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After molt..DKS symptoms

Tnoob

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At what point in watching your animals suffer do you decide that it's not a healthy life and decide to take other options, then, @Enn49 ?
 

Enn49

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At what point in watching your animals suffer do you decide that it's not a healthy life and decide to take other options, then, @Enn49 ?

My animals are never allowed to suffer but what about yours, I've been hearing stories of you killing your Ts.
 

Tnoob

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I had my first two die on me, sure. My other 5 are still alive and quite healthy though. I certainly wouldn't put someone down because they are struggling with something that might be out of their control. So, thanks for your help in everything, Enn, but I think what you're saying ere is a little less than helpful.
My animals are never allowed to suffer but what about yours, I've been hearing stories of you killing your Ts.
 

Casey K.

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Well. This has been interesting. :) I have experienced symptoms of DKS in a couple of my tarantulas. One was not so fortunate to make it. The other (Aphonopelma seemani) made it just fine. The main thing I did was to encourage eating....sometimes force feeding when necessary. I know this seems a bit odd but I'm only giving advice based on MY personal experience with this. I also think I recall a friend of mine (@Austin S.) mentioning a tarantula being able to molt successfully out of these symptoms....but it's been a while so my memory is vague....needless to say, that's exactly what happened with my seemani. It looked like she was having seizures (literally). She had issues hunting so I started pre-killing her food and placing it in her enclosure. She was about 2.5" at the time she started showing signs and it was as you stated....not long after molting....maybe within a week or so. She wasn't taking the pre-killed after offering several times and started to lose weight (abdomen was getting smaller). I removed her water dish and replaced it with tarantula soup that consisted of gut loaded crickets and dubia feeder roaches crushed up mixed with sugar water. Yes, I said sugar water. Removing her water dish made her go to the soup, instead for hydration. So I didn't take from her initially.....i only added to it. She was still getting her hydration (as most T's do from their meals) but now she had nutrients to go with it. If the tarantula is in such bad shape that it can't hold itself over a water dish or soup dish to consume anything, there are ways to force feed them. I usually do the pinch and grab method but some feel that's bad for a tarantula. You can sedate your tarantula, as well....but I've never done any of those methods so I wont offer advice on how to do it. Anyway....my seemani started to improve after trying everything I could....her weight started to increase and I was optimistic. Eventually, she ended up molting and now she is a full grown adult female seemani with no issues. I'm not sure exactly what causes DKS but she was never around any chemicals....aerosols....etc. Not even possible. DKS is something very tragic for tarantulas and most don't make it....when all else fails and there is no hope...and you see your spider suffering to no end....perhaps the best thing to do is to humanely put it to sleep. I have had to do this. Place your tarantula (wrapped in soft paper towels in a container) inside your refrigerator for at least 24 hours....other people say only a few hours but i dont take any chances on any suffering....this slows the tarantulas metabolism down...kinda like going into hibernation so to speak....afterwards, remove the tarantula from the fridge and place it in the freezer for a few hours. This may seem harsh and I hope you dont have to do this but I find this to be a humane way to allow them to pass peacefully without pain because the tarantula is already suffering. I hope it doesn't come to this and anything you do...any amount of effort you put into your tarantula is better than not trying at all. Only take the last steps if you feel there is no hope for your critter. I wish you the best of luck and my fingers are crossed for your T to make it and be healthy again.
 

ilovebrachys

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Well. This has been interesting. :) I have experienced symptoms of DKS in a couple of my tarantulas. One was not so fortunate to make it. The other (Aphonopelma seemani) made it just fine. The main thing I did was to encourage eating....sometimes force feeding when necessary. I know this seems a bit odd but I'm only giving advice based on MY personal experience with this. I also think I recall a friend of mine (@Austin S.) mentioning a tarantula being able to molt successfully out of these symptoms....but it's been a while so my memory is vague....needless to say, that's exactly what happened with my seemani. It looked like she was having seizures (literally). She had issues hunting so I started pre-killing her food and placing it in her enclosure. She was about 2.5" at the time she started showing signs and it was as you stated....not long after molting....maybe within a week or so. She wasn't taking the pre-killed after offering several times and started to lose weight (abdomen was getting smaller). I removed her water dish and replaced it with tarantula soup that consisted of gut loaded crickets and dubia feeder roaches crushed up mixed with sugar water. Yes, I said sugar water. Removing her water dish made her go to the soup, instead for hydration. So I didn't take from her initially.....i only added to it. She was still getting her hydration (as most T's do from their meals) but now she had nutrients to go with it. If the tarantula is in such bad shape that it can't hold itself over a water dish or soup dish to consume anything, there are ways to force feed them. I usually do the pinch and grab method but some feel that's bad for a tarantula. You can sedate your tarantula, as well....but I've never done any of those methods so I wont offer advice on how to do it. Anyway....my seemani started to improve after trying everything I could....her weight started to increase and I was optimistic. Eventually, she ended up molting and now she is a full grown adult female seemani with no issues. I'm not sure exactly what causes DKS but she was never around any chemicals....aerosols....etc. Not even possible. DKS is something very tragic for tarantulas and most don't make it....when all else fails and there is no hope...and you see your spider suffering to no end....perhaps the best thing to do is to humanely put it to sleep. I have had to do this. Place your tarantula (wrapped in soft paper towels in a container) inside your refrigerator for at least 24 hours....other people say only a few hours but i dont take any chances on any suffering....this slows the tarantulas metabolism down...kinda like going into hibernation so to speak....afterwards, remove the tarantula from the fridge and place it in the freezer for a few hours. This may seem harsh and I hope you dont have to do this but I find this to be a humane way to allow them to pass peacefully without pain because the tarantula is already suffering. I hope it doesn't come to this and anything you do...any amount of effort you put into your tarantula is better than not trying at all. Only take the last steps if you feel there is no hope for your critter. I wish you the best of luck and my fingers are crossed for your T to make it and be healthy again.
Thankyou @Casey K. for your helpful , informative and very useful advice :)
 

Holly

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Thankyou @Casey K. for your helpful , informative and very useful advice :)
Casey, thank you so much for this info, greatly appreciated! I did pre kill crickets but there was no interest. Observing the last few days, it seems to be worse and very unstable. Definitely unable to stand over the shallow water dish or even steer into the hide. I think that I will take your advise on the refrigerator & freezer at this point. I am going to end its suffering as this is difficult to watch and I believe that it is time to help end what I can only imagine for my T how unbearable it must be. Now that I have experienced this horrible affliction/disease, I think that early intervention may be the key to helping them to survive. It seems to have gone downhill quickly. Thanks again :)
 

Casey K.

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I might not be the most knowledgeable, but I think I can run a Google search. I wish you the best in your decisions, whatever they are.

Great links and references provided!
 

Casey K.

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Casey, thank you so much for this info, greatly appreciated! I did pre kill crickets but there was no interest. Observing the last few days, it seems to be worse and very unstable. Definitely unable to stand over the shallow water dish or even steer into the hide. I think that I will take your advise on the refrigerator & freezer at this point. I am going to end its suffering as this is difficult to watch and I believe that it is time to help end what I can only imagine for my T how unbearable it must be. Now that I have experienced this horrible affliction/disease, I think that early intervention may be the key to helping them to survive. It seems to have gone downhill quickly. Thanks again :)


You are more than welcome, sweety. You have my sympathy for having to deal with such a horrible loss and I do appreciate you taking my advice. I'd like to offer you a free sling of choice for your loss....if I may? If you accept, shoot me a pm. :) It's very sad to lose one but always a great joy to expect that new package arrive. It won't replace your loss but it may offer you some comfort. :)
 

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