HELP!!!!! (dearh curl?)

[kkrouth3]

I need some help. We bought a pink toed T today and he doesn’t look well. I don’t want to move him or mess with him but it’s possible he is going into a death curl. We have owned several T’s before and while in a pet store today he didn’t look good at all so we bought him and took him home. However I’ve never come across one in such bad state out of the gate. No knowledge on how they cared for him because they quite frankly shouldn’t be selling them if they don’t know how to care for them. Picture will follow.

I don’t know if I should move him to an ICU or not? He is slowly moving like so slow that I can just tell he is alive and that’s all.

 

[Enn49]

That could be just a stress curl caused by being moved. I'd give him time to settle before moving him again, ICUs don't help much.
What you can do is get rid of that gel in the water bowl and maybe trickle a few drops of water on the substrate near his mouth.

 

[kkrouth3]

That could be just a stress curl caused by being moved. I'd give him time to settle before moving him again, ICUs don't help much.
What you can do is get rid of that gel in the water bowl and maybe trickle a few drops of water on the substrate near his mouth.

He looked the same way at the pet shop. The guy even said well let me check if he’s still alive? Like wtf!?!? Could I put a cap next to his mouth? Like level with his mouth?

 

[Enn49]

He should never have sold a T like that.
I'd just moisten the substrate.

 

[kkrouth3]

He should never have sold a T like that.
I'd just moisten the substrate.

Yeah I know but my husband couldn’t leave it there and I know unfortunetly they will just fill the cage again but I’m calling them tomorrow because this just isn’t right…..he’s moving but barely

 

[Enn49]

I can understand his feelings, I'd probably do the same.
I agree with you speaking to them but don't give up on the little guy now you've got him.

 

[kkrouth3]

I can understand his feelings, I'd probably do the same.
I agree with you speaking to them but don't give up on the little guy now you've got him.

I think he’s trying to flip onto his back. He keeps using his front legs to push up really high. I just removed the wood tunnel that was preventing him to see if he is. If so he is preparing to molt I’m sure. And that means he moved him and thought he was dead because he’s molting. And then I took him home and moved him again. Total negligent pet store. And the conditions weren’t good. I’m not happy. I hope the little guy makes it. I used to be scared of T’s and now I’m sitting here worried that this one is dying oh how far I’ve come lol

 

[Enn49]

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for him, keep us updated please.
They certainly know how to worry us.

 

[tarantulas118]

That doesn’t really look normal can you show a pic of the whole enclosure just to be safe and also get rid of the gels in the water dish they won’t drown trust me. Did you set him up in an arboreal enclosure?

 

[Konstantin]

Hi
At that stage enclosure setup is not important.
The tarantula is clearly on the way out.Its needs water desperately as said before get rid of the gel(tarantulas can't really have a drink of that ) fill the dish with fresh water and put its mouth in it(Do not worry about drowning as tarantulas breed through their book lungs on the abdomen).Tarantula dehydrated like this will not be able to move efficiently due to low body fluids (think hydraulics ). Also if you moist the substrate make sure you don't over do it and make the enclosure stuffy.ICU is bad for Avicularia sp too.
Thats about all you can do atm.It may be too far gone but at least you tried.
If it perks up then start thinking about putting him in arboreal enclosure.

 

[SullivanC]

Hi thank you for sharing the cage of the tarantula as it can help us to correct the setup, first of all avicularia species are arboreal and from what I can see he or she is rehoused in terrestrial setup so first thing to fix is that and give it nice arboreal setup with cork bark, fake plants, water dish, sphagnum moss to increase the humidity. But make sure enclosure has good amount of ventilation holes so it doesnt create mold. As others stated he or she looks dehydrated so keep the substrate moist and keep water dish under the mouth so it can start drinking from it. Gel, sponge are not only unnecessary for tarantulas but also dangerous because they grow bacteria very fast and it can make the spider sick so when you prepare new enclosure just provide a water dish fill it up with water and dont put anything inside