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Death curl?

kakalakjak

New Member
Messages
18
Location
NC
This GBB is an educational animal at a zoological park I volunteer at. We got her June 2019 as a sling no bigger than a quarter. She’s molted 5 times in our care. The last few were about 3 months apart. She last molted mid-August. Friday she was observed moving about her enclosure and hovering over her water bowl. She then went to the side of her enclosure and laid sideways, expelling a few drops from her fangs onto the side. Then moving the drops around and towards her mouth (so it was assumed she was drinking). I was sent choppy video of that. She was not seen moving again after that. Saturday another person reported seeing her on that same side with a mealworm she must have found from a prior feeding. She was sort of wedged between the wall and a cork tunnel but not crammed in there. The tunnel was moved slightly Saturday evening to give her more space in the event she was molting. Sunday is when I first saw her in person. She was still on her side. I removed the tunnel to try to get a better look. No movement. Monday she was reported to have “buried herself further” but my assumption is the table she’s on was knocked or she may have been trying to molt and her movement put her on her back. I went there tonight to collect her and put her in a T ICU according to the Schultzs’ book. Moved her with a thin piece of cardboard into the container. She’s in that, in another container with bedding and that’s on a heating pad on low to keep the wet towel from getting cool (I’m checking frequently to make sure it’s not hot, the towel is barely RT).

There’s no horrible smell so I’m not giving up yet! I do microsurgery at work so have access to a microscope and tools , and a steady hand if absolutely needed.

Any advice???
 

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kakalakjak

New Member
Messages
18
Location
NC
How she looked last Sunday
 

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kakalakjak

New Member
Messages
18
Location
NC
She was moving and ate last Sunday. Same mealworms she’s been eating for a few weeks. Same water she’s been offered for a long time. No change in her enclosure.

it’s just so odd to have her active one day and unresponsive the next.
 

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Casey K.

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4,924
Are you certain its a female? Only reason I ask is because it could've been a male at the end of his life cycle.
 

kakalakjak

New Member
Messages
18
Location
NC
Confirmed female with a couple of molts and saw the sucking stomach on last molt. Here are photos through my microscope of the August molt.
 

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kakalakjak

New Member
Messages
18
Location
NC
When they die does their body remain supple, or do they harden up?

Still no change here, and my instinct tells me she's a goner. It's just so puzzling because everything I've read said they're pretty hardy and don't typically just keel over and die one day.
 

Coradams

Member
Messages
55
Location
Illinois
I understand that it doesn't take long for them to smell after they die so hopefully she is still among the living. If so, you might try to drop water directly onto her mouth with a pipette to see if she drinks. Your original post mentioned that she was over the water dish and it looked as though she was trying to drink her own venom so perhaps she is dehydrated? I am also thinking it may be possible that she had internal injuries from a fall. Unfortunately there isn't much that can be done by the way of first aid for a tarantula. It sounds like you are doing all you can. Good luck and keep us posted.
 

WolfSpider

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1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Messages
1,155
Location
Florida
Sadly, I know a bit about this. For the first 8-10 hours after death, the T is hard from rigor mortis. Then, they get flaccid and ashen and become soft. Smell starts to occur after 36 hours or so. Good luck. I hope she survives.
 

kakalakjak

New Member
Messages
18
Location
NC
Thanks all for your replies and tips. Nothing has seemed to work to stir her at all. Perhaps I have a different interpretation of smells due to my job and volunteer work (with animals), she doesn't smell like a rotting carcass but there's absolutely no life in her. Her opisthosoma is squishy and there's sticky liquid-like stuff seeping out of her onto the towels she rests on. I've come to terms with the death, even though it will remain a mystery as to why.

Now on to shop for a new spider to educate people with...
 

Volkswachter

Member
Messages
56
Location
Ontario
There's a hail Mary you can try, although it could be too late who knows. You could try using a tiny dab of super glue where she's leaking and then put her in an ICU for 3-4 days and see how that turns out.
 

kakalakjak

New Member
Messages
18
Location
NC
Was she in a low humidity enclosure? Gbbs are notorious for dying in moist humid enclosures. Did you check for nematodes? Sorry to hear she passed.
I examined very carefully under a microscope and saw no reason for the death. I will research nematode issues, thanks for the suggestion. And yes, kept her substrate dry. Just one of those mysteries in life I guess, or another 2020 oddity.
 

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