Leaking T - please help!

blckwidow75 · Dec 3, 2004

My cat knocked over two of my larger kritter keepers about 1/2 hour ago. My very favorite tarantula, my B. Emilia, was injured. If she doesn't make it, I don't know what I'm going to do. She is not leaking hemolymph from her abdomen, but she is leaking from two of her legs. I don't have a digital camera & I'm not sure if the amount she's leaked so far is considered a lot or not. It seems like a lot to me but that might be b/c I'm freaked out. I never really thought I would have to deal with this. I tried dabbing her with toilet tissue and I got out the cornstarch but after consulting the Tarantula Keeper's Guide, it sounded like the best thing to do was leave her alone. She is moving when prodded and I tried putting her near her water dish and she didn't want any. Has anyone had their tarantulas lose fluid and make it through??? I did a search and saw that someone else's T lost two legs and didn't even appear to be leaking and died anyway. I am so worried. Does anyone have any suggestions?

fyic · Dec 3, 2004

I'm still new to all this but maybe this will help
I have seen post about useing superglue
don't know if it works but I guess it can't hurt

metzgerzoo · Dec 3, 2004

That happened to my rosie...needless to say, I no longer have the cat. Anyway, the first thing you need to do is calm down and try to relax. Put your T in a warm ICU with only a damp paper towl on the bottom. Put some tissue on the legs that appear to be bleeding, set her in a quiet, dark place and leave her be as much as possible. The more you move her, the more stressed she'll get. If it's just her legs that got injured, she, by most accounts, should be fine. I've had this happen to Ts before and they've come through it just fine.
Also, make certain that it is coming from the legs. The only reason I say this is because when our rosie took a 5 foot plunge in her glass tank...it appeared that she was leaking from her legs and abdomen, however, upon closer inspection, it turned out she was actually secreting venom and it was dripping down the side of her ICU container.
Good luck and keep us posted.

Dekejis · Dec 3, 2004

I've had that happen before. I had a young G. aureostriata that had a really hard molt once and when she finally shed the skin I noticed she was leaking from two legs. I dabbed a Q-tip on there and left her alone and she came out fine.

PapaRoacher · Dec 3, 2004

Their legs are like pipes and valves... She'll seal off the leak on her own, but, just as a precaution, buy some "New Skin" from your local drugstore, and stray some into a cap, and dab it on the wounds with a Q-Tip...

A similar incident occured with my G. Rosea a month or two back... One of my cats had pushed in the lid (He likes to sleep ontop of the aquarium) and the door hit the spider...

Since then, finding a better solution to my problem that was better than getting rid of my cats was pretty simple, I put a Nintendo mousepad ontop of the aquarium with all four legs of the mouse pad on the edges so the lid won't get pushed in... Now my cats can come and go as they please with no danger...

You might consider moving your Critter cages onto a higher hieght, or a tighter space, so a cat paw cannot wrap around them and knock them over... Try a bookshelf, or an Entertainment-center shelf... All my aquariums exept for the G. Rosea's are in really tight spaces, at most there is a centimeter of space on either side of the aquarium...

...

Well... Back on topic, I think your leaking T will be fine, but still try and use that Liquid bandage...

Scott C. · Dec 3, 2004

Superglue works great in my experience. If you use it make sure you do not disturb the T at all until it molts because the glue is rigid and cannot bend. If the leak is not on a joint then you don't have to worry about that though. Good luck with the injured.
Oh yeah... Lose the cat. Mammals suck.

PapaRoacher · Dec 3, 2004

Scott C. said:
Lose the cat. Mammals suck

Cats are awesome pets, dude...

CIRE · Dec 3, 2004

Scott C. said:
Lose the cat. Mammals suck.

Last time I checked, only chimps and humans were able to type at a relatively proficient level...so that makes you a mammal dude...welcome to the club that SUCKS!

becca81 · Dec 3, 2004

blckwidow75 said:
My cat knocked over two of my larger kritter keepers about 1/2 hour ago. My very favorite tarantula, my B. Emilia, was injured. If she doesn't make it, I don't know what I'm going to do. She is not leaking hemolymph from her abdomen, but she is leaking from two of her legs. I don't have a digital camera & I'm not sure if the amount she's leaked so far is considered a lot or not. It seems like a lot to me but that might be b/c I'm freaked out. I never really thought I would have to deal with this. I tried dabbing her with toilet tissue and I got out the cornstarch but after consulting the Tarantula Keeper's Guide, it sounded like the best thing to do was leave her alone. She is moving when prodded and I tried putting her near her water dish and she didn't want any. Has anyone had their tarantulas lose fluid and make it through??? I did a search and saw that someone else's T lost two legs and didn't even appear to be leaking and died anyway. I am so worried. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Remember that tarantulas do not "clot" like humans do. If a leg is damaged beyond repair, the tarantula will likely release the leg and it will regenerate over the next few molts. Tarantulas have the ability to release a leg and "close up" the hole.

