Worried about my A. avicularia (not eating, nematodes?)

[Alexw]

I've had my first tarantula since March 20th (I also own a vinegaroon and a flat rock scorpion). It is an A. Avicularia and I was told it is a male. I bought it at a local reptile shop. I assume it was wild caught. It has only eaten two crickets, which was within the first week I had it. Within the last two weeks or so I have noticed something white on its mouth and there were some drops of a white substance in the water dish. Before it stopped eating there was plenty of white feces on the acrylic, I am hoping this it is just feces, but I would like your opinion.

Here is a picture before I noticed the white on it's mouth

*Note I have put some holes in the sides of the enclosure since this picture was taken
and an image after:

It is a bit lethargic I think. Additionally, it damaged its leg in a fall. It kind of drags the leg behind it as it moves around. I am hoping that will be solved in a molt.

Somebody please tell me this isn't a nematode infection. We've had an unusual number of flys around the house and I really hope they didn't transmit anything to my inverts.

 

[Alexw]

I got a better picture where the object isn't washed out by the flash

 

[KezyGLA]

Yeah there seems to be some sort of problem. It looks like it could be nematodes.

However March 20th wasnt that long ago. It may be approaching a moult and this may be why it is lethargic and falling. This is what I hope anyway.

Can I ask where you buy your crickets/feeders? Bad feeders can bring in unwanted pests and parasites which may explain the flys.

LPS Ts are usually wild caught so parasite is possible. Whatever the white thing it is a little worrying. I would seperate from the rest of your arachnids just in case.

 

[Alexw]

I buy a dozen crickets at a time from a local reptile shop, the same one where I bought all of my arachnids. Predators Reptile Center in Mesa, Az. The flys are mainly on the other side of the house, but they occasionally make their way into my room where I keep my arachnids. I don't think their unusual numbers are associated with my enclosures.

The T fell when I was cleaning the enclosure - it jumped down from the top of the enclosure about a foot (0.3m), I ushered it onto my hand and it ran half way up my arm and jumped again right back into the enclosure. The fall back into the enclosure might have 2 ft (0.6m), 2.5 ft (0.76m) at the most, but it landed on its side.

From doing some reading on the forum here, it seems like it might just be feces it was drinking? I wish I had thought to take some pictures of the white stuff in the water dish and looked at it more closely.

I have isolated the tarantula in the next room.

 

[KezyGLA]

All you can really do is keep an eye on it and try to keep it hydrated if not eating. Just make sure the water dish is nice and full each day

 

[Alexw]

Ok, it looks like the white object is gone now. I'm hoping it was just dried out feces. I saw the T drinking water droplets off the wall of the enclosure so, hopefully, it is well hydrated. It has a water bowl on the floor of the enclosure but I hardly ever see it down there. It is still able to climb on the acrylic but it seems to be a bit more awkward and I've seen it climbing on the cork bark more than usual. I've got my fingers crossed that it is just in premolt. If it goes without eating very much longer I will post a picture and ask if its abdomen is normal size. I'm not sure myself, it seems a bit small.