Whats Wrong With My Pink Toe?

[XzotticAnimal420]

Lately Ive noticed my Pink Toe spazzing out, it almost looks like she is having a seizure. Its not constant, but its frequent.. She is a full grown adult. This morning I woke up to her lying upside down in her water dish..which by the way, was full..she was completely submerged.. she recently molted, so I know she wasnt trying to shed..so anyway, I shook the enclosure a little bit and she moved, but didnt come out from under the water..Ive never had a tarantula act like this before..I took the water dish and flipped it over so she was right side up again..and now she is just chillin on the bottom of her enclosure..

any ideas?

 

[Adalrich]

I am by no means an expert, but your description immediately reminded me of several Youtube videos I've seen... let's see if I can find one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm38kS0omrs

Do the seizures look like this?

 

[XzotticAnimal420]

Yes, its very similar to that..so theres nothing I can do? Do you think that may be why she was upside down in her dish? She just couldnt get out?

 

[smallara98]

Yes, its very similar to that..so theres nothing I can do? Do you think that may be why she was upside down in her dish? She just couldnt get out?

Well if thats what she is doing , then she has dyskinetic syndrome . But I am not 100% of that .

 

[Moltar]

Ahh the dreaded DKS. Nobody knows what causes it but everybody has a guess... Sorry to hear your T is afflicted. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do. Placing it in an ICU is standard first aid but if your T is infected with some sort of pathogen it probably won't help a thing. You say it was in the water dish so I assume it's had access to water and is not dehydrated? If so then ICU may not do much.

Best advice is to watch and wait, if it gets too painful to watch or the T is obviously suffering you may want to consider euthanizing via the freezer.

 

[Adalrich]

I was actually browsing Youtube for tarantula videos earlier today, and came across TalonAWD's channel. He had a G. rosea which had similar symptoms, but seemed to get get back to normal after some moults.

I'm not trying to scare you or anything, but I believe dyskinetic syndrome (if that is indeed what your spider has) can and has been fatal in many cases. : /

I've got no idea why she was in that bowl.

 

[WARPIG]

Unfortunately, no one can give you an answer as to what is wrong with your Avi, and there is no such thing as DKS, its a word folks apply when they have no answer for what is wrong.

I have experienced the loss of T's shortly after molts and my only GUESS is that the molting process took its toll on them and weakened them too much.

If the T is dehydrated (small rump) ICU is your best bet. If not, then only time will tell the fate of your T.

If it were me, I'd slap it into a small ICU as soon as possible.

GL

PIG-

 

[Jerm357]

Do you have any other pets that you use topical Flea & Tick medication on like Frontline or Advantix? If so, that is one theory on a posable cause of Dyskinetic Syndrome.

 

[XzotticAnimal420]

It saddens me. I love her very much, and this is a recent thing she has started doing. Is there any possible way that my other T's could be affected due to the fact that she is? Someone suggested putting her in ICU..Im not sure what that would consist of for a T..aside from higher temps and lots of humidity. Is there a chance she could pull through?

And yes, I do use frontline on my two cats and my two dogs..and right now I am battling a bad case of fleas.

 

[Adalrich]

It saddens me. I love her very much, and this is a recent thing she has started doing. Is there any possible way that my other T's could be affected due to the fact that she is? Someone suggested putting her in ICU..Im not sure what that would consist of for a T..aside from higher temps and lots of humidity. Is there a chance she could pull through?

An ICU is simply a small plastic box (or other small container) lined with slightly moistened paper towels.

 

[kingrattus]

Do you have any other pets that you use topical Flea & Tick medication on like Frontline or Advantix? If so, that is one theory on a posable cause of Dyskinetic Syndrome.

