P. lugardi Causing Confusion! Help?

Teal · Sep 22, 2009

I rehoused my P. lugardi to her new tank tonight... and I am a bit confused...

Her abdomen is HUGE. I don't know if this picture really shows the size of it... but it looks like a balloon that has been blown up too much and is near popping

Now, here is why I am so confused - she hasn't eaten since I got her, which was about three months ago. I have tried offering her food, and it's possible she has eaten 2 crickets... but the rest of the prey is accounted for, being taken back out alive untouched.

Am I missing something here? Could something be wrong with her, or is it possible that she gorged herself SO much before I got her that she is still THIS fat and refusing food?

She had herself COMPLETELY webbed in under the hide in her tank. NO access out, at all. I never saw her leave it, but I kept her water bowl (on the other side of the tank) full because I figured she was coming out at some point to drink. The rest of the tank, I kept pretty much dry.

She also has not molted since I've had her. Could she be in a long-term premoult or something?

Just for the record, any guesses as to whether she IS female... though from the looks of her, I don't see how she couldn't be?

Any theories at all would be appreciated... even if it is just to tell me that I am completely overreacting!

Thanks!
Jairi

Roski · Sep 22, 2009

Looks like slings are on the way! Congrats! She's beautiful, too, what a great species

EDIT: How big was her abdomen when you got her 3 months ago? Didn't see the first part, was she a WC or did her previous owner mate her?

Hobo · Sep 22, 2009

Seeing how her abdomen is quite large, and she had sealed herself in her burrow, I'd say she's most definitely in premolt. Just leave her be till she does her thing.

Teal · Sep 22, 2009

Do you think I have done her harm by rehousing her? Should I put her back in her old housing? Her new one, she would need to do some extensive redecorating.. which is what she did when I got her, but is that bad for her now? I feel terrible for messing with her now!

Slings?! Are they usually gavid this long?!

Would she be in premoult for 3 months, because she's been sealed in the burrow the entire time!

All I know, is that she was at a pet store for months and months and kept in crappy conditions and then I ended up with her. As far as I know, she was never bred. I don't know if she was WC or CB either.

This was her when I first got her.. her abdomen was large, but it's much larger now!

Roski · Sep 22, 2009

Disclaimer: I am not a breeder and I've been holding out for a breeder to jump in. I'm going to lay off the diagnostics but I was really excited that she looked and sounded (to me) gravid. Still does, really. I have no other explanation for why she might be so absolutely massive from 2 crickets in 3 months. I would appreciate being corrected and educated on this.

A female can store sperm until she is ready to fertilize her eggs. I believe I read a member's T making a sac 18 months after the pairing, so, yes, it's conceivable (no pun intended

).

If it is WC, the trend seems to be gravid females especially in the last month or so.

It IS possible to be in premoult for 3 months, at least from past experience with other species. I wouldn't rehouse her at this point, as it will stress her out even more. I would maybe give her a starter burrow and/or a hide, anything she can settle down under and make herself more comfortable in. For a moult or sac, I don't know. *Sits back and waits*

She looks healthy though, I read about nematodes and nowhere did it mention bloating being a symptom. She won't "burst" either, so don't worry. Let her do her thing, and keep us updated

I laughed when I saw her name. She does look like cookie dough

Bill S · Sep 22, 2009

I'm not an experienced breeder either, and can't offer advice on that. But I'd lean toward pre-molt. The swelling in a tarantula's abdomen in preparation for molting is not from feeding but from a redistribution of fluids and such. By contrast, it takes nutrient to produce eggs, so I'd expect a tarantula getting ready to produce eggs to be putting away crickets prior to laying eggs.

Teal · Sep 23, 2009

Thanks yall! She's going through QUITE the pre-molt, if that's the case!

ranchulas · Sep 23, 2009

Time will tell either way....Let us no what happens. I hope shes gravid for you!

Falk · Sep 23, 2009

I dont think its a pre molt

you can update with pics of your eggsack when u see it.

