Is this a busted abdomen???

[Metalman2004]

My tarantula fell while climbing the glass in its cage the other day. I didn't see any injury then but I noticed this morning she was sitting with her front legs tucked under her (kind of sickly looking).

I noticed a pink spot where the hair is stuffing off on the back of her abdomen and she seems sluggish. Is this a busted abdomen? What is the procedure for gluing this?

 

[Enn49]

I can't help much as I have no experience of injuries but I do know that glue is not a good idea. If there is liquid seeping out dust it with a little cornflour to help dry it up. I hope she's ok.

 

[Metalman2004]

Thanks. I tried to google pictures of busted abdomens but only found one picture. This does not look like what I saw in the one picture. It doesn't seem to be oozing anything.

Not really sure what else to do but wait and watch...

 

[Enn49]

As long as it's not oozing there isn't much you can do other than leave it quiet and hope it will be alright. Sadly there is no way of knowing if there are any internal injuries

 

[Nicolas C]

As far as I can see on the photo, the pink spot is only the area where the setae have gone (because she has flicked hairs); the fluffy hairs are nothing special: only semi-detached setae. Maybe something else is wrong, but I cannot see it on this picture. If it's only the front legs which were tucked under her, are you sure she wasn't only grooming herself?

How does she look like now? Is the abdomen still plump?

As Enn said, I think you can leave her alone, be sure she has access to a full waterdish, and hope for the best. What was the height of the fall?

Maybe you could upgrade the terrarium in adding substrate so that the distance from top to bottom isn't too high? You can post a picture of the enclosure if you need advices.

 

[Venom2090]

looks fine, it was probably just grooming and that fuzzy area is just urticating setae that got brushed off.

 

[Metalman2004]

She seems to be acting fine this afternoon.

The distance from the dirt to the top of the terrarium is 7-9" depending on where in the cage you are looking. Should I raise the floor a bit?

The pink spot worried me because A) she fell the other day and B) I would swear the spot wasn't there yesterday and I don't know why she would have just rubbed her butt raw over night...

Thanks for all the comments. I have been meaning to join a board, just not with such an urgent first post!

 

[Phil]

She seems to be acting fine this afternoon.

The distance from the dirt to the top of the terrarium is 7-9" depending on where in the cage you are looking. Should I raise the floor a bit?

The pink spot worried me because A) she fell the other day and B) I would swear the spot wasn't there yesterday and I don't know why she would have just rubbed her butt raw over night...

Thanks for all the comments. I have been meaning to join a board, just not with such an urgent first post!

Even though not the best circumstances to join, at least you know everyone helpful and willing to help so p,ease keep us informed. I agree with all the comments about the "bald spot" if nothing leaking, leave her be. Fresh water should also be available to keep up fluids. I had a P. Metallica that got an abdomen injury so can endorse what @Enn49 says about glue......DON'T use. I tried as was in a much more drastic position than yours (abdomen was visibly twisted with seeping wound) and did not end well. You pic is nothing like that and sounds as though acting more her self. Please keep us updated and any more questions, please ask and we will jump on the thread and help as much as we can. Finally, welcome to the forum.

 

[Enn49]

I'm glad to hear she seems ok. I'd definitely raise the level of substrate and make sure there is nothing hard that she can fall on near the sides.

Welcome to the forum btw. Any questions just ask, there's always someone around willing to help.

 

[Kymura]

Welcome to the boards, you got all the best advice already so I'll just say fingers crossed for your T, she looks fine tho

 

[Metalman2004]

Well I had a bit of substrate left over so I added that and was given a thank you gift of lots of articulating hairs. I will have to get more substrate tomorrow though.

Ideally how much height should I have between the top of the cage and the substrate?

 

[Kymura]

Generally I read 1.5 X DLS. So if she's four inches no more then six inches of space. That way they can climb if they feel the nneed, but not far enough to damage themselves.

 

[spidey noob]

u would of known if it had burst its abdomen, (looks like when we split our self)