First tarantula casualty

[spodermin]

Thought of you right away @Tnoob when I went to feed my slings today and found this OBT sling dead in its web. Looks to have died from dehydration, very uncool. Not even a death curl, just sitting in position dead. Rip little guy

 

[spodermin]

Pic didnt load on OP

 

[Enn49]

I'm so sorry, that 1st loss can really hurt

 

[spodermin]

I'm so sorry, that 1st loss can really hurt

The worst part is there is a second as well. One of my C. Versi slings is in a deathcurl rn. Different circumstances, I think a dehydrated failed molt took the OBT (carapace is popped and abdomen is pencil thin) and the C. Versi seemed to have dks like symptoms when I got it. Its sac mate is under close watch now as it seems to be almost there as well

 

[spodermin]

One of my sp. Lowland is in a deathcurl too, wtf is going on??

 

[Enn49]

Have you used any chemicals near them?

 

[spodermin]

Have you used any chemicals near them?

No and the other two subfuscas from the same sac right next to it are fine they took food and everything I just dont get it. Im bringing up the temp in here from like 19-22 to 24-27 or something. All my other spiders are fine, one of the other OBT's sac mates molted like 30 mins before I found the dead one and the other 3 ate... Both C. Versi were looking worse for wear, one is lethargic and the other presumed dead. One of my metallicas seems lethargic too, everyone else (like 70 spiders including slings) are fine, even my 1/6th" heteropoda molted and ate

 

[spodermin]

Freshly molted OBT from same sac as the dead one

I flipped over all 3 of the assumed dead/deathcurled ones and put water in their mouths, but they all seem lifeless. I just fed the metallicas. I'm tripping about this lethargic one

 

[Enn49]

Unless you can think of anything that links them you may never know what has caused them to die.
I had a few die a few months ago and I'd begun to think it was the substrate I was using, I'd bought a different make of coco fibre, but other Ts on the same stuff were fine so I put it down to pure bad luck.
Sadly there are always a few that are just not meant to survive.

 

[Sycohearted]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I can't relate in Tarantula terms but in other pet terms I know having back to back losses sucks so much. All you can think of is "what did I do wrong?" but in many cases it's totally out of your control. I agree with Enn, I've bought a contaminated bag of substrate before and heavily paid the price, It's rare but not unheard of.

 

[spodermin]

Unless you can think of anything that links them you may never know what has caused them to die.
I had a few die a few months ago and I'd begun to think it was the substrate I was using, I'd bought a different make of coco fibre, but other Ts on the same stuff were fine so I put it down to pure bad luck.
Sadly there are always a few that are just not meant to survive.

I can live with that and 3 is manageable but if I lose a few more I'm going to need to figure out what is happening ASAP.

I have the heat running now, and most importantly all 4 of the metallicas took food including the lethargic one (which also happens to be the runt of the 4) so my mind is at ease about that. If they're eating they're most likely not going to be in a deathcurl anytime soon.

If this other C.versi comes around I'll feel totally better. But I did message the breeder to see if anyone else reported DKS symptoms in their current batch of slings of this species, because both of these C. Versis were acting very strangely from the day I brought them home (same seller as all the other slings which aside from the sp. lowland are fine)

The OBT I feel like I could have prevented so I feel bad about that one, these other two are just beyond me

 

[Enn49]

It's always a good sign when they eat

 

[Phil]

@spodermin, sending positive thoughts pal. Like others have said, you can get a run of deaths for no apparent reason.. I keep a detailed spreadsheet on all my spiders, death rate runs at about 10% of all the spiders I have every owned (which runs to nearly two thiusand) this is across slings, juvies and just old age/mature males etc so this is something we all have to remember and factor in to the hobby. Its also true that in nature, many many more would not survive, hence why spiders have hundreds of babies so that one or two ultimately survive. Don't beat yourself up about it. See what the common thread is (if any) and elimanate that in future where you can. I hope the others are all ok and any you currently have concerns on pull through.

 

[menavodi]

It always is a bad feeling when something like that happens. But you know you take care of them and all the other ones are fine...

 

[Taraspatula]

Hopefully everything turns out better. Hows the environment like in general around?

 

[spodermin]

Thanks everyone. I'm looking further into this as we speak

 

[Tgotty90]

@spodermin sorry hear about your losses, It could just be from lack of humidity, I've ran into this problem before this time of year. I have to water almost daily, the AC just sucks all the moisture out of the air and I've lost a few to dehydration because of that. Temperature wasn't a issue, just way too dry. Have you seen any signs of dks?

 

[justdon]

Sorry to hear.I lost my Mexican rose hair two weeks ago I tried everything to save her but could not.