Hi guys! I live in rural Arizona and recently had a Tarantula "move in" outside my garage. I run a business out of my garage (which I converted into a work shop) and I usually have the garage door open while working. On occasion my Tarantula friend would visit me in the garage, which I didn't mind, and I actually became accustomed to his visits. I even named him "Fred". On several occasions I picked him up and moved him back outside in order to avoid closing him in the garage and/or stepping on him as I moved around the shop. The other night I noticed him in the garage kinda hunkered-down in the seam in the concrete. I watched him for a few minutes until he moved. His movements seemed to be uncoordinated as though he was drunk. He moved erratically, albeit slowly, then cam to a rest in the middle of the floor. After several minutes I scooped him up with a piece of paper and put him outside by his hole. Later that night I went out to check on Fred and he hadn't moved from the place that I had placed him, but I also noticed that there was ANOTHER Tarantula in the area, approximately 5 feet from where Fred was. The second Tarantula was not moving either, even when I would coax him/her with a stick. The following morning both Tarantulas were in the same spot(s), having not moved at all overnight. Later I confirmed that both were dead.
So here's the thing. We had our property sprayed a couple of weeks ago because we were experiencing a scorpion issue. I don't mind them, but my wife was raised in the city and is squeamish about spiders and scorpions. I had told the pest control guy about Fred and he stated that it is possible that Fred may not "make it" once the property is sprayed. When I saw Fred acting the way he was, I immediately thought that the insecticide had done it's job. I felt bad because I had taken a liking to Fred and he didn't seem to mind being around me either. But on second thought, I was under the impression that the pesticide would work a lot faster than a couple of weeks. Then, I saw the other Tarantula and noted that both were acting lethargically at the same time.
My question is: Is it possible that both Tarantulas were male and had a battle to the death? Or, is it also possible that the insecticide just took longer than usual due to the size of the Tarantula's? I appreciate any insight from anyone that is more knowledgeable about Tarantula's than I. I apologize for the long explanation, just wanted to paint the picture as accurately as possible.
So here's the thing. We had our property sprayed a couple of weeks ago because we were experiencing a scorpion issue. I don't mind them, but my wife was raised in the city and is squeamish about spiders and scorpions. I had told the pest control guy about Fred and he stated that it is possible that Fred may not "make it" once the property is sprayed. When I saw Fred acting the way he was, I immediately thought that the insecticide had done it's job. I felt bad because I had taken a liking to Fred and he didn't seem to mind being around me either. But on second thought, I was under the impression that the pesticide would work a lot faster than a couple of weeks. Then, I saw the other Tarantula and noted that both were acting lethargically at the same time.
My question is: Is it possible that both Tarantulas were male and had a battle to the death? Or, is it also possible that the insecticide just took longer than usual due to the size of the Tarantula's? I appreciate any insight from anyone that is more knowledgeable about Tarantula's than I. I apologize for the long explanation, just wanted to paint the picture as accurately as possible.
