Half my collection molted and died

[leaveittoweaver]

Two weeks ago I lost my P.Cambridgei juvie(probably 2 inches), Two B.Vagans slings, M.balfouri sling, C.Darlingi sling(was severely underweight to start, got from an expo and I think it was not cared for right), H.Vonwirthi(adult, had just received a week prior, most likely WC), and A.Versicolor sling all molted and died. None of these ones except the vonwirthi and the versicolor had a water dish but I was keeping the substrate moistened.

Survivors were my P.Bromelicola, GBB, G.Porteri, B.Smithi, Tap Sp Peru, A.Diversipes juvenile, A.Purpurea juvenile, One B.Vagans sling, P.Sazimai sling, G.Pulchra and G Pulchripes one inch.

We did have a couple warmer days, but by warmer I mean in the 50's farenheit outdoors. Do you think they just didn't have enough moisture? I feel so discouraged and like I really screwed up. I've never had losses like that before. It was heart wrenching finding each one like that. Especially the Balfouri, I loved the sling! Thoughts?

 

[MassExodus]

Did you happen to examine them closely? Around the mouth/spinnerets? Was there any shriveling of the abdomens? I always keep water dishes with mine, but I know people who have done it like you do for years and had no problems..If I had a mass die off, the first thing I would look for would be pests/disease/infections. I get the impression you've been keeping for a while. Have you altered your watering schedule? Sorry for your troubles by the way, that's terrible..

 

[Phil]

Two weeks ago I lost my P.Cambridgei juvie(probably 2 inches), Two B.Vagans slings, M.balfouri sling, C.Darlingi sling(was severely underweight to start, got from an expo and I think it was not cared for right), H.Vonwirthi(adult, had just received a week prior, most likely WC), and A.Versicolor sling all molted and died. None of these ones except the vonwirthi and the versicolor had a water dish but I was keeping the substrate moistened.

Survivors were my P.Bromelicola, GBB, G.Porteri, B.Smithi, Tap Sp Peru, A.Diversipes juvenile, A.Purpurea juvenile, One B.Vagans sling, P.Sazimai sling, G.Pulchra and G Pulchripes one inch.

We did have a couple warmer days, but by warmer I mean in the 50's farenheit outdoors. Do you think they just didn't have enough moisture? I feel so discouraged and like I really screwed up. I've never had losses like that before. It was heart wrenching finding each one like that. Especially the Balfouri, I loved the sling! Thoughts?

That is very sad. You must be gutted, with Mass on this, if substrate moist the humidity may be fine so either dehydration (still happen even if enclosure moist) or disease. Hopefully it's not one that came from a dubious background affecting the others. Water dishes, even tiny ones are a must IMHO. I usually boil the water and cool it down too for all my Ts as god knows what chemicals are pumped through the water system these days. I hope the rest are ok.

 

[Kymura]

What a horrible blow, Honestly so sorry.
Any changes in anything, ?
even cleaning solutions or laundry detergent...?
.racking my brain as to what might have happened..

 

[Enn49]

I'm so sorry. Just a thought, did anyone spray anything near them?

 

[Entity]

sorry to hear that! maybe water dishes instead of moist sub. couldnt have been mold or anything could it?

 

[leaveittoweaver]

Thanks for all of the empathy and support guys!

Nothing sprayed, no changes. I'm thinking I may have went a day too long without moistening substrate for the ones without water dishes. It just seems so weird because usually P.Cam is fairly hardy from my understanding? I'm thinking maybe it's just too dry in this climate to go without a water dish. Lesson learned I suppose! I sure hope it wasn't a parasite, I didn't see anything on any of them :/ I would think all of them would be doing poorly if that were the case though?

 

[VanessaS]

How horrible. I'm so sorry.

 

[justdon]

So sorry you lost so many at once.Being brand new to this I know I will lose some here and there.But I guess you feel the way I know I would feel devastated.

 

[micheldied]

They all died after molting? Or did they die during a molt?

I don't believe humidity is the issue, as many of those species are not only hardy, but do fine with dry substrate. Myself and many others keep M. balfouri bone dry with no water dish, and they molt just fine.

 

[Will]

This is bizarre. I'm with micheldied, I can't believe it's related to humidity. What are you using for a substrate?

 

[leaveittoweaver]

Everyone was on different substrate. The M.Balfouri was on cheap potting soil that it has been on for a year. The P.Cam was on some dark substrate(it came on it so I don't know exactly what it is), both vagans were on cheap potting soil they had been on for quite awhile(months), the H.Vonwirthi was on eco earth, and C.Darlingi was on cheap potting soil. I'm very careful with what potting soil I use as well. They all molted first then died, except Vonwirthi,Versicolor and the C.Darlingi(sorry I didn't say this initially), they did not molt. They just died. I think the Vonwirthi though was very unrelated to whatever happened with the rest because it was a newer addition that was not doing well from the start. The Darlingi was always super skinny and may have just died from never having been very healthy to start. I got him in January and he was in way too small a container and clearly not fed for a long time.

 

[Fuzzball79]

So sorry for you. I hope you get to the bottom of this.

 

[micheldied]

Everyone was on different substrate. The M.Balfouri was on cheap potting soil that it has been on for a year. The P.Cam was on some dark substrate(it came on it so I don't know exactly what it is), both vagans were on cheap potting soil they had been on for quite awhile(months), the H.Vonwirthi was on eco earth, and C.Darlingi was on cheap potting soil. I'm very careful with what potting soil I use as well. They all molted first then died, except Vonwirthi,Versicolor and the C.Darlingi(sorry I didn't say this initially), they did not molt. They just died. I think the Vonwirthi though was very unrelated to whatever happened with the rest because it was a newer addition that was not doing well from the start. The Darlingi was always super skinny and may have just died from never having been very healthy to start. I got him in January and he was in way too small a container and clearly not fed for a long time.

How long after molting did they die? There were no physical signs of any kind of trauma or infection?

 

[leaveittoweaver]

How long after molting did they die? There were no physical signs of any kind of trauma or infection?

Not sure exactly but same day as I check on them daily. And no, no signs of trauma or infection that I could see.

 

[micheldied]

Not sure exactly but same day as I check on them daily. And no, no signs of trauma or infection that I could see.

That's unfortunate. I would say that the most likely cause is some kind of sudden temperature change (perhaps they were baked without you knowing), or some kind of contaminant got to them. Perhaps when they molted, the softer exoskeleton allowed something in.

 

[VanessaS]

I freaked out after reading this and gave my group more water and the spiderlings had their substrate dampened a bit. This has terrified the life out of me.

 

[Kymura]

This has me yanking my hairs out for you hun, just something we are somehow missing, it has to be, has the area you live in sprayed or done tree maintenance recently? Roadwork? thinking chemical maybe...

 

[kormath]

Sorry to hear about the losses. Doesn't sound like anything you've done @leaveittoweaver like wrong setup or to high/low temp/humidity or neglect. And from your past posts I'd say you know what your doing. I'd agree with an infection or infestation or something along those lines. I'd remove the rest of the Ts from the location and sterilize the area and those enclosures of the deceased.

 

[leaveittoweaver]

I just thought of something, we recently had issues with the municipal water and were told to boil water before using. Not sure exactly why or what the issue was but it never dawned on me to do so for the animals... as well?! Could that have been it?