Hagraven
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 137
- Location
- United States
The quick version:
1. New spider, housed in swampy conditions
2. Partial death curling observed
3. Moved to well ventilated, temporary, drier enclosure
4. A week has passed with little improvement
The longer version:
Meet "Abaddon," my recently adopted Chilobrachys sp. prachuap khiri khan.
I received them as a 2-inch? sling in a small plastic container with a line of small ventilation holes punched round the entire thing. The substrate was some kind of soil mix- not coco fiber. The little spider had made extensive web tunnels and structures- webbed right up against the enclosure lid.
One day I saw them in a partial death curl- legs curling under their carapce. And when I moved the enclosure to get a better understanding of their condition I watched them move awkwardly and clumsily and slowly.
A small amount of investigation proved that the substrate was really wet, and with the little ventilation available conditions were fairly "swampy."
In this original enclosure they had a water dish, but it was upside down and webbed over.
The same day I saw them curling I moved them into a much more ventilated enclosure and filled it with dry cocofiber. This enclosure is not meant to be their permanent home, but a reprieve from the stagnant, wet conditions. I also have a small fan running in the room- but not directly at them. Just want the air to be moving.
I have a water dish available, and have allowed some moisture to saturate the substrate- but wanted to make sure I didn't over do it and create the same poor conditions as before.
I have dripped water over their chelicerae, just in case this is somehow (despite the "swamp") a case of dehydration.
When I open this enclosure lid they react sluggisly, moving very little however. If I drip water over them they seem to snap to life and will move quickly, a few inches here or there, as if they were totally healthy. But if I leave and return to check on them an hour or so later, they will return to the legs under carapace posture.
Most of the time however at least one or two legs remains extended. I will get a picture of their curling. For now, I have a few of the new enclosure and of "Abaddon" themselves, photographed after having moved (and so will not appear unhealthy whatsoever).
It's been a week and they remain in this way- I can't tell if they are slowly recovering or slowly fading. Thank you so much for your time.
1. New spider, housed in swampy conditions
2. Partial death curling observed
3. Moved to well ventilated, temporary, drier enclosure
4. A week has passed with little improvement
The longer version:
Meet "Abaddon," my recently adopted Chilobrachys sp. prachuap khiri khan.
I received them as a 2-inch? sling in a small plastic container with a line of small ventilation holes punched round the entire thing. The substrate was some kind of soil mix- not coco fiber. The little spider had made extensive web tunnels and structures- webbed right up against the enclosure lid.
One day I saw them in a partial death curl- legs curling under their carapce. And when I moved the enclosure to get a better understanding of their condition I watched them move awkwardly and clumsily and slowly.
A small amount of investigation proved that the substrate was really wet, and with the little ventilation available conditions were fairly "swampy."
In this original enclosure they had a water dish, but it was upside down and webbed over.
The same day I saw them curling I moved them into a much more ventilated enclosure and filled it with dry cocofiber. This enclosure is not meant to be their permanent home, but a reprieve from the stagnant, wet conditions. I also have a small fan running in the room- but not directly at them. Just want the air to be moving.
I have a water dish available, and have allowed some moisture to saturate the substrate- but wanted to make sure I didn't over do it and create the same poor conditions as before.
I have dripped water over their chelicerae, just in case this is somehow (despite the "swamp") a case of dehydration.
When I open this enclosure lid they react sluggisly, moving very little however. If I drip water over them they seem to snap to life and will move quickly, a few inches here or there, as if they were totally healthy. But if I leave and return to check on them an hour or so later, they will return to the legs under carapace posture.
Most of the time however at least one or two legs remains extended. I will get a picture of their curling. For now, I have a few of the new enclosure and of "Abaddon" themselves, photographed after having moved (and so will not appear unhealthy whatsoever).
It's been a week and they remain in this way- I can't tell if they are slowly recovering or slowly fading. Thank you so much for your time.
