Advice please - it looks like a bad moult - Update

[Enn49]

My 3" S. calceatum moulted at some time in the last 2-3 weeks and emerged from hiding 3 days ago. At first it was just its usual few hairy legs that were visible then it did something quite out of character and clambered up the wood in full view. Last night I found Peanut huddled up next to the water bowl and thought it was dying but this morning it ran up the wood again when I checked on it. Since then Peanut has moved back onto the ground, still hunched up and I noticed a leg sticking up at an unnatural angle.
It's looking as though it's had a bad moult but I don't know how to help.

Photo taken 3 days ago. Looking back at it now I can see what appears to be a leg that looks different to the others on the right.

This is its current position and the leg is clearly sticking up in an odd fashion.

 

[Enn49]

I've managed to paint the leg with water using a soft brush. Peanut at least has managed to kill a cricket tonight, not sure if it's been eaten or not though.

 

[Metalman2004]

At this point it should be fully hardened so if old exo is stuck it probably won’t be coming off. If it is just the leg it’ll decide if/ when it needs to let go of the le and move on with life.

This wasn’t from a molt, but one of mine had a bum leg when it arrived to me. It kept it for teo weeks before deciding to cast it off on its own. It molted a couple weeks ago and has a mini-leg to replace the old one.

 

[Enn49]

@Metalman2004 I think it is just the leg, I can see the rest of the old exo but I can't get at it to check it. All the other legs look fine. I did wonder how soon it would cast the leg so it's good to know it can take as long as 2 weeks.

My P.met lost a leg last moult, fell out of her hammock midway through, and I'm still waiting for her to moult again. The trouble is she hasn't been able to web since so she can't make a moult mat or hammock this time.

 

[Metalman2004]

@Metalman2004 I think it is just the leg, I can see the rest of the old exo but I can't get at it to check it. All the other legs look fine. I did wonder how soon it would cast the leg so it's good to know it can take as long as 2 weeks.

My P.met lost a leg last moult, fell out of her hammock midway through, and I'm still waiting for her to moult again. The trouble is she hasn't been able to web since so she can't make a moult mat or hammock this time.

Hmm thats an interestinng one with the P metallica. I’m surprised that the loss of only one leg is effecting her that much.

Good luck, I’m sure they’ll both heal up in time! And happy Thanksgiving (if you do that sort of thing)!

 

[Enn49]

Hmm thats an interestinng one with the P metallica. I’m surprised that the loss of only one leg is effecting her that much.

Good luck, I’m sure they’ll both heal up in time! And happy Thanksgiving (if you do that sort of thing)!

The P. met has behaved quite normally over the 14 months since that last moult except for not webbing, she eats and poops fine.
As for Peanut, it has gone back into its burrow so I can't see what's happening. I guess time will tell.
We don't celebrate Thanksgiving here but I hope you have a great day

 

[Enn49]

I have at last managed to get a photo of Peanut that shows more of its problems. It appears that all the legs are ok but there is an extra one that appears to be part of the old exo. My big worry is that there appears to be a problem with the Chelicerae, it looks as though some is still attached.
As it's been 4-5 weeks since the moult I have no idea what I can do to help. Peanut has been climbing around on the wood most days.

 

[Metalman2004]

I don’t think there is anything you can do. Has Peanut eaten since the molt?

 

[Enn49]

@Metalman2004 I fed it just 1 cricket a few days after I first posted this and I think it ate it, I know Peanut had killed it but then it disappeared so I guess it got eaten. I've just put a couple in tonight so I shall keep an eye on the situation.

 

[Metalman2004]

Well if it can eat then I guess you’ll see what happens with the next molt. If its having problems eating it may be cricket soup time.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Well if it can eat then I guess you’ll see what happens with the next molt. If its having problems eating it may be cricket soup time.

I prefer superworm soup myself... I hope all goes well with peanut.

 

[Entity]

Yeah and peanut is sure not the species to be messing with too much....good luck with her @Enn49

 

[Enn49]

@Entity I'm feeling a bit more hopeful as I think Peanut ate yesterday. It's certainly fairly active and I really don't want to mess with it if I can avoid it.

 

[Thistles]

Hey Enn, sorry to see that. I just noticed the thread. If you can keep Peanut alive until the next molt, hopefully things will sort themselves out. Eating is a good sign, but with a mouth like that you might have to make soup. I had an LV sling that had the fangs stick, but I found it shortly after the molt and was able to gently remove them. The little beastie ended up looking like a vampire because the new fangs were pulled down instead of folding back, but with some home-made soup he pulled through. Just keep an eye on body condition and hope for the best. They usually molt faster if they're injured. Their bodies know something isn't right and try to correct, I think.

The bigger hitch I see is that that looks like a MM to me. See if you can see emboli.

 

[Enn49]

@Thistles Thank you. I just wish I'd seen it sooner but it spent a lot of time in all the webbing behind the wood so I don't really when the moult happened. I have seen Peanut drinking and at least for now it's spending most of its time in full view, usually up the wood so I can keep an eye on the situation.

 

[Thistles]

@Thistles Thank you. I just wish I'd seen it sooner but it spent a lot of time in all the webbing behind the wood so I don't really when the moult happened. I have seen Peanut drinking and at least for now it's spending most of its time in full view, usually up the wood so I can keep an eye on the situation.

No man-parts in sight?

 

[Enn49]

No man-parts in sight?

I never get chance of a ventral view and I've not seen any sign of spurs.

 

[Thistles]

I never get chance of a ventral view and I've not seen any sign of spurs.

I'd look at the palps, but based on coloration and how fluffy Peanut is, I'd guess he's a mature male. Nothing you can do either way, though, beyond what you've already done.

 

[Enn49]

I'd look at the palps, but based on coloration and how fluffy Peanut is, I'd guess he's a mature male. Nothing you can do either way, though, beyond what you've already done.

I'll try to get a look at the palps although it won't be easy.

 

[LGTARANTULAS]

I'm sure peanut will be fine as long as it keeps eating and is well hydrated. When they have something wrong like a missing leg, I know they moult sooner to fix their irregularities. Like you said, just keep an eye on it. If it starts to death curl, put it in an ICU, maybe try pull it off even when in that situation as it won't really be able to do much and then if it doesn't drink. Try to give her a drink by flipping her and dabbing some water on her mouth using a Q-tip.