Is she dead?? :(

[msfairydust]

My 5 year old Pink Toe, Millicent, has been upside-down in with one leg up for over a day now, completely still. Yes, I know all about molting, she's molted quite a few times since we've had her, but something seems wrong. She hasn't moved, at all, for over 24 hours. Like i said her leg has been up in the air in the same position all this time. We took down the tank to get a better look and she looks very soft and somewhat flattened in appearance...and completely still. My husband nudged the webbing, very slighty, near her to see if she'd move and nothing happened The best way I would use to describe it is she looks like what a molt looks like...lifeless.

My question is, how can you tell if your tarantula has passed? What are the signs? There is no heart beat to check. I know that most of the time they die upright with their legs curled underneath but I am thinking that maybe she got stuck molting?

Any help as to what to do at this point would be very helpful. She was out first (and favorite) tarantula and we feel very heart broken right now. But if there is ANY chance whatsoever that she could possible be alive we want to hold onto that chance.

What should I do?

Thank you in advance,
Madeline

[GabooN]

Aw so sad to hear, I haven't had to deal with anything like this yet. Not sure exactly what to recommend, since nudging them could disturb a molt if that is what they are doing (though you dont think its likely).

One thing i can think of that others will probably ask anyways is if you knew the sex? Was it an ultimate male possibly?

[Beccas_824]

T's will usally die in the Death Curl Position (with their legs curled under them), unless they've gotten stuck in a molt, then that could happen. Is there any way you could post a pic. of it? was it due for a molt? How old was it? Older t's have a harder time molting and a better chance of getting stuck in one.

[DanHalen]

I really hope she's not dead, but after a whole day, it seems pretty likely unfortunately Any updates at all? If she's moved, even the slightest, get her into a bathroom and run a real hot bath or shower - closing the doors and windows. The extra heat and humidity may prove a great help.

I hope she's ok. But I wouldnt hold my breath Good luck!

[msfairydust]

Thank you to those of you who replied with advice. I don't understand the star trek jokes or what they have to do with my situation.

To those who seem to care, she's still in the exact same position. I can't get or see any movement. I just feel shattered. She was such a good tarantula. I feel like it is somehow my fault...I should have watched her closer during her molt. Maybe I could have saved her.

I'll ask my husband to bring the tank down again so I can take a picture for the person who asked.

Do you think there is any chance whatsoever that maybe she's just in a very deep sleep or something. Has anyone ever heard of anything like that happening? I realize I am probably grasping at straws but I want to hold onto any amount of hope I can. At what point would know for sure?

Thank you again for your help. It means so much. It's nice to know there are other people out there who understand because I don't think anyone understood my tears this morning... "it's just a spider". People dont know.

Take care,
Madeline

[DanHalen]

I'm real sorry to hear that. In regards to the sleep thing, I dont really think it works that way If she is still alive, then it may not be for long. Moulting is avery stressful "activity" and leaves the spider exhausted. If she is still alive, after all this time, chances are she'd be too weak to recover. I dont think there is much you can do. If you wanted to be sure, you could put the girl in the freezer. This would most certainly euthanise her quickly and humanely.

I'm one of those people who doesnt usually give up hope. But that usually makes me feel worse in the end

I really hope its not the end for her, and hope someone can come along with a miracle answer. Please keep us posted.
All the best, Dan.

[big_loader]

I'm sure that there are other who care for your situation, but just haven't posted to say so. I've been following this thread from the start and I really do hope that, against the odds, she pulls through!

Sorry that I can't offer a miracle.

<edit>

[Lorgakor]

Was she even due to molt? Had she been off her food at all? If she wasn't due a molt you might want to try blowing on her gently, spiders hate that and if it is alive it should move. If she was due to molt, some adult tarantulas can take a lot longer to molt, but she should have at least popped her carapace by now I would think. Hopefully you can give us an update soon!

[MizM]

HeLLO PEOPLE!! Have you never lost a T?

As a long time member of Arachnoboards, I apologize for the insensitiveness of those members who have posted previously. As a community, we care about your pet very much and are sorry for your loss.

Bad molts happen, and I think more often with arboreals. I'm sure the reason a T has so many young in her eggsac is that so many don't survive in the wild due to predation, parasite infestation and/or bad molts.

I recommend that you go out and buy a new tarantula immediately... that usually helps with the healing process!

[FryLock]

I apologize for the insensitiveness of those members who have posted previously. As a community, we care about your pet very much and are sorry for your loss.

We did but the jk's were just that jk's, if the Avic had been adult for the 5 year's that she was alive and with her keepers she may well have had a very good life span, old spiders are more at risk of bad moults (i lost a B.smithi at 17 year's old from one she never bounced back from).

Im sorry sometime's my sence of humor gets the better of me

I'm sorry too.

Forget you saw any of this!.



Especially this!! .

[Beccas_824]

With regards to the threadstarter: I am very sorry your T didn't pull through. please don't be too hard on yourself, sometimes stuff happens, even if you did everything right, T's can still die for what seems like no reaosn at all.
I know a lot of people say you can't get emotionally attached to a T, but I think you can. You care for them and enjoy taking care of them and when they die, it does suck.
Please don't be too hard on yourself over this.

[Kugellager]

All right people settle down!

All posts not directly related to the subject at hand will be deleted. If all you are going to do is misbehave then don't bother posting in this thread.

When someone is loosing their pet that they have had a long time it can be a very sensative and personal issue. They don't need people acting like some of you have been.

End of story or thread will be locked!

John
];')

[MindUtopia]

Madeline,

So sorry to hear about your T. From reading your post though I think it's promising that she is in an upside down position on her back rather than in a death curl. While it may mean she is in trouble, it also should give you more hope that there is at least still a chance she may pull through. I think it's always good to have hope! So far I've only ever lost three, and all were discovered in a death curl. I once thought we were going to lose another (also our first!), but turns out she was just having a weird bad complicated molt, and was sorta like how you are describing you T right now. She is a little deformed after the molt, but alive and energetic, and still going strong today! so there is still hope. I'll have you guys in my thoughts and hopefully everything will turn out ok for her!

Take care,
Karen

[msfairydust]

Hello,

I just wanted to thank everyone for their help. Unfortunately she didn't make it. I can say with certainty that she did pass. I don't know what happened. I was looking at the body and I see a yellowish looking circle under one of her legs. I'm guessing she had trouble getting free from her skin and maybe bled to death. I feel terrible. If only I had paid better attention.

Thank you again for your help and understanding. I have her in a baggie and we're going to give her a little burial at my mom's house.

Take care,
Madeline

[Ewok]

what makes a tarantula die if it can't crawl out of its molt? is it the stress of being stuck in the old skin, or can't they breath?