blckwidow75 · Dec 4, 2004

Thanks to everyone for the replies. She seems to be ok for now....knock on wood. I put cornstarch on the injured area this morning before I left for work and when I came home I placed her in a "warm ICU." Her one leg is pretty useless so I think the next hurdle will be the next molt. She hasn't dropped it though, I wonder why - ?? I was so happy to come home to find out she was still with us.
Paparoacher - I have 3 10-gallon tanks on a 4 tier utility shelf and they seem to be too heavy for the cat to mess with. It's the plastic kritter keepers that are giving me problems. I will have to move them to the spare bedroom and keep the door shut when I'm not home. Or I could get a higher shelf.
I really don't blame the cat; he has warned me enough that he planned to do his best to knock them over. I thought using the spray bottle enough on him would train him not to go over there. yeah right - - :worship:
Well thank you for easing my worries guys. I'll update the thread with any news.

Randy · Dec 4, 2004

if its not leaking at on the abdomen, you dont have to worry too much, my obt once fell onto it water dish and the edge was a little sharp(i've replaced it with another) so it started to bleed. by night time, when i went to chek on it, it has already pull off its leg and in fact eating it.. i am sure they know what to do ..

Carmen · Mar 8, 2005

Mammals suck

Scott C. said:
Superglue works great in my experience. If you use it make sure you do not disturb the T at all until it molts because the glue is rigid and cannot bend. If the leak is not on a joint then you don't have to worry about that though. Good luck with the injured.
Oh yeah... Lose the cat. Mammals suck.

No one who does not value all of nature's wonderful creatures should own a T or any other pet. All living things are important and all life is a miracle.

I am a retired vet tech & love them all.

Dr Pies · Mar 8, 2005

Does that include Centipedes too Carmen? I hate em..! eurgh!

iluvspydrz · Mar 9, 2005

Carmen said:
No one who does not value all of nature's wonderful creatures should own a T or any other pet. All living things are important and all life is a miracle.

I am a retired vet tech & love them all.

i completely agree with you

although.... humans do disappoint me sometimes
LOL

Scott C. · Mar 9, 2005

Carmen said:
No one who does not value all of nature's wonderful creatures should own a T or any other pet. All living things are important and all life is a miracle.

I am a retired vet tech & love them all.

Ever swat a fly? How about flea treatment for those cats? Ant invasions? Hard to imagine not harming a single one. You eat meat?
Oh well, guess I'll have to lose the T's since I clearly don't care enough to disregard personal preference.

Fare the well.

Decapod73 · Mar 9, 2005

metzgerzoo said:
That happened to my rosie...needless to say, I no longer have the cat.

I realize I'm on the wrong forum to be saying this, but you have very bizarre pet priorities.

I'm sure it's entirely possible to secure tarantula housing such that other pets do not pose a risk.

Edit: To the OP, I'm sorry about the accident and hope things work out! I know Ts can survive loss of a leg, so this shouldn't be a mortal injury.

Apocalypstick · Mar 9, 2005

Carmen...you can have all the mites and nematodes too.
Oh, and tapeworms, heartworms, pinworms, and all other parasitic worms that feast on live animals and actually have no purpose other than to cause illness. You can have ticks, mosquitos, and TseTse flys that do nothing but spead disease. And you can have..... oh nevermind

RazorRipley · Mar 9, 2005

MAMMALS DO SUCK!! except for the Myrmecophaga giant anteater

nissan480 · Jul 24, 2006

mammals are companions,inverts are pets.

here's a good example,id never run into my burning house to save my pede's,but i damn sure would for my dog.

of course this is my opinion,and i feel sad for the people who have never had a "OLD YELLER".

dogs and horses and such have developed a bond spanning over century's.dogs and horses are necessary tools,and companions,inverts are not.

total thread hijack,my bad.i didnt think there were people who didnt understand the difference,whatever your "PET" choice.

i hope your T is doing good

again,just my opinion,that i think is 100% right.....LOL

darkness · Jul 24, 2006

Carmen said:
No one who does not value all of nature's wonderful creatures should own a T or any other pet. All living things are important and all life is a miracle.

I am a retired vet tech & love them all.

Im agreeing with Scott my dogs get in my trash all the time I somtimes regreat getting them at all i guess ill have to lose my Ts to yo

Leaking T - please help!

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