My tarantula has a sticky foot. Help?

7oHearts

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
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4
Recently (about 2 maybe 3 weeks ago) my tarantula molted. It's a 1" Mexican Red Knee sling. After it molted I saw that one of its feet would drag some of the substrate while he walked. I assumed maybe I just needed to clean its enclosure or that it had webbed the substrate, I don't know. But recently I saw it had that one foot stuck to the side of the enclosure and was struggling to get away. I don't want it hurting itself or stressing out so can someone please tell me what the problem is? I know that their feet stick by spinning with their feet so could something happen to its foot while molting?
 

Neoza

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 4, 2014
Messages
306
When my T's are climbing on the ceiling and they tend to fall, sometimes they hang there with just one food on the glass, its like it sticks to the glass (like they have suction cups on theirs
feet). Maybe its somthing like that? And how long has he been in that position? A few hours or mire than 2 days? Can you post a pic?
 

Hobo

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Staff member
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Jul 27, 2009
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2,208
I've occasionally seen this in freshly molted individuals in my collection, but never to the extent of collecting dirt and dragging it along.
I have one tarantula who doesn't have full control of one of her palps, and it sticks to everything as she runs or walks around. She kind of has to pull it along sometimes, but it's never proven to be a serious problem.
I don't think you have to worry about it stressing or hurting itself.
 

7oHearts

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
4
The tarantula is not in that position right now. It was only for a short moment so I don't have a picture of it. He was climbed slightly up the side of the enclosure, but when climbing back down that one foot was stuck while the rest were on the ground. I was planning on putting it in a slightly bigger enclosure because it's still in the small one that he came in from where I bought him from. Think I should a wait and see if it stops happening before trying to move it?
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
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Jan 19, 2014
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13,223
They have a pair of hooks on each "foot" (which is how they grip), its entirely possible that one got twisted out of its normal position during or shortly following its last molt.
 

Neoza

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 4, 2014
Messages
306
Ive seen this a lot with my T's that there is a foot behind like it sticks onto it. When he stays calm i think its normal but when you see he is trying to get the foot off and he is struggling than it could be something else.
 
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