Pink Toe Tarantula Emergency!

Triad

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
3
Hey everyone, first time tarantula owner here, and I've made some bad mistakes and could use some advice! My pink toe tarantula (avic. avic.) has always been very odd, and as a first time owner has made worried constantly for him. These include the following, although most of these he doesn't do anymore:

-He use to jump on anything from anywhere, like he was trying to break his exoskeleton over and over again. You could actually hear some landings... :(

-Rarely webbed a home, and made one then proceeded to tear it down the next day.

-Use to only stay on the floor of the enclosure.

Those problems are long gone, at least from my observations. From my new setup thanks to my book sources, he made himself a webbed home at the top and thankfully doesn't jump off high peaks anymore. The emergency now is him having a bad molt and sudden decrease in abdomen size. I woke up to him in his exoskeleton and thought he was stuck, so I poked his legs and he sprang out of the exoskeleton and landed on the bottom. Major mess up, I know D:
Me being panicked and tired, I let him walk on my palm so I can put him back on his home. I am instantly alarmed to see one of his pedipalps is missing and he is extremely thin and fragile in appearance. Along with that, his reddish-blue appearance of hairs now looks more blackish-blue. Along with that his abdomen is severely small, I would actually say it is a tiny bit smaller than his prosoma. I can deal with the bashing of me being a moron and not knowing how to care for him, all I wish is that you provide some help for my little guy and me.

I should also add that he has trouble climbing currently, if that can help in any way.

Here are some pictures:

Old Enclosure: http://imgur.com/eEwIrPw

New Enclosure: http://imgur.com/Say1kgU

His Official Home: http://imgur.com/EsyjSbI

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Tarantula before molt: http://imgur.com/d3J81Jd

T before molt underside: http://imgur.com/1JsGqYk

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T exoskeleton: http://imgur.com/YCVNais

Pics of T after molt, obvious differences:

http://imgur.com/mnqx5J6
http://imgur.com/OowEZBd
http://imgur.com/M6wemax
http://imgur.com/ANyiluw

Please help!
 

Hobo

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
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Jul 27, 2009
Messages
2,208
Usually tarantulas will look very thin and indeed be very fragile and bendy right after a molt, so that in itself isn't unusual or anything to worry about.
Missing an appendage (or more) isn't usually a life threatening event either and will grow back with subsequent molts (assuming this tarantula is an immature male or a female).
Dropping at that height right after a molt might be problematic, but if it walked away from that then it's probably fine.
Color change after molts is normal as well; they tend to get drab and dull as they near a molt from normal wear and tear.

Is it deformed? In the first pic it looks like it, but that might just be typical post molt jelliness.
Can it walk/climb normal?
Is it bleeding anywhere?
If everything checks out, the best thing you can do for it now is to leave it alone. Don't try and pick it up, feed it or anything like that for another week or so.
Make sure it has easy access to water. It will need to hydrate itself after a molt and losing an appendage. After a week or so (I usually wait 10-14 days) you can try feeding it.
 

cold blood

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Jan 19, 2014
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13,223
First off, the enclosure needs a bunch of work. Its way too barren, add a bunch of plastic plants to give the poor t anchor points with which to build a proper web....you can give the best contractor in the world a job, but if he's left without the proper tools he will fail. Secondly I see a screen top, combined with no cross ventilation, which is important for the long term survival of Avics. A full screen top prevents a micro-climate from forming, allowing any and all humidity to just float out the top. It also leaves the air in the lower parts of the enclosure stagnant, with very little air movement.

The palp was likely lost when you forced it to panic out of its old exoskeleton. Post molt they are very very soft and vulnerable (definitely not a good time to either handle or encourage movement in any way (an especially bad time to attempt handling). They need to be still, quiet and do some stretching to get their new "clothes" comfortable as the new exo hardens, which could take days to weeks depending on the specimen. It will remain fairly inactive for as while, wait at least a week if not 2 before you attempt feeding as the fangs, like the rest of the t, are still soft and need to harden before it can safely hunt again. It will be very hungry when it is ready to eat again.

Without the hooks on its feed hardened, it will have trouble climbing right after molting, its why they typically don't move at all for days after.


All t's look thinner and more colorful after molting, that's how they grow....molt, get thin, fatten up, molt again...its just how they grow, imagine trying to pull out of the old exo without the added room of a thinner body beneath the old. Just the growth strategy of a t.
 

Triad

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
3
Thanks for the information, I'll be sure to get some plants for him. One problem though, the enclosure I have him in is made of glass, so making holes in the side wouldn't be a great idea. Is there any alternate methods I can use for ventilation?

---------- Post added 10-17-2014 at 03:35 PM ----------

He seems completely fine other than the missing pedipalp and small abdomen, and has been sitting in his home for a whole day. Should I find a way to move the water dish level to his home since it is currently at the bottom of the tank?
 

Hobo

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Thanks for the information, I'll be sure to get some plants for him. One problem though, the enclosure I have him in is made of glass, so making holes in the side wouldn't be a great idea. Is there any alternate methods I can use for ventilation?

---------- Post added 10-17-2014 at 03:35 PM ----------

He seems completely fine other than the missing pedipalp and small abdomen, and has been sitting in his home for a whole day. Should I find a way to move the water dish level to his home since it is currently at the bottom of the tank?
You can leave the dish where it is, they will go down for a drink, and it all likeliness he already knows it's down there.
No, don't worry about cross ventilation. That is an exo terra, correct? That's as cross ventilated as they come.