My T is 4 & my dog is 3 & I use Advantix on her... so far my T is fine. I know better then to pet her near the area after an application (for 3~4 days) as it isn't good for us, its toxic to the cat & its easy to assume its toxic to Ts, as it is a bug killer. So this theory is plausible. I would also make sure the contaminated fur doesn't get into the Ts enclosure. So extra brushing might be needed, or have the Ts an a dog/cat free room with an air purifier to collect the fur (don't need the fancy carbon in it, just filter floss)... Also handling the feeders should be a no no while flea killer is in the home, as its too easy to get it on your hands & transfer some to the feeder... I think in all the yrs I've only handled Lilly's food once or twice.. I typically just tap a few feeders into her tank & let her feast.

 

[XzotticAnimal420]

My T is 4 & my dog is 3 & I use Advantix on her... so far my T is fine. I know better then to pet her near the area after an application (for 3~4 days) as it isn't good for us, its toxic to the cat & its easy to assume its toxic to Ts, as it is a bug killer. So this theory is plausible. I would also make sure the contaminated fur doesn't get into the Ts enclosure. So extra brushing might be needed, or have the Ts an a dog/cat free room with an air purifier to collect the fur (don't need the fancy carbon in it, just filter floss)... Also handling the feeders should be a no no while flea killer is in the home, as its too easy to get it on your hands & transfer some to the feeder... I think in all the yrs I've only handled Lilly's food once or twice.. I typically just tap a few feeders into her tank & let her feast.

I have only recently been using Frontline, and I have had this T for several years..and I never really pet or handled her or her food..so I dont think that contributed..however, she is the only one of all of my T's that is housed in a tank with a screen lid. Therefore anything I cleaned with was probably making its way right into her enclosure. I keep the rest of my T's in plastic tupperware containers with locking lids and small air holes...not screens. Unfortunaltely for her, its a little too late.. Ive learned a lesson from this, and she will be in ICU shortly. Ill keep you posted, and perhaps post a video soon, so you can try to confirm that its Dyskinetic. I appreciate all of your help.

 

[kingrattus]

I have only recently been using Frontline, and I have had this T for several years..and I never really pet or handled her or her food..so I dont think that contributed..however, she is the only one of all of my T's that is housed in a tank with a screen lid. Therefore anything I cleaned with was probably making its way right into her enclosure. I keep the rest of my T's in plastic tupperware containers with locking lids and small air holes...not screens. Unfortunaltely for her, its a little too late.. Ive learned a lesson from this, and she will be in ICU shortly. Ill keep you posted, and perhaps post a video soon, so you can try to confirm that its Dyskinetic. I appreciate all of your help.

Hmmmm... Cleaners eh?
Ever since I got Axle my Turtle I have banned all cleaners except for bleach+water, vinegar +water, & baking soda paste (going on 11yrs).. Not only is it safer for a my pets (including my fish), its much healthier for me too...

Smoking doesn't help either. When I lived with my ex many moons ago, Axle would make a wheezing noise when breathing (you don't want to know what I was coughing up)... 6months after I left him (7yrs later) Axles wheezing stopped & hasn't come back & its been almost 5yrs.

 

[Draychen]

I have only recently been using Frontline, and I have had this T for several years..and I never really pet or handled her or her food..so I dont think that contributed..however, she is the only one of all of my T's that is housed in a tank with a screen lid. Therefore anything I cleaned with was probably making its way right into her enclosure. I keep the rest of my T's in plastic tupperware containers with locking lids and small air holes...not screens. Unfortunaltely for her, its a little too late.. Ive learned a lesson from this, and she will be in ICU shortly. Ill keep you posted, and perhaps post a video soon, so you can try to confirm that its Dyskinetic. I appreciate all of your help.

Interesting.. I posted the other day on possible causes of DKS-like symptoms and why and how they exactly work. Frontline contains Fipronil, which attacks the nervous system. Basically, they block the receptors allowing AChE to build causing hyperexcitation in the target's nervous system and muscles, resulting in slow, complete mobility failure and ultimately death by asphsyxiation. (Note: A Tarantula is HIGHLY affected by Fipronil)

Mammals remain unaffected by Fipronil because glutamate-gated chloride channels do not exist within their biological makeup.