Is my Brachypelma albopilosum sick?

[m0f0x]

Hello!

I am new to the forum and seek for your wisdom.

I have a 3 years old T and I am not sure what is wrong with her. I noticed some time ago that she became very active, moving all the time, climbing, like she was looking for a way out. After a while she started to lose her hair on her booty and legs . You can see on the pictures how she looked before and now. Please give me some advice on how to help her to recover. Thank you in advance!!!

 

[Tgirl1010]

Are you sure this is a female? In the second set of pictures, your tarantula looks to be a mature male but I can't see the pedipalps well so I can't say for sure.

Edit: In the middle picture on the bottom row, I'm pretty sure I see the pedipalp and it definitely looks to be a mature male. Once a male tarantula matures, they are more interested in finding a female than anything else. They will wander constantly, and often not eat well. Sadly, they usually don't molt again and often don't live very long after the molt. As they age they tend to look pretty rough. I think this is what is going on with your spider.

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

Hello
I used your photo and zoomed in,looking at what I've encircled it looks like a tibial hook. If so,its male and won't truly eat a lot after maturing rather like said above be in search of a female.

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

Tibial hooks

Bulbous Pedipalps

 

[m0f0x]

I thought the T is a female, but now I am not sure anymore. I took a picture and you can check it. So you think s/he is not sick, just looking for a female and ugly? Why did the booty get smaller?

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

She is a He,haha. You could add a female,but if an eggsack will drop is up for debate when he made his sperm web etc all comes into play. Most males have small abdomens,if not all and are more leggy than females.

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

Sorry had to edit your one word out, since its not appropriate for this forum.

 

[m0f0x]

Ok, thank you. So now the only unanswered question is why he has a bald abdomen. Stress or something?

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

No that happens in time,with females it shows upcoming molt or hair flicking as a defensive weapon. In mature males,it shows age hair flicking. Not sure if it could show I'll health,maybe someone could answer that.

 

[hellknite]

It pretty looked like my mature male albopilosum shortly before it died.. And the way you described it, walking all the time and climbing always then after sometime he started to lose hair.. sad story..

 

[m0f0x]

Hi, Sorry for your T. He is also my first T. I hope he will molt soon and get better.

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

Hello
When a male T has tibial hooks its called hooked out,and he will have pedi palps if applicable to the specimen. That means he has reached ultimate molt, he won't molt again.

 

[m0f0x]

WTF, this means he will stay for ever bald?

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

Sorry,till he has lived out his natural life.

 

[m0f0x]

My GF has an adult Female Rosea. Could they possibly mate or would she kill him?

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

Yours is a Brachypelma Albopilosum aka Curly Hair ? If so,Grammostola and Brachypelma can't mate. Even if yours was say a different Grammostola meaning same genus I wouldn't agree or advise to mate two different specimens even though they are in one genus. The hobby is already in a situation,where people say many specimens are accidental hybrids and things like these just add to the problem.

 

[m0f0x]

Ok, thank you for your advice. I will just leave him be and see how long he will live.

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

Its a pleasure,and I hope he still lives a long long time.

 

[hellknite]

Here is my old albo shortly before it died. He never mated. I think they looked the same. I had him also for 3 years..

 

[Sanet Mc Adam]

Thanks for the information, I am sad to say the same here, we just realize what is going on with our loved pet spider... mating season... the end of his life...