Hemolymph, quick!

I just got a bunch of subadult T's in the mail, and the H. longipendum (Asian Chevron) has a crack on its rear leg and is leaking hemolymph. Should I wait for the leg to drop off? Should I try to patch it up? Its very fast and agressive so I don't think I can do that.
Steve

One thing about Ts, they are slow to do eveything... except to make a break for it!

Put it in a small container to restrict movement to prevent furthering the injury. Keep it warm, very humid, and in a dark quiet place. Check it every 1/2 hour or so, the hemolymph SHOULD harden up and seal itself.

Be very patient, I have learned this the hard way. These little guys will drive you out of your mind with worry, then just pop up and be fine.

If there is no change this evening, post again and let us know how she is.

Hi, I took out the super glue on her, surprisingly, she did nothing! No moving at all, she wont eat ect. I wonder how shes doing.
Steve

spider repair...

well uh dude, i dunno if that super glue idea was the best thing you've thought to do...Ever smelled super glue? That can't be good fumes for the T, furthermore I'm sure that's bad for the T's "blood". Any rate, you had the correct concept, but wrong follow-through...next time try Nu-Skin, it does the same thing but is probably alot safer...oh and humidity is bad for T's trying to form blood clots....hope this helps.

Peace,
~Aboreal Rayne~

well from what ive read and heard super glue seems to do exactly the same job as nu-skin so i think you should be fine with this.

If the wound still seems to be leaking or the leg is very badly injured maybe removing the leg might be a good idea?

T's can regenerate lost legs and if it is still bleeding maybe this would be better (no matter how nasty it sounds) then the T bleeding to death.

Although this is just what i have read, ive luckily never had this happen to me. Im sure some other people will now more about this than me.

Cheers

Stu.

Thats bad to hear I hope it gets better soon none of my t's have gotten injured and am new owner to them so cant offer much help other then moral support and besto f wishes!

Oh my god...

"If the wound still seems to be leaking or the leg is very badly injured maybe removing the leg might be a good idea?"- Stu

What the H*** are you thinking?! Never take a limb off your T unless it is Abosolutly, unconditionally, totally required. It has a breach in it's exo, more or less like a cut...Would you want the doctor to cut of you leg after you fell and scraped it? Yes they can regenerate, but don't make them regen more body parts then they need too. Not only is this mean, but is very un-called for...such extream procedures really should be left for life-threating situations. Like I said, it's just a cut, patch your T up, and don't hack it apart....

Peace,
~Aboreal Rayne~

Superglue is something i've used for years, and i know many other people (from hobbyist to arachniologist) use it also, regardless of how it smells to us.

Over the past year or so, i'm now trying the nu-skin stuff. It seems to work.
Clear nail polish works just as well.

as for removing the leg, thats a judegement call by you. If its not able to use it, or its bent at a wierd angle, or you think it might muck up the next molt, snap that baby off

but if it is just a cut and it seems to be doing ok, try the superglue.

is there a scab with substrate around it? i try to remove as much substrate as I can from the T.

I've notice in the lab, some of my arachno friends will flake alot of the scab off, and then put the superglue/nuskin/clear nail polish over it.

but at home, i just some of the extraneous substrate off.

good luck steve!
peace
dave

Snap the leg off? This is a 6in. Haplopelma longipendum, lol. Anyway, it can still bend it and uses it to walk. I think it'll be fine now. Not sure if I got it all, but it should be healed by now. Does hemolymph clot after a while?
Steve

I have to agree with RugbyDave.... taking the leg off is MUCH less stressful to the T than bleeding to death, or having difficulty during the next molt. It's possible that if it's injured very badly, that it will not be able to shed off the old skin during a molt. My g. pulchra just dropped a pedipalp herself because it was injured worse than I thought! The leg will snap off easily (at the carapace) and the hole is made to seal right up.

But, if you can stop the bleeding, and it's not mangled too bad, just leave her in i.c.u. to restrict movement and keep her warm and humid.

As far as her size and defensiveness, the refrigerator method will slow her right down and you'll be able to "operate" with no objections from her! I did it with an h. lividium, it's amazing!

ok, one more time...

"I have to agree with RugbyDave.... taking the leg off is MUCH less stressful to the T than bleeding to death, or having difficulty during the next molt. It's possible that if it's injured very badly, that it will not be able to shed off the old skin during a molt." - Miz M

Wow, now thats interesting...someone accually thinks that amputation is less stressfull than blood cloting. And NO, it will not cause molt complications!! For all you people who accually care about your T, DO NOT start cutting off legs at the first sign of injury, there is no "T fairy" following them around in the wild waiting for them to get hurt so she can cut T legs off. They don't need it in the wild= therefore you don't need to do it. Get it yet?

