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DKS spreading?

Crax

Active Member
Messages
65
Location
Sweden
Currently Legs had been diagnosed with DKS and had passed away. Now I noticed two signs I'm not too thrilled in two more spiders. Sing and Teddy. Both on a shelf that was next to Legs'.

Sing's back leg twitches while Teddy is lethargic. If they are the same by tomorrow after adding plenty of water to their enclosure, I will set up an ICU.

Here is the thing...

I don't keep aerosols in my room. My husband has asthma. I don't spray chems in my studio... Not even perfume. I wash my counter tops and counters with a paper towel and dish soap water.

I have no idea...

I know Legs came back free of any normal parasites. We ruled that out.

I have seriously no idea. Anyone have any suggestions?
 

Arachnoclown

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3 Year Member
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6,382
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The Oregon rain forest
Bacteria, mold or fungus would be my first guess.

Feeders... where do you get them? They can transmit chemicals to your spiders.

Also ICUs are the biggest joke in the hobby. They add additional stress to the spider. Theres absolutely nothing to gain by removing a spider from its home where its comfortable.
 

Crax

Active Member
Messages
65
Location
Sweden
Feeders, I got them from where I always get them. They raise their own colonies and that would only leave bacteria, mold, or fungus.

I change water dishes and clean them every 7 days.

Legs' test results will be in this coming Wednesday or Thursday. Her physical test showed she had been cleared of parasites. Everything else will be revealed later.

But now I have two brats who are also seemingly affected.

Thinking I should increase the air flow in my studio over all.
 

Jess S

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South Wales
Gutted for you.

What do you treat your cats with regarding fleas? If it's spot on treatment (which is a powerful insecticide) it can be transmitted to the spiders, by something as simple as petting the cats and doing maintenance without washing your hands. It's something that is so easy to forget or not even realise about.

You may not use chemicals but they can still end up in your home. Do you live in an apartment? I'm wondering if you have neighbours who have had pest control in to spray their apartment and inadvertently caused your issue.
 

Arachnoclown

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Gutted for you.

What do you treat your cats with regarding fleas? If it's spot on treatment (which is a powerful insecticide) it can be transmitted to the spiders, by something as simple as petting the cats and doing maintenance without washing your hands. It's something that is so easy to forget or not even realise about.

You may not use chemicals but they can still end up in your home. Do you live in an apartment? I'm wondering if you have neighbours who have had pest control in to spray their apartment and inadvertently caused your issue.
Good point...cat dandruff is horrible and could carry the insecticide. Even a oral form of treatment I would think could be toxic.
 

Crax

Active Member
Messages
65
Location
Sweden
Um... I live in Sweden... more middle to northern part. We don't even have rabies here. They aren't native to Sweden and where I live, we simply don't have them. Furthermore, I live on the second floor. Indoor only. So... we don't have a flea treatment here and my cats have always been indoors. Baths are horrible for single coat cats so we don't treat the fur with anything other then brushing.

To use insecticide in an apartment complex, you need special permission from the building management. I doubt anyone would treat their appartment in the middle of winter here. Also keep in mind our apartments are made of concrete with special vents throughout the home. Let's see if I can post a couple of pics.
 
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Crax

Active Member
Messages
65
Location
Sweden
Later, when my hubby gets up I will record the vacuum from pressure change. It's pretty cool.
 

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Jess S

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South Wales
Noone thinks it's rabies so don't worry!!
Can't answer about the vents. But if the only T's that are affected are on the same shelf, then they must 'share' something. We are back to Arachnoclowns suggestions of bacteria,mold, fungus, feeders. Another possibility is extremes of temperature - too cold/hot, especially sudden and prolonged drops. But I imagine your studio temperature is fine seeing as you work there. So unless the shelf is by a draught it can't be that.

The other thing to consider is that the 2 T's you think are affected may not be. You could be so worried about your genic that every twitch in your collection may concern you that it's dks again. That's human nature. I'd be exactly like that, if it were me.
 

Crax

Active Member
Messages
65
Location
Sweden
Where do the vents lead? Do they connect multiple apartments together? If so, my bet is on something from a neighbor.


Out side. They are directly linked. You can control the flow from outer air by the slit on the bottom. The bathroom vent sucks everything through the house back outside.
 

Crax

Active Member
Messages
65
Location
Sweden
Smoking, vaping?


My husband has asthma... neither of us smoke and you can't smoke inside your apartment. You can't smoke on your balcony either.

Room is temp controlled.

Tomorrow or the day after Legs' results will be in from her autopsy. I did break down and send her out to Uppsala. I wanted to ensure it wasn't a parasite of some sort.
 

Jess S

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Location
South Wales
The autopsy must be hideously expensive, especially at Christmas time. But it'll be worth the expense if you get some answers. I really hope you do as nothing is worse than losing a pet or a loved one and not knowing why
 

Metalman2004

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
810
Out side. They are directly linked. You can control the flow from outer air by the slit on the bottom. The bathroom vent sucks everything through the house back outside.

If is the possibility of something being introduce from the outside air then the possibilities are endless.

I’ve never heard of a tarantula autopsy so I’m interested to hear what information you get back.
 

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