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Brownish spots on b vagans

Is my tarantula dying

  • Yes

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • No

    Votes: 3 100.0%

  • Total voters
    3

Ninicute

New Member
Messages
1
Location
Copenhagen
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Hey everybody ready to help and readers.
I adopted a brachypelma vagans yesterday. The owner was neglecting it so I took the responsibility to take care of it. Even though it is my first type with any kind of tarantulas. She forgot to feed it many times, no water, no hiding space.
I read about the vagans and made it a mix with soil (for humidity) and orchid wood (for looseness), a small water cup, and a safe space to hide.

I’m worried about those brown spots that it got on its butt... could a tarantula develop some bacterial infection or rotting?

I’ll link a picture...
I’m extremely happy to have the possibility to save it and take good care of it.

If anyone could help me understanding, that would be amazing.

Thanks
 

Arachnoclown

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
6,382
Location
The Oregon rain forest
Welcome to the group. Those spots are urticating hairs, she probably did some hair flicking while moving around. No worries at all with the spots, it normal. You should change your substrate though. Tarantulas dislike loose substrate. Wood is also not good...some are a natural deterrent/toxic for insects and invertebrates. I'm not sure about your wood though. Coco fiber or peat is the best choice for your tarantula. They dont need alot of moisture in the substrate. Your substrate should be dry and packed firmly. Everything else sounded great.
 

Dave Jay

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Messages
1,079
Location
Mt Barker South Australia
Welcome! There's lots of good information to be found using the forums' search function, it's just a matter of trying different words and terms, it kept me reading for weeks!
One thing not shown or mentioned is what your ventilation is like, it should be as much as possible for most species. Ventilation holes in the lid are good, but better when combined with holes in the sides/ends. For plastic you can drill, but a soldering iron works very well and for me at least is much quicker and more accurate, my drill is just too heavy to hold one handed for long, most are meant to be used with two hands.
 

Hemolymph

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
216
Location
Clackamas Oregon
Welcome...no your T us not dying. ;) Why would you even think that? I’d ditch that substrate ASAP. If you were a spider would you want to live on that? That would be horrible to have to walk around on. Smooth and compact is what they prefer. They could get abdominal/booklung injuries from walking around on that rough stuff. Cocofiber/topsoil dry and compact is your best bet.
 

ilovebrachys

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Messages
1,809
Location
UK
Welcome...no your T us not dying. ;) Why would you even think that? I’d ditch that substrate ASAP. If you were a spider would you want to live on that? That would be horrible to have to walk around on. Smooth and compact is what they prefer. They could get abdominal/booklung injuries from walking around on that rough stuff. Cocofiber/topsoil dry and compact is your best bet.
Well said @Hemolymph totally agree about the substrate :) and Welcome to you:)
 
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