"But, if you can stop the bleeding, and it's not mangled too bad, just leave her in i.c.u. to restrict movement and keep her warm and humid."-Miz M

And for the very, very last time. HUMIDITY will cause blood to clot slower, adding humidity will accually make your T heal slower... think about it...If blood is trying to clot, "dry in part", why would you add moisture? And risk bacterial, and mold infections. Not to mention the possibility of mites eating whatever mess is made in doing so. You don't have to listen to what I say: But I feel really sorry for your Ts Miz M...

The truth,

~Aboreal Rayne~

Afraid I disagree with you Arboreal Rayne.

Nobody suggested cutting off legs "at the first sign of injury"
Badly damaged limbs can and do cause problems during susequent moults.
I have witnessed the after-effects of a Psalmopoeus cambridgei which attempted to moult with a badly damaged front leg. The resulting mess was a tarantula unable to free itself from the old exuvium. In the ned the damaged leg had to be removed anyway - had it been done before the moult, at the time of injury, the leg could have regenerated successfully.

And while there may be no "T fairy" in the wild, you have to remember that these animals are not in the wild any more - whereas a Tarantula in the wild with a damaged leg may well bleed to death or die during moult complications, this doesn't need to happen in captivity because we can treat the condition.

just a quick question u know how human blood clots faster when u put sugar on it do u think this would work with a T?

Re: ok, one more time...

Originally posted by Aboreal Rayne
"I have to agree with RugbyDave.... taking the leg off is MUCH less stressful to the T than bleeding to death, or having difficulty during the next molt. It's possible that if it's injured very badly, that it will not be able to shed off the old skin during a molt." - Miz M

Wow, now thats interesting...someone accually thinks that amputation is less stressfull than blood cloting. And NO, it will not cause molt complications!! For all you people who accually care about your T, DO NOT start cutting off legs at the first sign of injury, there is no "T fairy" following them around in the wild waiting for them to get hurt so she can cut T legs off. They don't need it in the wild= therefore you don't need to do it. Get it yet?

"But, if you can stop the bleeding, and it's not mangled too bad, just leave her in i.c.u. to restrict movement and keep her warm and humid."-Miz M

And for the very, very last time. HUMIDITY will cause blood to clot slower, adding humidity will accually make your T heal slower... think about it...If blood is trying to clot, "dry in part", why would you add moisture? And risk bacterial, and mold infections. Not to mention the possibility of mites eating whatever mess is made in doing so. You don't have to listen to what I say: But I feel really sorry for your Ts Miz M...
The truth,
~Aboreal Rayne~

Click to expand...

Arboreal: If you can't disagree with me respectfully, please, don't post at all. I don't appreciate a personal attack for attempting to help someone with a T problem that I have dealt with successfully. I am entitled to post my experiences without getting a rude reply in response. You are definitely entitled to believe that autotomy is wrong and humidity is wrong and I will not slam for for your beliefs.

My Ts have never had bacterial, fungal, mite or mold problems. My Ts don't need your sympathy, they are healthy and happy.

If you have problems with my posts in the future, pm me DIRECTLY. Do not bring it into a discussion that could possibly save the life of someone's T. This is not an argument board, this is a discussion board.

Thank you.


Poecilotheria: best of luck with your T and let us know how she's doing and what you did to help her!!

Re: Re: ok, one more time...

Miz M,

I understand where you're coming from and he certainly seems to have gone about expressing himself the wrong way, but I do believe he has a valid point on the healing/humidity issue. I think increasing the humidity for your situation might have worked, but it probably did slow down the recovery of your critter. If you're trying to get the blood to clot, it seems you would need dry air to do that. Have you ever noticed that when you take a shower, if you have a sore of any kind, it tends to soften while it's wet? I think the same principle applies as far as this issue.

I think Rayne is just VERY passionate about dealing with critters and he hates to see anyone make a mistake that could ultimately damage a spider in the end. It kinda reminds me of a certain dealer in the hobby who has rubbed several people the wrong way. He MEANS well, but doesn't know how to express himself.

Wysi

Originally posted by MizM
Arboreal: If you can't disagree with me respectfully, please, don't post at all. I don't appreciate a personal attack for attempting to help someone with a T problem that I have dealt with successfully. I am entitled to post my experiences without getting a rude reply in response. You are definitely entitled to believe that autotomy is wrong and humidity is wrong and I will not slam for for your beliefs.

My Ts have never had bacterial, fungal, mite or mold problems. My Ts don't need your sympathy, they are healthy and happy.

If you have problems with my posts in the future, pm me DIRECTLY. Do not bring it into a discussion that could possibly save the life of someone's T. This is not an argument board, this is a discussion board.

Thank you.


Poecilotheria: best of luck with your T and let us know how she's doing and what you did to help her!!

Click to expand...

I respect your view...

