A waiting game...

katiekatelyn · Dec 5, 2014

My MM t

heraphosa stirmi refused food, has been acting weird, and looks like he's in the death curl position. It really sucks having to watch your tarantula die. It's one thing to come across them dead, but quite different to witness it happening. I hope he's not in pain!

MatthewM1 · Dec 5, 2014

I feel ya, it sucks. I just lost a juvie female P. reduncus to a bad molt a couple days ago She ruptured her prosoma struggling with stuck legs, I tried everything I could to help but it was no use.

Glad you were able to give him a great home for the last legs of his life.

Rick Stallard · Dec 5, 2014

If you're sure it's a death curl,. you could place him in the freezer and quicken the end. I don't think they know whats happening, so they just go to sleep. Funny how we get attached to a spider, and it's always sad to lose one.

katiekatelyn · Dec 6, 2014

Yeah it was a death curl, my boyfriend some me up with the news of his passing this morning.

Martin Oosthuysen · Dec 6, 2014

Sorry to hear, I experienced a loss as well I had a male m.Balfouri in with my female sharing the enclosure he died peacefully.

Enn49 · Dec 6, 2014

Rick Stallard said:
If you're sure it's a death curl,. you could place him in the freezer and quicken the end. I don't think they know whats happening, so they just go to sleep. Funny how we get attached to a spider, and it's always sad to lose one.

I was always led to believe that freezing is in fact a painful way to kill them as the body fluid freeze first, expand and cause immense pain. I know this is true in snakes but am only guessing it will be the same in inverts.

The best way in my opinion is a quick blow to the head.

Enn49 · Dec 6, 2014

katiekatelyn said:
Yeah it was a death curl, my boyfriend some me up with the news of his passing this morning.

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. I'm dreading the thought of losing any to old age.

Rick Stallard · Dec 6, 2014

Enn49 said:
I was always led to believe that freezing is in fact a painful way to kill them as the body fluid freeze first, expand and cause immense pain. I know this is true in snakes but am only guessing it will be the same in inverts.

The best way in my opinion is a quick blow to the head.

I have not read about it that way. We have no way of knowing what anything feels as far as a pain, using this method, except for a human. It's well documented that when a person dies, (from written notes left behind) or is in a near death stage, they all say it was warm and peaceful and all they wanted to do was go to sleep. Human tissue starts to freeze before death, but they don't mention pain, just the opposite. I really doubt there is any pain involved. I collected and raised snakes for almost 20 years before getting into Ts. I had many die. Some go to sleep and never wake and others would twist and roll like in pain, but I really believe that was just involuntary muscle contractions. It's like when a chicken or a snake has it's head cut off, what does it do, it twists and rolls all over the place, but no head, no brain,,,no pain. I could never hit and kill any of my Ts, I just could never do it. I have heard of gassing them, like we did with rats to feed the snakes. Even that seems a bad way to go. So, I guess if you want to end it the quickest way, a blow to the head would be the way, but I like the freezing. Lets all hope having to make that decision is not a common one.

MatthewM1 · Dec 6, 2014

I've heard the same with freezing and herps. Pithing is supposed to be the "best" way. Which is taking a sharp object like a knife and with one swift motions stabbing through the brain. I'm not sure about inverts though

Enn49 · Dec 6, 2014

Rick Stallard said:
I have not read about it that way. We have no way of knowing what anything feels as far as a pain, using this method, except for a human. It's well documented that when a person dies, (from written notes left behind) or is in a near death stage, they all say it was warm and peaceful and all they wanted to do was go to sleep. Human tissue starts to freeze before death, but they don't mention pain, just the opposite. I really doubt there is any pain involved. I collected and raised snakes for almost 20 years before getting into Ts. I had many die. Some go to sleep and never wake and others would twist and roll like in pain, but I really believe that was just involuntary muscle contractions. It's like when a chicken or a snake has it's head cut off, what does it do, it twists and rolls all over the place, but no head, no brain,,,no pain. I could never hit and kill any of my Ts, I just could never do it. I have heard of gassing them, like we did with rats to feed the snakes. Even that seems a bad way to go. So, I guess if you want to end it the quickest way, a blow to the head would be the way, but I like the freezing. Lets all hope having to make that decision is not a common one.

But it is said that a snake with it's head cut off takes an hour for the brain to die thus it must still register pain.

MatthewM1 · Dec 6, 2014

Yeah you need to destroy the brain not just sever it. A cinder block drop is pretty brutal but supposed to be another "painless" way to euthanize.

spidey noob · Dec 6, 2014

havent had to cull any Ts.

but when i was keeping fish i had to cull a few over time

i found the 7 1/2lb mash hammer worked the best. never a nice thing to do so the quicker the better for me !!!

Enn49 · Dec 6, 2014

I suppose a vet would euthanize a T in the same way a cat, dog or snake if anyone couldn't bring themselves to do it themselves. I'm sure the dose would be so small it wouldn't cost too much..

katiekatelyn · Dec 7, 2014

Wow interesting conversation, guys. I couldn't imagine stabbing one of my pets in the brain with a knife. I did make my boyfriend put my dying betta fish in a plastic bag and whack it against the tile wall in the bathroom after he flopped around upside down for three days.

