Ill theraphosa symptoms mouth mites??

treeweta

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 15, 2006
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362
i have a 4th moult T.blondi who tried to grab a cricket then rejected it. It then started to push its head (for want of a better word) into the substrate. i put it into a clear box to examine it. Its mouth area seems to be wet and leaking some fluid, ive seen this before in tarantulas and in each case the animal has died soon after. I have a feeling that it could be the mites that feed on dead matter that somehow get into the mouth cavity. maybe im wrong but has anybody else seen this. in worse cases the goo that leaks is thick and a yellow orange colour. If this spider dies i will do a mini dissection around the mouth to see if theres mites. the spider seemed fine a few days ago but now its bahavious is erratic and is noticably 'not normal'.

treeweta.
 

Wish_mastera

Arachnosquire
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Jan 9, 2006
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It sounds bad. I've never heared something like this. My blondi also have mites, but they are white and have layed their eggs between the heliceras. Is something moving there? Can you take a picture? Has she molted soon anl have you examined her fangs with flashlight for possible problems?
 

treeweta

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Jan 15, 2006
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362
Actually the mites you have may not be a problem, I had something similar years ago where the mites would live around the chelicera, after a few years they seemed to die out. The ones im talking here are the type that live in the substrate and eat dead food. Saying that i am guessing as it could be a nematode or some other organism, the sid tarantula now has its legs tucked under, 24 hourse ago it seemed normal!!

see my other post for the 'chelicera mite' info.

treeweta.
 

EDED

Arachnobaron
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Aug 12, 2004
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ive seen my CB A. geniculata dip into the substrate, wiping white fluid on the substrate, but it turns out to be normal afterwards, still alive and eats.

yours sounds different and much worse, could be nematodes who knows, try contacting Bodisky(a member here) or search for RIESM, they provide free 'forensic' service.

sorry about your spider though.
 

treeweta

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Jan 15, 2006
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362
the spider is almost immobile now. i have examined around the body with a hand lens. Ive found some mites around the chelicera which are mobile but stay roughly in the same place, these may just be incidental rather than anything to do wit the cause of its demise. i think i will freeze the animal later and then do a more invasive inspection around the mouth and inbetween the chelicera for other mites and nematodes.

tree weta.
 

treeweta

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Jan 15, 2006
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362
the spider is now in the freezer, over a 12 hour period it went from a normal spider to a dead one, quite amazing. i looked around the mouth using a x10 lens, there were mites around the chelicera and pharynx opening, a count of about 10, if these are the cause of the problem i wonder how they do the damage?

other possibilities of course are pesticide contamination or even nematodes, actually the liquid gunk which is apparent with nematodes isnt present on this spider, i may have misidentified that earlier in the day.

well i am a bit fed up with losing a nice and fairly pricey spider.

treeweta
 

metallica

Arachnoking
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Aug 18, 2003
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2,512
10 mites will not kill your spider. could it be that the mites got on the spider becouse it was weak allready (from other parasites for example)?
 
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