I keep mine in a nano, and only bother covering the top with plastic if I have to run the heater in Winter.
 

Azarath

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 30, 2014
Messages
45
I'm totally glad I found this post, because I was contemplating buying my pink toe an Exo Terra enclosure. I've only had this T a week and this is my first tarantula ever. But, I was concerned about the lack of cross ventilation in the Exo Terra, and having you folks confirm that the top screen just isn't enough (with leaving the stagnant air at the bottom and all the humidity escaping through the top), I'm resorting to buying one of the cages at tarantulacages.com. Are they adequate enough?

Also, sorry Triad for your mistakes. I know how it feels knowing you caused a beautiful creature some harm simply because you messed up, so I do feel your pain. However, from what it sounds like via the previous posts, your T may end up being just fine once it adjusts. And if it's any comfort to you, your mistakes have further educated me so that I may not make the same ones and therefore save my T from the same fate. That's what we do as humans, after all. We make mistakes, and we learn. Now you know what not to do. As well as me. :)
 

CEC

Arachnoangel
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Feb 28, 2011
Messages
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I'm totally glad I found this post, because I was contemplating buying my pink toe an Exo Terra enclosure. I've only had this T a week and this is my first tarantula ever. But, I was concerned about the lack of cross ventilation in the Exo Terra, and having you folks confirm that the top screen just isn't enough (with leaving the stagnant air at the bottom and all the humidity escaping through the top), I'm resorting to buying one of the cages at tarantulacages.com. Are they adequate enough?
Did you fail to read Hobo's post?

An Exo-terra or Zoo-med enclosure like that are fine for juvie/adult Avics. Avicularia newbies need to realize that juvie/adults are a lot more forgiving with conditions than slings. I have had plenty of Avics in them with absolutely no problems. As for stagnant air at the bottom, not really true since they have vent holes below the glass door. If more humidity or heat is preferred, you can cut out a piece of acrylic to fit and lay it on top of the screen or simply through a book or something on top of it.

@ Triad, I do agree with Cold Blood about more hides at the top if you want to induce webbing.
 
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Azarath

Arachnopeon
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May 30, 2014
Messages
45
Did you fail to read Hobo's post?

An Exo-terra or Zoo-med enclosure like that are fine for juvie/adult Avics. Avicularia newbies need to realize that juvie/adults are a lot more forgiving with conditions than slings. I have had plenty of Avics in them with absolutely no problems. As for stagnant air at the bottom, not really true since they have vent holes below the glass door. If more humidity or heat is preferred, you can cut out a piece of acrylic to fit and lay it on top of the screen or simply through a book or something on top of it.
I didn't realize he meant 'that's as ventilated as they come' in a positive way. I thought he meant it in a negative way, saying you can't really get anything worse.
 

CEC

Arachnoangel
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I didn't realize he meant 'that's as ventilated as they come' in a positive way. I thought he meant it in a negative way, saying you can't really get anything worse.
Yeah, no, he wasn't being sarcastic. He even said he uses a "nano" which is a type of Exo-terra. I use the "nano talls", I'm sure he does too because they are the perfect size and shape.

No biggie, I didn't want you to think it wouldn't be okay to use one.
 
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Azarath

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 30, 2014
Messages
45
Yeah, no, he wasn't being sarcastic. He even said he uses a "nano" which is a type of Exo-terra. I use the "nano talls", I'm sure he does too because they are the perfect size and shape.

No biggie, I didn't want you to think it wouldn't be okay to use one.

Alright cool, then, if I may ask, what is your personal opinion on getting an Exo Terra versus using one of the enclosures from tarantulacages.com? Do you feel as if they're equal? This is assuming you've tried one of those enclosures, I mean. From what it looks like, I think the tarantulacages.com enclosures seem like they'd hold in humidity better because they look to be less ventilated. But I'm certainly no expert, and I guess if that's the case, it depends on what you want out of an enclosure. Whether you want less humidity, or more.
 

problemchildx

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Sep 24, 2007
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Alright cool, then, if I may ask, what is your personal opinion on getting an Exo Terra versus using one of the enclosures from tarantulacages.com? Do you feel as if they're equal? This is assuming you've tried one of those enclosures, I mean. From what it looks like, I think the tarantulacages.com enclosures seem like they'd hold in humidity better because they look to be less ventilated. But I'm certainly no expert, and I guess if that's the case, it depends on what you want out of an enclosure. Whether you want less humidity, or more.
I have the largest arboreal enclosure from tcages.com and it definitely is well ventilated. Moisture dissipates pretty quickly. It houses an AF P metallica. I think they are great cages
 

CEC

Arachnoangel
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952
Alright cool, then, if I may ask, what is your personal opinion on getting an Exo Terra versus using one of the enclosures from tarantulacages.com? Do you feel as if they're equal? This is assuming you've tried one of those enclosures, I mean. From what it looks like, I think the tarantulacages.com enclosures seem like they'd hold in humidity better because they look to be less ventilated. But I'm certainly no expert, and I guess if that's the case, it depends on what you want out of an enclosure. Whether you want less humidity, or more.
Yeah, I believe they are equal. The reason I wouldn't get one from them is because they are more expensive, I can get an Exo-Terra or Zoo-med for a fraction of the price, plus they are glass and not acrylic.
 
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