Fangs might be in its death throws

Driller64

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My Aphonopelma anax (Fangs) has been suffering from problems for around three or four months now. It has refused to eat for that time (something which it did for the first few months I owned it) and for that time it has been walking funny (when prodded it walks as if it can't move the joint connecting its leg to its body) now it has recently started appearing in in death curl positions which I can clearly see since it stopped living in its hide a month ago or so. I tried to pour water near it in case it was a dehydration problem and today I saw it near its hide and it looked normal, which gave me hope. However when I came to check on it again later in the day it was in a mild death curl. I think it might have some form of DKS since it appears to not "know" how to move its limbs when prodded, though it must be moving since it appears in different spots in its enclosure throughout the day. I really don't want to lose another T :(
 

LythSalicaria

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Very sorry to hear about your Aphonopelma, but just a friendly tip - you might want to change the title to "Aphonopelma anax might be in its death throws," if you're able. I made the mistake of using my G. porteri's nickname in a thread title a while back and the vast majority of the responses I got were scoldings for that rather than anything related to the questions I had.

There's a very good reason why using nicknames in titles is discouraged though - nicknames are not relevant to anyone but the keeper, and ultimately not helpful to the discussion unless the topic is related to nicknames. Make sense?
 

miss moxie

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Size of the T? Is it a MM by any chance? Or perhaps a very old female?
 

miss moxie

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That is a theory that it is a very old female, since there are no tibial hooks.
If it's just a very old female, then it might just be it's time unfortunately. :/ DKS doesn't actually exist.

Pictures of the T might be able to help, if it is dehydrated. But I know Ts begin to wane off when old age hits.
 

Slimdean

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is it possibly stressed by something? too hot..too cold...possible its time for a new enclosure or anything like that. two of mine did this as a sling, though. I gave them a perfect enclosure for a sling, but my c.perezmilesi was more comfortable in something bigger and it webbed and made its home fine, while my M.cabolca(or B.cabolca rather)didn't like his wide vial and wanted a tighter space before it stopped stress curling. Both were doing the same thing, appearing in different spots of the enclosure in a curled stress pose and didn't eat.
 

Driller64

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is it possibly stressed by something? too hot..too cold...possible its time for a new enclosure or anything like that. two of mine did this as a sling, though. I gave them a perfect enclosure for a sling, but my c.perezmilesi was more comfortable in something bigger and it webbed and made its home fine, while my M.cabolca(or B.cabolca rather)didn't like his wide vial and wanted a tighter space before it stopped stress curling. Both were doing the same thing, appearing in different spots of the enclosure in a curled stress pose and didn't eat.
Maybe, it has been 2 degrees above 60 degrees F (I think that's the minimum temperature a tarantula can live in) but none of the other ones seem to be affected by it, besides becoming a little more lethargic. It moved out of its hide to get away from the roaches it wouldn't eat so I dont know whether that counts as stress if it no longer lives there.
 

Ellenantula

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Maybe, it has been 2 degrees above 60 degrees F (I think that's the minimum temperature a tarantula can live in) but none of the other ones seem to be affected by it, besides becoming a little more lethargic. It moved out of its hide to get away from the roaches it wouldn't eat so I dont know whether that counts as stress if it no longer lives there.
Do you think removing the roaches would make any difference?
The cold doesn't sound helpful, but I am also tending to agree she may just be very old.
Some warmth, feeling safer, -- palliative measures perhaps might help most.
 

Slimdean

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if the lid is all mesh, try covering a portion of it to keep some heat in. I wish you the best and hope things change for you.
 

Driller64

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I'm not as optimistic as you guys are. My A. anax has been in this pose for a few hours:

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1425003490.188543.jpg

I'm not going to fumble with it because you guys have said handling it will stress it out more so if it is still in that pose in the morning I will put it in an ICU :(
 

cold blood

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That doesn't look like a worry-some pose. Its actually exactly what they tend to look like when kept on the cooler side.
 

awiec

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That doesn't look like a worry-some pose. Its actually exactly what they tend to look like when kept on the cooler side.
Looks like a semi hibernation state, I imagine if it was warmed up it would be pretty lively.
 

Driller64

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Fangs is now completely unresponsive and I would declare it dead if it had a smell and its fangs could be separated. It has not gone into a death curl but it might actually die soon ;( at least it was probably from old age

---------- Post added 03-18-2015 at 07:53 PM ----------

Also I did try spraying water around the mouth area but that obviously did not work
 

Driller64

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I don't know whether I should say there's no hope and put fangs in the freezer or to continue. Which one should I choose?
 

LythSalicaria

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The way you've worded this post makes it seem like either the spider isn't dead yet, or you don't know if it's dead. If you don't know for sure, why on earth would you put it in the freezer??? You don't do anything like that without knowing with certainty that the spider is dead. Do a daily sniff test - if it starts to stink, you know you've got a dead T.
 

awiec

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The way you've worded this post makes it seem like either the spider isn't dead yet, or you don't know if it's dead. If you don't know for sure, why on earth would you put it in the freezer??? You don't do anything like that without knowing with certainty that the spider is dead. Do a daily sniff test - if it starts to stink, you know you've got a dead T.
Apparently some won't stink, but if the abdomen collapses then I would say it's pretty dead. I believe he said it was a WC of unknown age it could just be old age.
 

Dave Marschang

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I know this isn't exactly the same situation but we had a P. regalis sling last night that was laying dead on the bottom of his enclosure, laying on his belly with his legs all casually off to the left. never seen a more limp and dead posture. this morning we had a very lively pokie and a molt where the dead spider was. until it is undeniably dead there is always a chance.
 

Driller64

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I am sorry to say that Fangs, my Aphonopelma anax, has passed away. Not only is there a noticeable odor being emitting from its cage, but it's abdomen has collapsed. At least it died peacefully and not through stress :(
 
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