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Dead Tarantula

InternetSwag

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
210
Location
Africa
Hi guys, my histerocratus gigas just died.
I have no idea wtf was going on with him.

He was perfectly fine, had him for over a year now since he was a sling.
Had water, was fed.
About 5 days ago his movements became erratic. Like spasm like. He wouldn't walk normally he would spazz around. Checked to see if he had water. He did. Tried to feed him a prekill, he ate it.
But every time he moved he would spazz. Like a seizure type thing.
Found him in his water dish upside down 2 days ago floating. Took him out. Same spazz movement.

Today. Dead. or close to dead. In Semi death curl No movement. No reaction.
lightly touched him with a swab. no reaction. flipped him over to see if any impaction or anything, no reaction. no movement. No sign of molting. Dropped some water on his mouth.

Nothing.

Guess hes dead?
 

octanejunkie

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3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
4,163
Sounds like he might be, but I'd wait another day.

Sorry, that sucks
 

Enn49

Moderator
Staff member
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10,891
Location
Malton, UK
I'm so sorry.
May I ask if anyone has used any chemicals, sprays or animal flea products around his container recently?
 

InternetSwag

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
210
Location
Africa
I'm so sorry.
May I ask if anyone has used any chemicals, sprays or animal flea products around his container recently?
No, not that I know of. I keep all my T's in my cupboard on the same shelf. So I guess the others would also have been affected. I also tend to feed them all at the same time, so if something somehow got to him during taking them from my cupboard to my desk where I feed them. Idk, should have effected them all?

He didn't even molt recently. So Idk. Unless I fed him something that was bad for him? I feed them mealworms every few days/weeks depending on how often they wanna eat. can a mealworm have a parasite or some thing

All my mealworms are in the same container too so i really dont know
 

InternetSwag

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
210
Location
Africa

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InternetSwag

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
210
Location
Africa
So in that pic hes not molting, he's like that because I put him like that. He was on his belly legs slightly curled in. He doesnt move at all. I try to keep his substrate slightly moist because its crates gigas.
 

Jess S

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1,197
Location
South Wales
Any chance it could have been exposed to very high temperature or vice versa for a period of time?

From the photo it looks like it could be in premoult as the abdomen looks to be darkening and shiny. Sad when a sling declines suddenly.
 

InternetSwag

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
210
Location
Africa
Any chance it could have been exposed to very high temperature or vice versa for a period of time?

From the photo it looks like it could be in premoult as the abdomen looks to be darkening and shiny. Sad when a sling declines suddenly.
Man if he molts ill be so happy. Crisis averted lol

I don't know about heat. I live in Africa so it's always hot lol. Maybe there was a heat wave.
 

Jess S

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1,197
Location
South Wales
Man if he molts ill be so happy. Crisis averted lol

I don't know about heat. I live in Africa so it's always hot lol. Maybe there was a heat wave.
Obviously, it's not normal premoult behaviour at all, sounds more like DKS, but yeah, if it moulted soon it would be a relief, so fingers crossed. You said earlier it's dead, have you seen signs of life since?

Very difficult to narrow down the cause especially if, as in your case, you have other t's, kept on the same shelf and fed the same feeders on the same day, who are unaffected.
 

WolfSpider

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3 Year Member
Messages
1,155
Location
Florida
The most common cause of DKS: unknown/idiopathic. I am sure you did nothing wrong. Just like cancer in humans, DKS in Ts just happens sometimes. Sadly, we know so very little about it.

It can be difficult to know if your T passes. Please accept these general rules: a very sick T will stress curl. If the legs are "fixed" in whatever position, it has died less than 10 hours ago. After 10 hours, the whole body becomes soft, flaccid, and the T will slowly become putrid. I know it is morbid to discuss and I am sorry, but as a physician, sadly, I understand the pathological changes in death.
 
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