Their insides go first?

vickywild

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 29, 2011
Messages
181
This is totally morbid, I apologise. But alas, if you own a T, it's surely nice to know everything you can eh?

My Rosie died in March...I put her into a pot for burial with a plant. So that she could become the soil. But the plant died, and today I was looking at it thinking I should really throw it out. But I didn't want to throw her out with it (I was very attatched to this beast, had her for a long time and she was my first) so I opened the plant up and retreived her.

I was amazed! You can still tell what she was BUT she has no insides. She's flat!

So my question is..is this how a tarantula rots? Do their insides go first? Or did my spider molt and escape when I wasn't looking lol?
 

Nichole

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 8, 2011
Messages
6
I wont say “YES that’s 100% with out a single doubt how they rot.” But it is safe to assume so since they have an exoskeleton. Much like when a crab rots and small insects devour the inside, the shell is left, however, a spiders is not exactly that hard. It too will probably break down over time, but it may take a long while to do so. I'm pretty sure that what was left of her muscles became nurturance for the plant, as you wished. You could always uproot the plant and put another in. Think of the pot as her final resting place:]
Also, I’m sorry for your loss.
 

SCORPIONNOOB

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
226
I work at a funeral home and I always wondered about the use of formaldehyde to preserve passing T's.... Fortunately I havent had an event where I would have to try my theory out..
 

AphonopelmaTX

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
May 7, 2004
Messages
1,816
Yes, the internal organs, muscles, etc. decompose first, then the cuticle layers of the opisthosoma, after that the cuticles of the carapace, sternum, extremities, then finally the fangs. I'm not too positive though if the fangs will actually decompose if kept dry.
 
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