rehabbing after wasp attack

[desert voice]

i knew better than to save her but something came over me and i fought the wasp to save her. now i realize that she's missing one leg, probably from the attack, and i've tried giving her water like i saw on the internet but i don't see it go in, even when i break down the water tension. i'm keeping her in a plastic berry box for now with damp paper towels under and i've sculpted a damp hut over her to help with hydration because i read that they can dry out. this is especially a problem because i'm in arizona and we haven't seen rain for months either. i've had her for close to a week but all that i've read says it's at least a month or more before they'll start moving at all and full recovery can be up to a year. i don't think she'll be released with the leg missing. here's the real problem. i don't know how i can take care of her once she's moving because although i love tarantulas, i'm not at all comfortable with the thought of handling one. i'd like 2 things: any words of wisdom about caring for her and 2, does anyone know of a group of enthusiasts in the sedona area. i live in cornville. i've named her miss scarlet although i'm not sure if she's a male or female. guess she could be rhett if we discover otherwise : )

 

[katiekatelyn]

I have a Scarlett, too. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for saving her from a wasp. Other than her missing leg, does she have any other injuries? Has she moved at all? I think that maybe she might be traumatized and moving the box around would be stressful. Also, maybe you should keep her in the dark. Is she well enough that you could try feeding her? Because I know a missing leg alone won't kill her.
As for handling her when she is well enough, there is no need. Most of my tarantulas (I have 13) respond to a little nudge on the rear, while others need to be captured under a cup or tupperware when I need to do tank cleaning or enclosure changes. I only have two that I have held, because they're lazy as hell and I know they won't bolt or bite. Depending on her size, she can be fed crickets, roaches, horn worms, or mice. Always keep a water dish handy. If you could post a picture someone might recognize it and be able to tell you what kind you have. I'm assuming that since you live in Arizona it's hot and dry there, right? So misting and damp substrate won't be necessary. Please ask me any questions you might nave, if I missed something.

 

[Tgirl1010]

I would be interested to see a picture of her. I don't think keeping her on damp paper towels long term is a good idea. I would use cocofiber substrate and maybe dampen once side for humidity but not the side she was on. I know you said that you aren't comfortable handling her but what about if you used maybe a soft paper towel in your hand to gently "cup" her and flip her over. Then you could drip some water into her mouth. This might take a while, but what you would do would be to put one drop on her mouth until it disappears, then another, and so on. If she can't move at all, she probably can't get drink by herself. I would, however, keep a water dish in there for her. I would cover her enclosure with something dark or put her somewhere on the dark side to help with stress since she isn't able to move and couldn't go into a a hide. The one missing leg isn't a big deal. When she molts she should get it back. Please keep us updated.

 

[desert voice]

thank you both--Tgirl1010 and katiekatelyn--for offering your expertise and valuable opinions. i had read somewhere that there was a big danger of a tarantula in this situation dessicating, i suppose because they can't drink or find suitable shelter for themselves that moderates their humidity. anyway, i have re-done the damp towel underneath and jerry rigged something so the dampness is under but not touching her. i still have the little damp "cave" that i molded to house her because it's not touching her and may provide the humidity she needs. i know she's an arizona t but she would be underground where the intense aridity would not affect her if this hadn't happened so i think she needs something. i occasionally dampen the artist's brush and lightly brush her with a little bottled water but with the hair, it's not like she's "wet". i also imagine it may help to stimulate nerves and encourage movement eventually. i have had her now for 10 days and she occasionally will respond to touch with a slight movement but not consistently. the info i've found online says she's not likely to start regaining any movement for at least a month or more. i've put the water on her mouth but nothing seems to go in. how long do you think it could take to seep in if i just wait? i usually try at least a minute letting it seep in. do you think if i leave her longer it might work? in this video, the place the water is going in seems so much larger and open than her mouth even if she is smaller. view it and see what you think.

. i also figure that if the wasp had finished the deed, she would have stayed alive for the 3 or 4 months it takes to finish that cycle and no one would be giving her water but i have to keep trying. i was actually more worried about needing to handle her once she's mobile but i'm acclimating to the idea and a friend suggested using lite gardening gloves if it freaks me out too much. i've started holding her now so that when she moves more it won't be as strange. it seems that full recovery is quite a long process so i was thinking i may have to handle her a lot until she can move more. anyway, i got some pics i'm going to attach. hope they work. the yellow spot on the cave is essential oils for paralysis, not something icky.

 

[katiekatelyn]

I wouldn't handle her unless it's to give her water. She doesn't understand that you have good intentions, and the stress might prevent her from making any kind of recovery. Bathing her is also not necessary, they shouldn't be misted. (I'm just repeating information I've read from people who have more experience than you or I, I've read countless threads on this site and another tarantula forum.) I guess the best thing you can do is just make sure she's comfortable, give her water with a syringe, keep her in the dark, and pray for the best. You have a good heart.