Teal · Sep 23, 2009

Thanks for the input guys! I feel like a total b**** now for moving her.. I hope it didn't stress her out too much

I am going to lose my little mind if she has a sac! I've never done slings before! Guess I should star researching, just in case...!

RottweilExpress · Sep 23, 2009

Or...it's a -parasite- that's grown huge over the months.

Moltar · Sep 23, 2009

I agree that she's probably gravid. Assuming that these guys lay the same type of eggsac as P murinus, you should know it won't be a round sac she carries around. Rather, it will be a mass of heavy webbing somewhere in here lair. If she comes out all skinny but hasn't molted you'll need to start thinking about how you're going to seperate her and find the eggsac.

xhexdx · Sep 23, 2009

I agree with Ethan and the others who say she's probably gravid.

Teal,

If I missed it, I apologize, but did you ever state where you bought this spider from?

If you got it from a pet shop or a dealer, it's probably wild-caught, and is probably gravid.

Try not to bother her too much and you should be fine.

--Joe

curiousme · Sep 23, 2009

We had a WC Haplopelma sp.Vietnam that we purchased from a LPS in Dec. '08, but she had been there for at least a month. She ate alright for a month or two and then decided to hole up in her burrow until May 23, '09. She resurfaced with an eggsac in tow. Luckily for us the eggs weren't any good, but we tried to incubate them anyway. We had no idea she was gravid, but from the size of her abdomen we should have. We have never bred Ts, so i guess it is understandable. She is of course a different Genus altogether from yours, but that was our experience.

Moose9 · Sep 23, 2009

Mine looked just like that and acted the same way. I too had mine for 2-3 months. Then one day I check and she had layed an egg sack. Just to let you know, mine never rolled up the sack, she just hovered over it. I kept her container moist cause of the eggs and the eggs hatched 21 days later with her. I didn't get a chance to pull the sack. I was going to pull the sack the day they hatched. I ended up taking mom out and letting the slings settle in. I separated the slings at 1st instar cause for some reason they were just dropping dead, almost like a bad molt. They didn't cannibalize, they just swelled and died. There was plenty of moisture. Anyhow out of around 80 or so, I ended up with 39 survivors that are now 2nd instar and eating well. One month after the eggs hatched, mom molted. Now she has a really skinny abdomen and should be ready to eat again in a couple days. Good luck!

xhexdx · Sep 23, 2009

Maybe they died because of all the moisture...

Pterinochilus usually like it on the dry side.

Moose9 · Sep 23, 2009

xhexdx said:
Maybe they died because of all the moisture...

Pterinochilus usually like it on the dry side.

It's possible. I had read many different sources saying that slings in general need plenty of humidity so they molt well, etc... So I made sure the substrate was moist/damp, not soaking wet or anything. I know the as adults they like it dry. I still keep the slings substrate damp and there doing well. It was the transition from eggs w/leggs and 1st instar to 2nd instar.

Teal · Sep 24, 2009

Thanks so much for the replies everyone! I REALLY wish I would have just left her alone... I feel so bad for her now! But, I didn't know how HUGE she was until I broke into her hide, considering I hadn't seen her in 3 months! I just hope she gets comfortable in her new place... though she hasn't tried to hide yet She's completely out in the open right now.

Is there any risk to her own life from the stress of being moved? If she lays a sac and it isn't any good, that's fine... I just don't want HER to die over the stress of being ready to lay a sac and then being moved to a new container.

Should I be so worried? I've never done this before! lol I just don't want to have done something that is going to kill her It would be awesome if she lays a sac and I'm able to incubate it.. but HER safety comes first.

xhexdx · Sep 24, 2009

Stop being worried. She'll be fine.

Twisted · Sep 24, 2009

No matter what stress may or may not have been caused by the move the best thing now is probably to just leave her alone. She'll settle in. Of course, this advice is coming from a newbie....

;P

P. lugardi Causing Confusion! Help?

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