URGENT~! new member needs advice/help!!

[Kymura]

I've got a "wild" Arkansas Chocolate Tarantula that I've had for roughly 6 months and tonight I noticed a strange gait and an almost split along the abdomen. I'm just wanting to see if there is anything I can do for Fluffy. View attachment 15475

 

[Enn49]

The only thing I can suggest is dusting it with corn flour.

 

[MassExodus]

That looks pretty bad..with a wound like that, it will probably not make it. Just let it be and see if I lives I guess is what I would do.

 

[Thistles]

Oh geez, I feel sick just looking at that. Prognosis is poor, but she can try putting a little bit of tissue paper over the wound. That can serve as a sort of matrix for clotting.

 

[Entity]

Did she fall or something? Is there enough sub in the enclosure? Did they drop it? That seems pretty severe to just have "noticed it" on day.

 

[Jeanette]

Fluffy is unable to be handled, and the substrate is the same as what Petco used for my Chilean Rose, coconut something substrate. She (assuming it is female due to size) does climb but the substrate is an inch thick with a water dish partially buried, there is also a hermit crab sponge because I am home only at nights she has that in the dish. Unless she fell on that there isn't an explanation for this tear. Before anything is said about the sponge- it is cleaned every morning before I leave for work.
About just noticing- that is exactly how it was found out. I work 12-14 hours a day except on Sundays and Tuesdays when I am off. As she is unable to be handled interaction is a no go. VERY aggressive and doesn't hesitate to hop at anything in her cage.

 

[Entity]

Im thinking an inch of substrate is not enough. how high is the enclosure walls? If she fell just a few inches onto just 1 inch of substrate, a fat spider can and sometimes will bust...so to speak. especially of it fell onto the water dish. That is about the only thing that could have happened i would think.

 

[justdon]

I hope she makes it.If I saw that on one of my T's I would freak out.I worry enough without that.Good luck to you.

 

[Jeanette]

Enclosure is a big 'cricket keeper' blue portable cage- fully intended her to be a re-release this spring.... but I liked her and decided to keep her. My other two just recently molted and she has been looking the same way they did right before they molted and then this.
I'm worried as heck but attempting to do anything would further stress her and I think that would probably just make things worse. I'll have to take the 'watch and see' approach.

 

[Jeanette]

As far as my admittedly novice T eyes are she looks healthy. The wound she seems to be trying to fix on her own. She's up and moving on her own now so I hope she can make it!!

 

[micheldied]

Im thinking an inch of substrate is not enough. how high is the enclosure walls? If she fell just a few inches onto just 1 inch of substrate, a fat spider can and sometimes will bust...so to speak. especially of it fell onto the water dish. That is about the only thing that could have happened i would think.

This is my guess as well.

 

[VanessaS]

Would it be beneficial to move them to a smaller enclosure now? Staying in the one that they got injured in might result in them injuring themselves again before it gets a chance to heal.
I might be way off base, but I would think that limiting their ability to move about might speed up that healing.

 

[micheldied]

Would it be beneficial to move them to a smaller enclosure now? Staying in the one that they got injured in might result in them injuring themselves again before it gets a chance to heal.
I might be way off base, but I would think that limiting their ability to move about might speed up that healing.

If you're able to do it very carefully, move it into a small ICU. I'll be honest, a tear that size doesn't look very hopeful.

 

[VanessaS]

This makes me very sad, even though she isn't my spider. It is so sad.

 

[micheldied]

This makes me very sad, even though she isn't my spider. It is so sad.

She's still alive, there's hope. I would dab the wound with corn flour to try to seal it. Is it still leaking fluids? If it isn't, that's a good sign. Is that a molt mat it's sitting on?

 

[Phil]

My P.Metallica had s plit abdomen, likely from a fall but I am unsure. Super glue was applied but the split was at the top not the side so this was possible with a careful "drop" from above. Corn flour was also applied. Alas, 2 weeks after, I lost her (she lives on in my profile pic now). I genuinely hope this little fighter makes it. I would leave it be as much as you can, maybe try corn flour or tissue as suggested but having tried super glue, I wouldn't go down that route again. Good luck to you.

 

[Jeanette]

She's moving a lot more actively, you can barely see the wound anymore. She looked ready to molt for a few days, still looks shabby like she's in need of a molt, but I don't think she's going to try anytime soon.
She always does the web mat when feeding so with her it's hard to tell if it was from her cricket dinner or prepping for a molt.
She's not leaking fluid anymore but her abdomen has definitely reduced in size. Still hopeful but prepared for the worst.

 

[Jeanette]

Also she isn't using her back leg to try to cover the wound or perhaps itch it anymore. She's hopefully a fighter!

 

[MassExodus]

Good luck to you both. I hope it heals and molts out of it.

 

[SpiderDad61]

Hope she lives.
If she lives, u absolutely need to take her out and fill that enclosure with substrate. High enough to where it can stand and reach the lid. That's the best way to keep Ts from a high fall....don't give em that chance.
Good luck.
Also, I Kno u say u clean the sponge every morning, but it's really not needed for a T, unless you have it in there specifically to keep crickets from drowning...and if it's the case, it's just not worth it.
Keep us posted