However, these animals are not wild...and they do not know the difference. It's not like they know and love you Lopez...They simply are machines, very cool ones, but machines no the less. Point being, if your T gets hurt it's not looking at the top of the container waiting for your repair it, nor does it probably like it. Although thses creatures are captive, the owners of theses animal should do everthing in thier power to provide a NATURAL, and of course, safe enviroment. Yes, spiders bleed to death in the wild- "For one to survive, many must die. Such is natures formula for life."- Animal Planet. But, making it harder for you spider to heal is a form of neglect, probably from ignorance, and not intentional. I've never even seen a spider that even came close to situations like thsee, of such extreamity. I guess what I'm trying to point out is that if you do it correctly, you won't have molt complications. It's really not a hard concept, here, I'll spell it out: Cut on spider= dry,warm place with Nu-skin applied on cut. Now how can that be too complex? It's not hard see the Nu-skin becomes the blood clot. And because it's less bulky than a clot formed by subsrate, you'll never have molt problems. If you do it the other way, well, I wouldn't be supried if your spider becomes one of the many that die each year, except yours isn't from natural causes. You will kill it, by raising the humidity you prevent cloting and the organism will continue to attemp to form one untill it does. So basically one of three things will happen:1) Spider can't form clot, dies from blood loss(terrible way to go) 2) Spider gets bacterial/molt infection(possibly followed by secondary infection)or the thrid oh-so-popular one 3) Spider in humid evviroment, spider finnaly forms blood clot with substrate. However is a large mangled mess, that the spider could never molt out of. So what's the average Joe's reation? Cut of the damn thing, duh what else would you do? Um, how about preventing the situation in the first place, and doing things correctly? What do you have to say about that?

Check Mate,
~Aboreal Rayne~

I fail to see the need for your confrontational attitude
This isn't a fight, or a contest - it's a discussion. Lines like "so what do you say to that" and "check mate" are xompletely unnecessary. Judging by your signature quote you seem to have a problem with people disagreeing with you.

I never stated that my spiders "loved me" or "know me" - I was merely pointing out that to let one of your tarantulas die from a leg wound that could be repaired would be foolish.

Nu-skin is not generally available in the UK to my knowledge. I would consider superglue an unwise alternative, cyanoacrylate glues give off very strong fumes. I have never had a spider with a mildly damaged limb, but I've had one with a completely mangled one. It was removed swiftly and easily. The spider regenerated the limb with no problems and is still healthy to this day.

I don't know if you are setting out to cause argument and offense, but it certainly appears that way. Why can't you be civil like everybody else in this thread has?

dude...I give up

ok you win...But the only thing that's un-called for is people being ignorant. If these concepts are too elaborate...well, my condolances to your T's man. I spelled it out, you don't have to listen...

"I don't know if you are setting out to cause argument and offense, but it certainly appears that way. Why can't you be civil like everybody else in this thread has?"-Lopez

- because in some cases, being civil means spreading false information. I'm trying to make a point and correct some pretty bad stuff that could kill alot of Ts, not start a fight. I just don't understand the basic fundimental logic behind your thoughts. Fortunatly my thoughts are based on science, and fact. Most of my point can be referanced in "The Tarantula keeper's guide". I guess what I'm saying is it's not an agument, because you can't say I'm wrong. Science is fact. My Points are scientifically proven...I mean come on, how are you gonna say this is false? (Lopez Band-Aid brand makes somthing like Nu-skin, I pretty sure it's avalible in most of Europe.)

Fact.
~Aboreal Rayne~

Aboreal -

Nearly every member on this board that posts good advice in situations like this, Miz M included, owns a copy of the TKG.

I would like to hear any information that you have on the issues, but when you claim that everyone else's strategies are nothing but ignorant - it is unsuccessful. People on this board have been successful with many different strategies with their captive T's - from heat/humidity, to substrates, to amputation. Point being, there is many different ways to successfully have "pet" T's, and not just yours.

Another thing that you have referenced is that Ts do not recieve this special treatment in the wild. Exactly - that is why we have them as captives! If a situation remotely close to this happened in the wild, an armadillo or monkey passing by isn't going to think twice about trying to save a tarantula's life - let alone pull some nu-skin out of it's fanny-pack and fix the wound.

We do what we can, and 99/100 time's we are helping our pets rather than hurting them. I respect your input and opinion - but there is NO need to present yourself as the All-knowing tarantula god. Even Rick West has posted here before, and is in no way as condecending as you've made yourself seem in this thread alone.

Please, provide your input - but without condemning others.

Arboreal Rayne,

You are on thin ice... please check your PMs.

The rest of you who were able to discuss the topic like normal human beings,

Please continue... I think it's been awhile since everyone shared their experiences and discussed possible alternatives to "what's in the book"...

And please leave off further comments to AR, it's being dealt with off the boards where it should be.