 

[desert voice]

thanks katelyn--actually, after you and tgirl gave me your valuable input, i modified everything and kind of came to the same conclusion so i've stopped bothering her except i can't help but check on her once a day even though the advice online was to give water every 3 days and i could conceivably wait 3 days to even visit with her but that's hard. so i look at her once a day and maybe just touch her legs to see if there's response but i don't do the other things anymore and i offer water probably every other day rather than 3 days. yesterday was the first time she seemed to soak up the drop and she actually was showing a lot of leg and body response compared to before. i think possibly being less invasive could be giving her more energy to recover. i'm keeping her in a darker bathroom and that should be more comforting and i've taken her off the damp towel. i put the damp paper towel in the bottom then folded a mesh onion bag several times and put it over the towel to keep her off of that and then dampen a paper towel and squeeze it out, put it over the entire top of the strawberry container and then close the lid. the container already has holes in it for aeration and the damp towels provide some humidity throughout the day but she's not touched by any of it. she just seems better in general. i wonder if there's any kind of sustenance i could/should put in the drops of water, liquefied something or other. it's probably too soon to worry about that, though. what do you think?

 

[katiekatelyn]

You know, I've never actually put thought into water with nutrients in it, but the idea is so good it bears looking into. I'm going to check online. And I know how you feel when you say you can't help but check on her. I've caught myself being like that, too.

 

[desert voice]

You know, I've never actually put thought into water with nutrients in it, but the idea is so good it bears looking into. I'm going to check online. And I know how you feel when you say you can't help but check on her. I've caught myself being like that, too.

thanks for keeping on the thread with me. it's good to have some feedback. last night was a really monumental change in her. i turned her over to give her water and i used the paint brush to just stroke her lightly and when i did, i got so much response especially in her back legs. she's far from being able to walk but there is very discernible improvement in her reactions and motion so the story could still have a happy ending. i tried to take a video of her today to capture that but not sure how it looks. haven't had time to review it.

hey, thanks for checking into the nutrient in the water thing. i was kind of wondering as i swept up some dead bugs that came in last nite if i could grind those to a powder with a mortar and pestle or something and put a small amount in the water. i'm afraid to overload her system is the only thing since there's not a lot going on with her. believe me it would be a miniscule amount anyway based on the drop that she gets. thanks and i look forward to what you may discover. when i get a minute--bogged down right now--i'll check it out too.

look forward to hearing from you.

linda

 

[katiekatelyn]

I really couldn't find anything about supplements for tarantulas, I looked and looked. There are nutritional supplements for reptiles, though, and if it's just simple protein and stuff, I don't see how a tarantula couldn't benefit from it, right? It makes sense, reptiles eat insects and it would provide the same nutrients to them as to a tarantula. I hope someone else chimes in here with their thoughts!

 

[MatthewM1]

I wouldn't be overly worried about hydration, humidity, or nutrition. She looks nice and plump. As long as the wound isn't seeping out liquid I would put her on some dry coco fiber with a hide and a water dish. Only having 7 legs is not a big issue and it will grow back over the next couple molts.

 

[desert voice]

I really couldn't find anything about supplements for tarantulas, I looked and looked. There are nutritional supplements for reptiles, though, and if it's just simple protein and stuff, I don't see how a tarantula couldn't benefit from it, right? It makes sense, reptiles eat insects and it would provide the same nutrients to them as to a tarantula. I hope someone else chimes in here with their thoughts!

sorry i haven't responded sooner. the email notification got lost in all my tons of emails. i really think it's cool you went to so much trouble for this. i guess i'm just afraid to overdo trying to take care of her and possibly make things worse. she's gaining so much movement daily, waving her legs around when i give her water and more resistance in the legs, not so floppy/unresponsive when i put her upright again but not by any means walking or anything. i have to get video of her moving so you can see but my camera battery cover won't close suddenly. anyway, according to the other woman whose video i sent, hers didn't eat for 7 months and was in perfect shape after 11 months. i was just thinking it could give her a boost cuz i know this is a trauma to her body. i found a nice terrarium for her at a yard sale, bleached it, rinsed it and left it in the glaring sun for a couple of days to be sure it's sanitized so i'll be moving her into that soon.

thanks for your correspondence. it makes it less stressful to talk things out with someone who has experience with tarantulas.

linda

 

[desert voice]

I wouldn't be overly worried about hydration, humidity, or nutrition. She looks nice and plump. As long as the wound isn't seeping out liquid I would put her on some dry coco fiber with a hide and a water dish. Only having 7 legs is not a big issue and it will grow back over the next couple molts.

thanks so much for your reply (it also got lost in my email so sorry for responding so slowly). actually, it almost looks like she's even growing even though she's suffered a real trauma and hasn't eaten for over 3 weeks since i've had her. no, her body is completely good and intact, no seeping wounds or anything, just 1 leg and 1 pedipalp is missing. how often do they molt? i really have to sit down and do some serious research on her species and t's in general. does she need the water dish for humidity? otherwise, she's totally incapable at this point of walking and drinking. she's totally immobile but has leg movements that are increasing daily. anyway, i have to get some of the coco fiber and a hide, the water won't hurt either.

