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Need some advice on this...

Tschorm

Member
Messages
36
Location
Germany
Hy Guys,
I have a Brachypelma Auratum as my first T, I only have it for maybe 5 days, but I think he/she has hurt his leg and is dragging it behind. Have looked up some older Pics I made and there was allways a little black dot on his/her joint, but it grows very slowly bigger and formed now this drop like objekt.
Had anybody something similar and should I be worried or do something or just leave it be? Have searched for a while but could not find anything that comes close.

Thanks in advance!
Tschorm
 

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Jess S

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1,000+ Post Club
Messages
1,197
Location
South Wales
Is there anyway you could get a closer photo of the injury?

I suspect the drop is formed from haemoglyph (the T's blood) and substrate has become stuck to the leak, forming that teardrop shape.

As long as it's not still leaking, it should be ok, as @Enn49 says, it may drop the leg, but it will regrow at the next moult.

If it is still leaking fluid and you are noticing drips or droplets, then use a cotton bud to lightly tap cornstarch (like the stuff you buy in the flour/baking aisle) over the leak. This will help seal it and stop the bleed.

Having said that, from your photo I don't think it's still leaking.

Just ensure your T has plenty of fresh water, as it will need to replace the lost fluid.
 

Tschorm

Member
Messages
36
Location
Germany
I´m sry for the bad foto, my Handycam is not the best I will post a better pic off the leg in a moment when my real camera has charged. But the dark spott on her abdomen is coming from the leg, it wasnt there a day ago and its just on the outside. I dont think that she has hurt itself the last days in this encloser its only 30x30 and 20 high, I can post a pic off it as well.
The thing is, its not bleeding out (there is no white stuff), its just growing very slowly and looking wetisch.
I have a hard time focusing down on her leg, hope you can see it better now and that she isnt blind now from the flash =P
My most concern is that it maybe takes a while until she molds and that she get stuck on that bit =/
 

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Jess S

Well-Known Member
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1,197
Location
South Wales
Thanks, those pics really helped. The wet is haemoglyph, it's brown because substrate has become stuck on the injury and turned to mud. Which isn't a bad thing, as it's helping to stem the bleed.

Beautiful T. I hope she drops the leg, it can't be nice dragging it around and will avoid any possible trouble when she moults.

I would suggest maybe painting on a bit of dry cornstarch to try to dry it out a bit more - to stop the bleed from leaking.

I would also add more substrate, until the gap between the substrate and the top of the enclosure is no more than 1.5x the length of her diagonal leg span.

The wound does look growth like, but that could just be due to whatever trauma has occurred. I'm sure an experienced keeper will post soon and shed some more light on this for you.
 

tapkoote

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
127
Location
the great north west
Tschorm
2 1/2 years ago I got my first T, a 5 gallon tank and a wire mesh top (for reptiles) and too little substrate. Pretty much the same set up you have. Immediately got chewed out, on another forum, but their advice was correct. IMHO, your T was injured in a fall. They have tiny claws on their feet, but not retractible. So if they hook one in those mesh screens on the top, they’re stuck there hanging by one leg. If they fall they’re exoskeleton can crack like a fragile egg.You can look that up there’s threads on it, ask me how I know, once i read those threads I made changes. My two tanks have plexiglass tops, the T’s climb but can’t get to the holes in the tops, and can’t seem to climb the horizontal plexiglass.T’s aren't not made to jump or drop much distance, they don’t have “flying silk” like smaller spiders. Reduce the distance of a fall and tape up the mesh or replace the top with plexiglass, with holes drilled for air circulation.Spiders and insects move by hydraulic pressure, (like a backhoe ditch digger), that break in the leg, allows fluid to leak out when the pressure is applied and the pressure in that leg is reduced, thats why it’s dragging behind.I hope all goes well, I’d feed it as much as it wants to eat to speed up molt.
My tank and what I'd do with yours, but I'd wait till after molt to disturb him/her, it's got enough to deal with now.
Screen Shot 2019-07-17 at 8.35.25 PM.pngIMG_7063.JPG
 

Tschorm

Member
Messages
36
Location
Germany
I brought another bag off soil, but noticed that she had made a layer of web in front of the sliding door, and because she is´nt getting up the walls even a little bit I decided to wait, she has refused to eat today, maybe she is in premolt, I don´t know. Much scarier was the pose that she has taken, looked like a half death crawl, but now she is moving fine...think I just can pray and wait from now on, changed her water today, tomorrow i will try and feed her again.
P.S:The ventilation is made out off aluminium strips with holes in it, but probably small enough for a spider leg to get stuck on it, I will tape the first 2-3 cm from the edge, but still have to get a better solution =/
 

Arachnoclown

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3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
6,382
Location
The Oregon rain forest
Thanks, those pics really helped. The wet is haemoglyph, it's brown because substrate has become stuck on the injury and turned to mud. Which isn't a bad thing, as it's helping to stem the bleed.

Beautiful T. I hope she drops the leg, it can't be nice dragging it around and will avoid any possible trouble when she moults.

I would suggest maybe painting on a bit of dry cornstarch to try to dry it out a bit more - to stop the bleed from leaking.

I would also add more substrate, until the gap between the substrate and the top of the enclosure is no more than 1.5x the length of her diagonal leg span.

The wound does look growth like, but that could just be due to whatever trauma has occurred. I'm sure an experienced keeper will post soon and shed some more light on this for you.
Hemolymph....;)

@Tschorm If it was a problem the spider would have amputated the joint by now. No matter what it will molt out of it.
 

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