My old man kind of staggered drunkenly around his tank one last time, then settled into his corner where he died. I cried all day yesterday, but I'm glad it's over. I want to preserve him, is there an easy, not disgusting way to do it, that perhaps doesn't involve me scooping out the contents of his abdomen and carapace?

RIP Zeus, xoxo

Fuzzball79 · Dec 7, 2014

So sorry to hear that. RIP, Zeus!

Martin Oosthuysen · Dec 7, 2014

katiekatelyn said:
Wow interesting conversation, guys. I couldn't imagine stabbing one of my pets in the brain with a knife. I did make my boyfriend put my dying betta fish in a plastic bag and whack it against the tile wall in the bathroom after he flopped around upside down for three days.

My old man kind of staggered drunkenly around his tank one last time, then settled into his corner where he died. I cried all day yesterday, but I'm glad it's over. I want to preserve him, is there an easy, not disgusting way to do it, that perhaps doesn't involve me scooping out the contents of his abdomen and carapace?

RIP Zeus, xoxo

Hello
No long story,just sorry to hear that and even though they have a permitted time doesn't change the fact it hurts and we miss each one.

Rick Stallard · Dec 8, 2014

katiekatelyn said:
Wow interesting conversation, guys. I couldn't imagine stabbing one of my pets in the brain with a knife. I did make my boyfriend put my dying betta fish in a plastic bag and whack it against the tile wall in the bathroom after he flopped around upside down for three days.

My old man kind of staggered drunkenly around his tank one last time, then settled into his corner where he died. I cried all day yesterday, but I'm glad it's over. I want to preserve him, is there an easy, not disgusting way to do it, that perhaps doesn't involve me scooping out the contents of his abdomen and carapace?

RIP Zeus, xoxo

Don't mean to laugh, but I had that picture in my mind. I know, I don't care if it's a fish or a dog, we get attached and it's always a sad thing. I have cried more for pets that have dies than for friends. The friends either knew it was coming or made the mistake. My pets I always felt they were saying, whats wrong, why do I feel this way, help me. I'm a grown "old" man, And I bawl!!!! Places like Hobby Lobby have clear resin kits that you could use to make like a huge paperweight. I've done it once about 2 years ago. Put it in the freezer right when it died. Next day took it out, let it thaw couple hours and covered it in resin. Once air tight it won't deteriorate. Sent it to a friend last year. Looked good when I sent it and as far as I know still does.

MatthewM1 · Dec 8, 2014

To preserve him; set him on some paper towel, and stretch out his legs. The claws on the tips of the feet will catch on the paper and hold them in place. Then place that in a container and put him in the freezer for a few months. That will slowly dry out the insides. Then once you take him out to thaw the Abdomen will likely collapse a bit so you'll want to use a sharp razor and make an incision on the ventral side. Q-tip out anything not dried out in it, and replace with a little bit of cotton, then seal it back up with super glue. I haven't done that last part with a T yet( I have a female A. avic in my freezer drying) but I have done it with adult hissing cockroaches to preserve them for a women who owns a small shop around here's son for a school insect project.

spidey noob · Dec 8, 2014

sorry for your loss

katiekatelyn · Dec 15, 2014

MatthewM1 said:
To preserve him; set him on some paper towel, and stretch out his legs. The claws on the tips of the feet will catch on the paper and hold them in place. Then place that in a container and put him in the freezer for a few months. That will slowly dry out the insides. Then once you take him out to thaw the Abdomen will likely collapse a bit so you'll want to use a sharp razor and make an incision on the ventral side. Q-tip out anything not dried out in it, and replace with a little bit of cotton, then seal it back up with super glue. I haven't done that last part with a T yet( I have a female A. avic in my freezer drying) but I have done it with adult hissing cockroaches to preserve them for a women who owns a small shop around here's son for a school insect project.

I was trying to avoid the whole cutting him open and seeing what his insides looked like. I saw a video on YouTube of a taxidermist doing it and while I'm not shy about gore and grossness, I couldn't do that to him. I'd feel like I was desecrating his remains or something. So far I have him stretched out on a plate in my kitchen. Funny story, my best friend (who I'm pretty sure hates all my pets- not just the spiders) walked into my kitchen and let out a bloodcurdling scream when she saw him.
His abdomen is a little shriveled, I guess I should freeze him but I don't have a spare Tupperware to put him in yet.
I took in an abandoned rabbit yesterday as a sort of response to the emptiness of Zeus's huge tank. Maybe I'll name her Hera as a tribute.
Thanks for the kind words, everyone. No one else understands the loss of a fabulous, amazing, giant, hissing, hair-flicking tarantula quite like you guys. <3

A waiting game...

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Moderator

Moderator

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Moderator

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Moderator

Active Member

Attachments

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member