Problem with molt. Please help.

thwarts

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 25, 2006
Messages
25
My Chile Rose has just shed and appears to have lost a leg and has a leg that is crippled. It cant really move and I'm wondering what i can do to help it?
 

MindUtopia

Arachnoking
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Aug 30, 2005
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2,041
So long as the lost leg is not bleeding at the socket, it should be fine. It will be re-grown in the next molt. As for the other, what do you mean by crippled? It would be helpful if you could give a more thorough description, or post pics. More than likely it will also correct itself in the next molt, though you will need to be extra watchful that it does not become stuck in that molt due to the deformed leg.
 

Pyst

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Nov 7, 2005
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266
Also if it has just molted it might not have had time to harden up.
 

cheetah13mo

Arachnoking
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Do you roughly know the age of your T? How much room does is have in it's enclosure? Just wondering what might have caused your T to have these problems so maybe we can help prevent it from happening again. Then again, some times it just happens. If there is no bleeding, it'll recover just fine. Make sure it has a full water dish.
 

thwarts

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 25, 2006
Messages
25
As far as i'm aware it's between 4 1/2 to 5 years old. Its in a tank approx 18"X10"X10". Never had any problems molting before.Its lost its 2nd leg in on the left hand side and his front leg is bent back 90 degrees to the left from where it should be, also doesn't seem to be bleeding. I'm gonna take some photos and post them so you can have a look.
 

cheetah13mo

Arachnoking
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It's not the age or the tank size so I'm anxious to see some pics. Sometimes they just have a problem molt but at least it's ok now and should go back to normal after the next molt.
 

thwarts

Arachnopeon
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Dec 25, 2006
Messages
25
I'm just waiting for my camera to charge up and then I'll sort that out. I've just got it out and it's also lost it's back right leg.I've looked at the skin it's shed and the new back right leg is partially out of its old one and its left 2nd leg is almost all out but appears to have hardened onto the old skin. According to my housemate it took it a day or so to get out from when it turned onto it's back and then it didn't move for a few hours. I was away while it shed.
 

cheetah13mo

Arachnoking
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Oct 10, 2006
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When I see one of my T's neering a molt, I'll make sure the water dish is full and over flow it a little to add some humidity to the enclosure. Extra moisture can help a T go through a molt a little easier. Normally I keep things pretty dry except for molt time. Not wet, just moist.;)
 

thwarts

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 25, 2006
Messages
25
here's a photo, not brilliant but its taken with a phone. as you can see its front left leg is back under its other left legs. its not movin around too well and its certainly not as aggressive as it normally is. also on closer inspection a noticed its lost a pedipalp as well. its hard to see that because it keeps covering them with its right hand legs and its front left leg is bent in towards them.
 

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cheetah13mo

Arachnoking
Old Timer
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Oct 10, 2006
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Ok, I see that He's a mature male. See the tibial hooks on the bottom side of the front legs and the pedipalps are large. We call those boxing gloves. Mature males, because of the reproductive parts they have, always have a hard time molting. Is this the first time you've seen the hooks and boxing gloves or did he have them before this molt?

If your interested, you need to go to the versonals thread and find someone with a female and allow him to mate. You might get some slings from him. With his legs the way they are, he might not be able to mate but it's worth a try. I sugguest this because he wont live through the next molt. He'll get trapped in the old skin and die. :(

Thanks for getting the pic up. That cleared up a lot.
 

thwarts

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 25, 2006
Messages
25
thanks for all your help! i'm saddened by Rico's plight, he's always seemed to do fine and now he's on his last legs(pardon the pun). i'll have a look into mating him, if not i'll just let him live out the rest of his life. don't think i could handle putting him out of his misery!!!! once again thanks
 

cheetah13mo

Arachnoking
Old Timer
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Oct 10, 2006
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2,151
No problem. Sorry to break the bad news. I hope you find him a female. It would be nice to hear you were able to take care of a couple of his kids. :D

Good desicion not to put him down. :clap: Good luck.;)
 
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