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My OBT!!! Need some advice...

AlyeskaWolf

AlyeskaWolf

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
445
Location
Anchorage, Alaska. Philadelphia, PA.
I have a 2" OBT...recently it has been hiding in its burrow and not eating so I thought it was going to molt...last night it looked like he flipped onto his back to, but never did, now hes just normal...my concern is, it looks like he lost part of a leg...I can't tell because I can barely see him through his webs, but it clearly looks like a detached leg stuck to the tank wall in his web burrow...I have no idea what could have happened...at all...my question is: Should I dig him up and take a look, or leave him alone? The leg thing is making me so anxious, but if he is preparing to molt (its been about 6 days of this) I don't want to disturb him...I would take pictures but with my eyes it is hard to see. I'm worried. :(
 
LeahThomas

LeahThomas

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
147
Location
Ellensburg, WA
If there's something defective about a leg and it's causing more problems than it should, sometimes a spider will willingly detach it. When was the last time you fed it? Maybe stop feeding for a bit, it will encourage your T to come out and look around. Hopefully you can get a better look then.

Is it at all possible that it DID molt, and you just can't really tell because all the webs are in the way? The leg you're seeing might be a leg from the old molt.
 
AlyeskaWolf

AlyeskaWolf

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
445
Location
Anchorage, Alaska. Philadelphia, PA.
LeahThomas said:
If there's something defective about a leg and it's causing more problems than it should, sometimes a spider will willingly detach it. When was the last time you fed it? Maybe stop feeding for a bit, it will encourage your T to come out and look around. Hopefully you can get a better look then.

Is it at all possible that it DID molt, and you just can't really tell because all the webs are in the way? The leg you're seeing might be a leg from the old molt.
Click to expand...

Tried to feed him a couple days ago...hes normally a voracious eater, but he never touched the crickets, so I took them out, and he wont leave his burrow. Tried again...wasn't interested. This is my first T molt too so Im so anxious and nervous, lol. Ive had my Rosie almost 2 years but she is full grown and hasn't molted. I've only had spiders and crabs molt before. And thats so much easier and faster than Ts do.

That is entirely possible, I just can't tell...I think he willingly detached it, I didn't know they could do that, but it doesn't seem to have effected him, when I tried to take a better look last night he bolted, so hes def healthy. That has to explain that. I cant see any molt or shadow of a molt...nothing.

Oh thanks for the response too :)
 
Ceratogyrus

Ceratogyrus

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
588
Also think it may be his moult that you are seeing.
Try and give a piece of his webbing a light misting, switch all the lights off and creep in with a torch after a while and see if you can see him better if he comes out for a drink.
 
HungryGhost

HungryGhost

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
755
Location
Lower Hudson River Valley NY
Ceratogyrus said:
Also think it may be his moult that you are seeing.
Try and give a piece of his webbing a light misting, switch all the lights off and creep in with a torch after a while and see if you can see him better if he comes out for a drink.
Click to expand...
In the states we say flashlight, a torch is what we use to run Frankenstein out of town;)
 
AlyeskaWolf

AlyeskaWolf

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
445
Location
Anchorage, Alaska. Philadelphia, PA.
Ceratogyrus said:
Also think it may be his moult that you are seeing.
Try and give a piece of his webbing a light misting, switch all the lights off and creep in with a torch after a while and see if you can see him better if he comes out for a drink.
Click to expand...

i misted the webbing last night...and i sneak up to him with a really dim flashlight, as I am up all hours...just staying inside...Im going to probably try to make a way to see in his burrow better (its just thick webs up against the tank wall< and grab the leg, its not deep in his burrow at all, its up against the glass...I will update.

I REALLY appreciate the responses, everyone.

Oh @Ceratogyrus : my marshalli baby is incredible...hes like 3/4 of an inch and I can already see why you love them so much. He is...an excavator, builder...Very impressed by what hes done being so small. He made an entire under-substrate cave, with a long funnel of substrate like a tower going straight up.
 
S

Simon a Brooks

New Member
3 Year Member
Messages
14
Location
south wales
Exactly the same thing happened with my OBT on 2 accessions. its rear leg's wilted and eventually detached...unfortunately neither made it. I increased sub levels encase it was climbing and falling Another outside issue i found was food, I have heard of instances of crickets etc biting or nipping the legs causing the spider to reject them. This has put me off taking anymore OBT'S for the time being.
 
Ceratogyrus

Ceratogyrus

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
588
Strangely I have been struggling with some of my adult females since moving them into my Wendy last year. Having a few issues with moults despite having waterbowls in their enclosures.
 
AlyeskaWolf

AlyeskaWolf

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
445
Location
Anchorage, Alaska. Philadelphia, PA.
Simon a Brooks said:
Exactly the same thing happened with my OBT on 2 accessions. its rear leg's wilted and eventually detached...unfortunately neither made it. I increased sub levels encase it was climbing and falling Another outside issue i found was food, I have heard of instances of crickets etc biting or nipping the legs causing the spider to reject them. This has put me off taking anymore OBT'S for the time being.
Click to expand...


Mine just died too....and I really have no idea why. I have 3 other very healthy Tarantulas...I was doing everything I knew to do...I barely had him maybe 3 weeks and he died. After the molt. No crickets were in the enclosure. I think where I got him from plays a role...But yeah...I cant see myself getting another anytime soon. I loved him...but...I NEVER have pets die on me like that...it crushed me.
 

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