Tarantula dks...

Mooshroom · Jul 29, 2014

I am sure my tarantula has dks, she has all the symptoms, and walks the way they do on videos, I read that putting them in icu is the best chance of survival? I currently have her in an icu, in a quiet place, it has been about 5 days now that she has had it.. I really hope she makes it. I believe she is a rose haired. I will post pictures soon.. I don't want to bother her to much..

If any other information can be given, I will appreciate it, Thank you.

Formerphobe · Jul 29, 2014

"DKS" is a symptom, not a disease.
There are four main causes of this behavior.
Mature males at the end of their lifespan.
Dehydration.
Exposure to insecticides.
Internal parasites.

Dehydration can be treated depending on the cause.

Can you provide more history?

Mooshroom · Jul 29, 2014

Well I am sure it is from flea and tick treatment..

I also read that it can harm tarantulas..? I have 3 dogs and all have been treated with it.. she isn't dehydrated I've had her in icu for the longest time now..

well at first I thought it was a stress curl for awhile.. that was a day after I first held her.. since then she has been acting this way, I am sure it is from the flea and tick treatment my dogs were given

Formerphobe · Jul 29, 2014

Mooshroom said:
Well I am sure it is from flea and tick treatment..

I also read that it can harm tarantulas..? I have 3 dogs and all have been treated with it.. she isn't dehydrated I've had her in icu for the longest time now..

well at first I thought it was a stress curl for awhile.. that was a day after I first held her.. since then she has been acting this way, I am sure it is from the flea and tick treatment my dogs were given

Flea and tick products will kill tarantulas. There's probably nothing you can do to prevent her demise.
For future reference:
When you apply topicals to your mammals, wear latex or nitrile gloves and wash hands well before handling anything invert related. This includes feeder insects. Never handle your mammals without washing hands well afterward. Also, there are now oral flea/tick products available for your dogs and cats that will eliminate the risk of exposing your inverts.

One of the reasons I rarely, if ever, handle my tarantulas is because I have regular exposure to insecticides. Even with regular hand washing, I still wear nitrile gloves for feeding, cage maintenance, etc.

Mooshroom · Jul 29, 2014

Ah.. Well I guess luck will be my only chance..? I really hope she pulls threw.. I believe she is a rose haired, and I don't put the treatment on my dogs but just a little pet could have gotten it onto my hands.. I hope all goes well though.. I guess time will tell

Thank you for your replies it means a lot to me

also should I keep her in icu?

oooo35980 · Jul 29, 2014

I have a MM Rosie that's doing the crab walk, it's been suggested to me that I put him in an ICU but I don't see the point.

Also, are you 100% that it's female? A lot of pet stores that sell WC rosies tell their customers that it's "about a year old" and then guess whether it's male or female, the age is pretty much always wrong and they have about a 50/50 shot on the gender, so it could just be a really old Tarantula that's about to die. I'm not sure if you know how to tell gender but it could even be a mature male if you got it from a pet shop and took their word that it was female.

Good luck, I hope it pulls through.

Mooshroom · Jul 29, 2014

I know how to tell the gender, but she wouldn't let me flip her over, also, I don't believe she is old but hey who knows.. I believe she just got insecticidal poisoning, but I guess I could b wrong.. I will eventually see..
I really hope she pulls through and yeah she walks funny as well.. well he or she

oooo35980 · Jul 29, 2014

If it's a MM rosehair it will have hooks on it's front legs and boxing gloves on it's Pedipalps, also it will probably be skinnier and more leggy. No need to flip over, It probably isn't a MM though since it's hard to miss the MM characteristics.

Mooshroom · Jul 29, 2014

Ah, well I heard some mature males lose the hooks on their front legs? Well I sorta don't want to bother her/he as much.. she's in icu and has been like this for about a week now.. I hope she/he pulls through honestly..

cold blood · Jul 29, 2014

Mooshroom said:
Ah, well I heard some mature males lose the hooks on their front legs? Well I sorta don't want to bother her/he as much.. she's in icu and has been like this for about a week now.. I hope she/he pulls through honestly..

A male molting out of his sexual maturity is exceptionally rare....most males that attempt this die during the molt.

Mooshroom · Jul 29, 2014

Ah seems like I am learning a lot more.. thanks guys! I really appreciate it! I want to stay in this hobby, but I want to stay in it with the tarantula I have..

Formerphobe · Jul 29, 2014

If it is a G rosea/porteri it will abhor the icu due to the damp and humidity. There may be other opinions but, if the abdomen is nice and rounded, not shriveled or pruney, I'd return it to its enclosure and be sure it has constant frsh water supply.

What kind of substrate and decorations are in the enclosure. Using contaminated soil, bark, etc from outside can also introduce toxins.

Mooshroom · Jul 29, 2014

Ah alright, and It didn't have much substrate, I will change everything and it has a hamster house and water dish, I don't have anything else inside. I will get some coco fiber and use that. I hope she pulls through.

Thank you by the way.

skippydude · Jul 29, 2014

Mooshroom said:
Ah alright, and It didn't have much substrate, I will change everything and it has a hamster house and water dish, I don't have anything else inside. I will get some coco fiber and use that. I hope she pulls through.

Thank you by the way.

Did you use bad soil? If not, why change it? Changing the substrate for a sick T is going to disorient it. It will be lost in its own home. If the substrate isn't the source of the toxin, don't change it. If not dehydrated, place it back in the original enclosure and let it be.

It wouldn't hurt to post a picture or 2, especially of the front two legs and pedipalps.

Mooshroom · Jul 29, 2014

Well I already threw out the substrate, and I will take a picture soon, I really don't want to bother her that much..

cold blood · Jul 29, 2014

Mooshroom said:
Well I already threw out the substrate, and I will take a picture soon, I really don't want to bother her that much..

Like skippy implied, you may have just took a few steps in the wrong direction...changing sub should only be done in extreme cases...its about the biggest "bother" you could put on your t. It could be weeks or months before it settles back in. Its like re-arranging the house that a virtually blind person is living in. Now if you were pretty sure there were contaminants or other unwanted critters living in there, then it needed to be done, but I doubt that was the case....a few quick pics would go a long way in receiving the proper help or info on the current situation. Good luck, unfortunately, there's probably little that can be done other than waiting.

Mooshroom · Jul 29, 2014

Sorry for the sideways pictures.. but that is her, she seems to be getting worse..

sugarsandz · Jul 29, 2014

Out of curiosity, what were you using for substrate? I hope you tarantula pulls through.

Mooshroom · Jul 29, 2014

well she had a little bit of coco fiber as substrate, a very little bit. that is why I dumped, it out. when I put her back in her what I call cage, she went straight into her hide. I'm going to be getting more substrate for her tomorrow.

sugarsandz · Jul 30, 2014

Is the spider flailing about? Could you get a video? Also, can you take a photo of the cage? If you can, I'd provide at least a couple inches of substrate when you decide to change it. Has there been any change in the tarantula's movements?

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