What's wrong with its leg?

[Transylvania]

While handling my 1" G. pulchripes sling, I saw that it was walking kind of lopsided. I then noticed that there's something wrong with one of its legs (left side, leg III). It looks as if the femurs of left legs III and IV are welded together, and leg III doesn't function, it just bends forward, beneath left leg II. I don't know how long it has been like that. I've owned this T for a few months and it's had maybe 2 or 3 molts, but I've never noticed this messed-up leg until now. Could it have always been like that and I just didn't notice, or do you think it's the result of a complicated molt? Will it eventually go back to normal? Will the next molt be a complicated one?

Here's a photo. It's hard to see the leg itself in this pic, but you can see where the femurs are stuck together:

 

[zdillon]

I have one about this size. Im not sure why yours is like that, but think it should be ok after acouple molts as long as it is eating good. Mine eats like a little monster.

 

[bobusboy]

I don't see any issue's with that Tarantula.

 

[Transylvania]

I don't see any issue's with that Tarantula.

There is an issue, because its femurs are stuck together and I'm worried if its legs will ever become normal. You may just not be seeing it in the photo, but it's there.

 

[xhexdx]

Should correct itself next molt.

 

[webbedone]

i dont see anything wrong but even if there is like it was said it will correct it with the next molt

 

[bobusboy]

There is an issue, because its femurs are stuck together and I'm worried if its legs will ever become normal. You may just not be seeing it in the photo, but it's there.

Must be the colours and the shadows but I don't see it; at least from this angle.

Like everyone else said, It should correct with the next moult, if not you get an awesome super rare 7 legged spider!

 

[captmarga]

Do the legs look as if they GREW together, or got STUCK together (ie, sticky partial old molt didn't come loose). If the latter, have you tried gently stroking with a wet paint brush?

If the legs give it too much trouble, spiders have been known to cast them off. They will then regrow the legs over the next few molts.

If it is moving about some and eating, I would not worry too much about it. Just make sure the substrate is deep enough to cushion a fall should it climb, and keep an eye on it.

Good luck,

Marga

 

[Transylvania]

Do the legs look as if they GREW together, or got STUCK together (ie, sticky partial old molt didn't come loose). If the latter, have you tried gently stroking with a wet paint brush?

If the legs give it too much trouble, spiders have been known to cast them off. They will then regrow the legs over the next few molts.

If it is moving about some and eating, I would not worry too much about it. Just make sure the substrate is deep enough to cushion a fall should it climb, and keep an eye on it.

Good luck,

Marga

I can't really tell whether they're grown together or if they're stuck together, because it's such a small T. I also don't want to try and mess with it, because I'd be afraid of hurting the little thing. I'll just keep an eye on it and see what happens after the next molt, which should be quite soon. Thanks!

 

[Transylvania]

Here's a clearer photo. It looks to me as if the femurs have actually fused together (they're not just stuck together). If they're like that after its next molt, should I pull off those two legs?

 

[bobusboy]

WOW, that is amazing

Nice photo.

It looks like it happened when it was a egg/first instar sling. Unless you can inform us otherwise.

I wouldn't worry as they're quite adaptable, but during moults I would be very very attentive. And I'm inclined to say that if it moults and they are fused again you should look into "forcing" the T to self amputate those limbs and letting them grow back.

Mind you that forcing to amputate bit is only if the T experiences difficulty moulting or moving after said moult.

 

[Wachusaynoob]

Should correct itself next molt.

IIII dont think so.
It looks as though the 2 legs are fused together...And cant imagine any way that It could correct itself..with out atleast a FEW molts. And by a few I mean atleast 1 molt With SUBSTATIAL growth.


But then again, I dont really know.

 

[Transylvania]

I'm looking at some older photos from when I first got him (he was about 1/4" or so), and I'm having difficulty finding that third leg. In one old pic I'm actually seeing a little bit of that fusion, so I guess this T has always been like that, and I just didn't realize it until I saw that he was walking lopsided on my hand.

If his next molt is a complicated one, I will force him to amputate the legs... if the molt goes smoothly, I may just leave it be - after all, it kind of makes him unique. Though, being a G. pulchripes, I wonder if it will become a bigger problem for future molts, when he'll be a lot bigger. But then again, they are just legs... if they are a problem when he's bigger, he can just cast them off himself and all will be fine, I suppose.

