What could be wrong with my m. balfouri?

Riri

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 16, 2021
Messages
6
This started yesterday - my 6 cm (2.3 inches) female Monocentropus balfouri is very weak and twitches her legs when she tries to move. She can't stand that well and moving is just legs poorly dragging her body. I noticed this only yesterday because she came out of her web tunnel that she has not left before. I was ofc happy to see her but eventually I noticed she didn't really move and she was staying in weird position. Some of her legs started to curl under her. When I poked her with a brush, she just spasmed and twitched around. You can see in the videos below.

I moved her in ICU for the night because I feared maybe this was bad dehydration, this morning not much changed. She did walk around but still legs very weak, twitching, some legs bending weirdly. I just put her in an enclosure with only substrate. I guess what I can do best right now is just make sure she has water and I don't disturb her anymore.

Now this totally came as surprise for me, because she has been eating well (mealworms and wax worms), last she ate was 3 days ago. I got her only a month ago, none of these problems then. Ate, webbed and has pooped. Bolted without problem. Has not molted. Very typical and healthy balfouri.

I sadly can't show her last enclosure since I teared it down to get her out safely for ICU. I used arcadia earth mix in the enclosure, using it now too. I have other tarantulas, all of them eat the same food and use the same substrate, the others are very healthy, never shown these signs. I very strictly don't spray any chemicals in my tarantula room.

I want some thoughts from other keepers. What I should do now, what could this behavior be. I have kept tarantulas for a bit over a year now, nothing like this happened before. I'm obviously scared for my balfouri's future.

The videos are from my ig.
 

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Neonblizzard

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Poor thing! Looks like symptoms of DKS, I don't think there's a whole lot you can do for them except put them back in their enclosure. Have a read about it if you search "toms big spiders DKS" on Google
 

Riri

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 16, 2021
Messages
6
Poor thing! Looks like symptoms of DKS, I don't think there's a whole lot you can do for them except put them back in their enclosure. Have a read about it if you search "toms big spiders DKS" on Google
I see 😢 I did think about DKS, but I have no idea how she would have gotten it.
 

Neonblizzard

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Mar 3, 2021
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I see 😢 I did think about DKS, but I have no idea how she would have gotten it.
There's still not a whole lot known about it unfortunately. There's ideas that it could be certain pesticides, even worming/flea treatment from cats and dogs. I wouldn't beat yourself up about it because there's really not enough info out there on the subject.

Sorry about your poor lump
 

Smotzer

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it doesnt look like some of the severe dyskinesia that we see from time to time, so im not sure. Do you own pets that have recieved topical flea treatment, have you come into contacts with any pesticides, does anyone where you live spray for pests?

Regardless of what it is or isnt the only the you can do is keep that water dish full and hope it recovers, there's nothing you can do.
 

Riri

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 16, 2021
Messages
6
it doesnt look like some of the severe dyskinesia that we see from time to time, so im not sure. Do you own pets that have recieved topical flea treatment, have you come into contacts with any pesticides, does anyone where you live spray for pests?

Regardless of what it is or isnt the only the you can do is keep that water dish full and hope it recovers, there's nothing you can do.
I have a dog and a cat, otherwise no. They don't have fleas, I check those often. However they have gotten tick treatments, but weeks ago. And both of them are only allowed in my tarantula room while I'm there too, but I make sure they don't go near the enclosures.
 

Smotzer

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However they have gotten tick treatments, but weeks ago.
Topical tick treatment? If so Have you pet your dog or cat and then dealt with this T without washing your hands thoroughly?
 

Riri

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May 16, 2021
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Topical tick treatment? If so Have you pet your dog or cat and then dealt with this T without washing your hands thoroughly?
Yeah between their shoulder blades. Can't really say I have, I avoid touching the spot I put the medicine for few days. And the last time I gave them tick treatment was long time ago, before I got this balfouri.
 

Smotzer

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Yeah between their shoulder blades. Can't really say I have, I avoid touching the spot I put the medicine for few days.
Well as far as identifying what may have led to this, this is my bet that you may have touched one of them and had some pesticide residue on your hands and then dealt with this T. You need to be very careful with topical pest treatments for animals and the being around invertebrates such as tarantulas. You are not the first to accidentally do this
 

cold blood

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Yeah between their shoulder blades. Can't really say I have, I avoid touching the spot I put the medicine for few days. And the last time I gave them tick treatment was long time ago, before I got this balfouri.
Thats not a medicine....lmao....its a pesticide
 

viper69

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This started yesterday - my 6 cm (2.3 inches) female Monocentropus balfouri is very weak and twitches her legs when she tries to move. She can't stand that well and moving is just legs poorly dragging her body. I noticed this only yesterday because she came out of her web tunnel that she has not left before. I was ofc happy to see her but eventually I noticed she didn't really move and she was staying in weird position. Some of her legs started to curl under her. When I poked her with a brush, she just spasmed and twitched around. You can see in the videos below.

I moved her in ICU for the night because I feared maybe this was bad dehydration, this morning not much changed. She did walk around but still legs very weak, twitching, some legs bending weirdly. I just put her in an enclosure with only substrate. I guess what I can do best right now is just make sure she has water and I don't disturb her anymore.

Now this totally came as surprise for me, because she has been eating well (mealworms and wax worms), last she ate was 3 days ago. I got her only a month ago, none of these problems then. Ate, webbed and has pooped. Bolted without problem. Has not molted. Very typical and healthy balfouri.

I sadly can't show her last enclosure since I teared it down to get her out safely for ICU. I used arcadia earth mix in the enclosure, using it now too. I have other tarantulas, all of them eat the same food and use the same substrate, the others are very healthy, never shown these signs. I very strictly don't spray any chemicals in my tarantula room.

I want some thoughts from other keepers. What I should do now, what could this behavior be. I have kept tarantulas for a bit over a year now, nothing like this happened before. I'm obviously scared for my balfouri's future.

The videos are from my ig.
Could be from neighbors treating their grass.
 

Coradams

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 28, 2018
Messages
157
I have other tarantulas, all of them eat the same food and use the same substrate, the others are very healthy, never shown these signs.
In the future, could you switch to an oral flea preventative instead of a topical? I believe they are safer for your inverts.
 

Craig73

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Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
790
Best guess in what I’ve read is not washing your hands thoroughly after ‘treating’ your other animals.

If you do look into oral chewables to treat fleas/ticks do your research. I got off lucky with only having my dog having diarrhea for three straight weeks, other reactions could be more sever like seizures and death.

I would say just make washing your hands before and after interacting with your tarantula a habit.

Fun Fact: A few months after the oral treatment fiasco my dog got giardia (unrelate). I was in diarrhea hell again for another month. I feel like my life calling at that point was to work for a floor cleaning service.
 

Craig73

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
790
What do you by treating? I have never heard this?
If I recall correctly there are three big suppliers for oral treatment and I believe two, if not three, of them had have FDA updates in the US regarding serious side effects. But like with any treatment side effects are expected and people have to consider the risks and benefits and decide what makes sense for them.

I’m fortunate to live in an areas where ticks and fleas are not as prevalent and with a high degree of confidence opt out of that type of treatment. I’ve always given my dogs flea treatment until the oral was recommended and after the fiasco I did my homework and asked myself why, for my situation it made no sense. For others it may, but my point really was to research what your putting in your animal just like you would for yourself.
 
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