on what could have happened. Did she just suddenly die and just happened to fall into the thimble? Was it just a completely random death from the universe? Is there anything I can keep an eye on to keep it from happening again? I don't watch my T's 24/7 cause they start getting angry if I peek at them too much.

Forgive me if the thread isn't necessary. This is my first T death and I want to be sure I'm doing my very best to care for them. I understand that death sometimes just happens, but If I could learn something from this experience it will help to soften the blow. Her name was Harvest and I already miss her She will be buried among the flowers tomorrow.

I had a similar experience as you with one of my 3 Hapalopus sp. Colombia Klein. Seemed perfectly fine, great eater, plump, enclosure seemed fine according to multiple people on here. But one day she was just dead. Also my first death. Never found an explanation, and unfortunately I don't think either of us ever will be able to explain our losses. Your enclosure doesn't look bad. I don't like saying "sometimes deaths just happen", because I normally feel like that's a cop-out to avoid taking responsibility, but there are instances where something just happens that we can't explain. There's a whole lot going on with tarantulas that we can't see, and just because something seems fine outwardly doesn't always mean things are as they seem internally. Sorry for your loss.

Thanks, Pumpkin Patches are my FAVORITE species! The other three are not the same species. I have a subadult female Aphonopelma chalcodes, juvenile female Brachypelma vagans, and a Tliltocatl albopilosus sling that I am unsure of the sex yet. Still too teeny yet. All are named after Jojo stands and I love them. I'll get another pumpkin patch later on in the year, hopefully once reptile expos are open again!

It's actually kinda funny to me that you named your Ts after Jojo's stands, cuz I named my first couple after the Pillar Men. Lol

I don't know whereabouts in PA you are (or at least that's where I'm assuming you are from your profile), but if you're closer to the NJ side, I'd happily sell you one of my current two H. sp. Colombia Klein (the smaller of the two pumpkin patch species) if expos still aren't open when you're ready. Both are around 2", so well past the sling stages. At least that way I'd know they were still in the hands of someone who appreciates the species.