 

[Bill S]

If the legs are truly fused (and it looks that way) - DON'T try to change that. You'll do more damage than good. Amputating the legs will not change a congenital issue, and will potentially endanger the spider. Best thing to do is just accept that that's the way this particular spider is and keep it healthy. Tarantulas do not "outgrow" congenital defects - they either live with them or die with them. Since this one has made it through at least a couple molts so far, I'd guess it will survive future molts as well.

 

[Nerri1029]

If the legs are truly fused (and it looks that way) - DON'T try to change that. You'll do more damage than good. Amputating the legs will not change a congenital issue, and will potentially endanger the spider. Best thing to do is just accept that that's the way this particular spider is and keep it healthy. Tarantulas do not "outgrow" congenital defects - they either live with them or die with them. Since this one has made it through at least a couple molts so far, I'd guess it will survive future molts as well.

I would actually beg to differ on that one.

BY the means of molting - a spider grows a new exoskeleton within the current one. If nothing is done, than it is quite possible nothing will change as the new skeleton is using the old one as a template the layers for the new skeleton are made in conjunction with the current one. It may correct itself if the new legs can be made separately within the old exoskeleton.

However, my point I'm trying to make is that if you amputated both legs, they should grow back normal. each leg being regenerated.

BUT I'm not recommending that course of action right now.
If the T can move about, catch crickets and has no other major issues other than no career in the NBA. leave it alone until it gets worse or corrects itself.

 

[Bill S]

I would actually beg to differ on that one.

BY the means of molting - a spider grows a new exoskeleton within the current one. If nothing is done, than it is quite possible nothing will change as the new skeleton is using the old one as a template the layers for the new skeleton are made in conjunction with the current one. It may correct itself if the new legs can be made separately within the old exoskeleton.

However, my point I'm trying to make is that if you amputated both legs, they should grow back normal. each leg being regenerated.

It sounds like you are assuming that the legs were normal to begin with but somehow grew a single piece of exoskeleton that covered two legs? I'd have a very difficult time accepting that. First of all - exoskeleton does not "spill over" and cover more than one leg. The animal is coded genetically to grow a certain way. If it grows an extra leg, or too few legs, or some other odd variation - it's because of a congenital defect, and that defect will remain no matter how many times you cause the leg to regenerate. (This is quite different in mammals because mammals do not regenerate lost parts - so you can surgically correct a congenital defect in a mammal.)

By the way, in a tarantula the new exoskeleton is generated according to genetic information in the animal rather than using the previous exoskeleton as a template. If tarantulas generated exoskeletons modeled on old exoskeletons we would not see regeneration of legs, development of tibial spurs, adult color changes, etc.

 

[catfishrod69]

hey, he's got 6 more ..but seriously, how you gonna force him to amputate? my T's dont listen to me when i tell them to do things.....

 

[Bill S]

..but seriously, how you gonna force him to amputate?

Autotomy (voluntary self-amputation) can be induced by grabbing hold of a leg and not letting go. The spider acts as though it were escaping from a predator and sacrificing a leg in order to get away. Very much like a lizard dropping its tail to escape a predator. A very important thing to remember is that autotomy MUST be voluntary and deliberate on the part of the spider. There are physiological responses that shut down fluid loss when the spider intentionally drops a leg. These responses do not happen if you surgically remove a leg. So - there's a risk in trying to induce autotomy. If you only succeed in breaking the leg off rather than inducing autotomy, the tarantula will "bleed" to death because the necessary physiological responses that close the capillaries do not take place.

 

[Transylvania]

Hm... part of me wants to force amputation later just to see how the legs would grow back, but this defect doesn't really bother me too much - I've been thinking that it's just too interesting and I shouldn't change the way it naturally is.
(I still have not offered it live food yet and do not know how well it would catch it, but that shouldn't be a problem - we mustn't forget its other six legs.)

 

[AmbushArachnids]

I think its legs stuck/fused together and didnt form properly when it was developing into an EWL. I dont think it is a genetic defect. Either way it would be interesting to see the conclusion.

Also if you injure the leg a little the spider will drop it. I have seen many of my Ts drop legs with no ill results. The T can and will close off the fluid loss if there is a major leak somwhere in a leg. At least a spider this size will have no problems. This may not be the case with a massive theraphosa leg injury but the smaller the spider the better.