glad to hear from you and get the support. hope to hear from you again.

linda

 

[katiekatelyn]

I'd add the water dish, definitely. Even if she can't move, having the water nearby is still good for humidity. The bigger.the tarantula, the slower its growth, I've had my second largest molt once in a year and my smallest molted six times. My first T was an adult rose hair that molted one time in three years. Good luck with her and have fun creating her terrarium! I'm glad she seems to have found a foster mom in you! I was an orphan so it hits close to home for me.

 

[desert voice]

I'd add the water dish, definitely. Even if she can't move, having the water nearby is still good for humidity. The bigger.the tarantula, the slower its growth, I've had my second largest molt once in a year and my smallest molted six times. My first T was an adult rose hair that molted one time in three years. Good luck with her and have fun creating her terrarium! I'm glad she seems to have found a foster mom in you! I was an orphan so it hits close to home for me.

thanks--as soon as i get the terrarium set up, i'll add a water dish. right now she's still in the strawberry container and i have several paper towels folded and damp under her with a porous barrier between that keeps her off it and i dampen 1 paper towel and cover the top before closing. nothing's touching her and this is easier for me to handle her right now while she's still immobile because i can pick her up easily.

the next thing i'm trying to visualize for the advent of her being more mobile is how to feed her. she won't be able to attack prey for some time but if i put a dead cricket in there, would she eat it? someone said crush it but it has to be liquefied. any ideas?

thank you. i'm trying to be a good foster mom. it must've been difficult being orphaned. were you very young?

linda

 

[katiekatelyn]

Yes I was really young. It wasn't ideal, but it was all I knew so I didn't feel much of a loss. Anyway, about the crickets, yes they have to be liquefied but the T will do that. I have 2 adults, ten juveniles, and one sling, and the guys at my preferred pet shop get annoyed with me when I'm trying to get three different sized crickets. Instead of asking for a few pinheads as well as medium crickets, my boyfriend takes the smallest one in the batch and flicks it in the head to stun it. Then we drop it into our baby's burrow. He doesn't have to take it down himself but it's still alive.
My largest, a Goliath birdeater mature male, eats dead rats. I know they say the T will only eat live prey but we've fed ours one live baby rat and I fought with my bf for two days over how awful it was for me to experience that so sorry but it's dead from now on! He does eat them, too. So whatever you find that works for your girl should be good enough!

 

[desert voice]

well, very, very sad news. yesterday i went in to check on her, give water. the paper towel she's on had dried fluid on it. i hoped it was a long overdue excretion but when i turned her over and cleaned it all off, it looks like there was an egg after all and it hatched and has bored inside. i have to take care of her today somehow. it would be stupid to let it stay and develop. after all, that's what i was trying to prevent. so, point of reference in what's really a sad tale, the egg may be laid before the wasp takes it to the burrow which is what i had read that the egg isn't laid until it's back in the burrow. thanks for all of your input and keeping up with the thread. it really has helped, katelyn.

take care.

linda

 

[katiekatelyn]

I just quickly Googled spider wasp, and jeez that is a terrible way to die! I'm so sorry, I was rooting for her to live. I'm glad I was able to offer my help, at least. ): take care, Linda.

 

[desert voice]

I just quickly Googled spider wasp, and jeez that is a terrible way to die! I'm so sorry, I was rooting for her to live. I'm glad I was able to offer my help, at least. ): take care, Linda.

well, there's now a sequel to my story. i don't let things go very easily and i inspected her underside again a few times and what looks like the hole that secreted actually seems to have another on her other side. they look symmetrically placed on the body but this one was more prominent and seemed to be where the fluids came out. so i reasoned it could be excretion that was long overdue but charts that show the physiology make me think it's the trachea only haven't been able to figure that out. so my last ditch effort is that i googled "entomologist in arizona" and found someone in tucson who has a small celebrity bit on a radio show or something online and invited questions. so i've written to be sure that what i saw could be a larva making a hole and causing fluids to come out. nothing has happened since that either and she's actually getting stronger. when i turn her over, all of her feet now cling to the paper towel i keep her on and more so each day to where i have to use my paint brush to gently unattach them one at a time and they reattach as i move along. it's kinda neat that she's coming back but i really have to know about the leakage. it would be awful to keep her and have her die that way in the end. i finally found out the entomologist is a county extension agent so i called and found out he's on vacation but will be back this coming monday. i left him a message there as well. i will keep you up to date on any info that i should get from him. thanks again katelyn! hope you'll stick with me : )

linda

 

[katiekatelyn]

I'm there to the end!

 

[desert voice]

ur so cute : ) --thanks so much!

linda