My A.Avic is dying. Possible causes?

[leaveittoweaver]

I bought an A.Avic from a pet store a little over six months ago. She was kept in a kritter keeper with repta bark, water dish with a sponge and had been there for months looking in major need for a molt.

I bought her and put her in a new enclosure I made, here's a pic of that:

This is after I first completed it, I did put a water dish in there after the fact which I never saw her come down to drink from. After I put her in her new enclosure, she made a big tube web and molted. Picture of her tube web:

She ate when I offered food after her molt...ate every week for a couple months I would say. Then in the last two months she has not eaten nor looked like she would molt. Her abdomen had shrunk.

I do not mist her, I just keep the dish full. She has now crawled to the floor and is in a death curl as of yesterday.

Do you guys think she is just old? Did I do something wrong? The only other thing I can think of is two weeks ago I put two candles on the table next to the enclosure(NOT LIT! Obviously. I do not light candles in that room. I just put the unlit ones on the same shelf.).

I have three other avics who have been thriving in my care. One of which I've had much longer then the A.avic.

Any thoughts?? This is the first tarantula I've had dying on me and I feel awful. Any feedback or questions are welcomed!

 

[Nicolas C]

I don't think it's the candles. And all your parameters seem good: setup, humidity, ventilation... and she was thriving until two months ago.

Have you got any idea of her age / size?

For instance, a ten years old Avicularia is an old critter... (I assume you are sure it's not a mature male)

Or could it come from one poisoned prey?

 

[leaveittoweaver]

I don't think it's the candles. And all your parameters seem good: setup, humidity, ventilation... and she was thriving until two months ago.

Have you got any idea of her age / size?

For instance, a ten years old Avicularia is an old critter... (I assume you are sure it's not a mature male)

Or could it come from one poisoned prey?

Thanks for your response! I have no idea on age. Here is a picture of her for size. It was taken on January 1st. I'm unsure of age, I know that from this store they come from a distributor that can only get avics and G.Rosea so more then likely she is wild caught. Don't think it's the prey as every one else is doing very well.

 

[Entity]

Thanks for your response! I have no idea on age. Here is a picture of her for size. It was taken on January 1st. I'm unsure of age, I know that from this store they come from a distributor that can only get avics and G.Rosea so more then likely she is wild caught. Don't think it's the prey as every one else is doing very well.

I dont think it is anything u did personally. sometimes these things just happen. and if she was wild caught, which is probable then u dont know anything about her. she might have had a condition already that shortened her life. dont beat urself up. sorry for ur loss.

 

[Nicolas C]

Yep, same as what Entity said. According to the size of your Avicularia (if what I see next to her is an adult cricket... I guess her body size could be around 6-7 cm?), she could very well be quite old... But who knows. Bad luck, anyway. Sorry for your loss too...

 

[MassExodus]

Your candles didn't harm her, I don't think. She was probably old. You never know what you're going to get from a pet shop.. not that that stops any of us Sorry for your loss.

 

[leaveittoweaver]

Thank you every one! I hope it was just old age.

 

[SasyStace]

I am so sorry to hear about your loss Weaver

 

[swimbait]

You positive it wasn't a mature male? Sorry for the loss either way, happens to us all. I had a 5+" Avic metallica drop dead on me last week, moving around that morning, 3 hours later she was in a death curl on the ground. Had access to water. I had recently acquired her from a shop and have a feeling she was also old.

 

[Entity]

If i buy from the petshop i try to get a juvi if i can. I mean the ones they sell r big because thats what gets the "ooos and ahhhs from the customers that come in and want a spider for shock value i suppose.

 

[Kymura]

Still sad, so sorry hun, this truly sucks