Tarantula missing legs

[taylorET]

Hello,
Last summer around the end of august, I was camping and found a very small tarantula in the campground bathroom, which was missing two legs. I took him home and have had him until now. My goal was to release him where I found him this summer. He often avoids his food (meal worms and crickets) and has not molted since I have had him. I thought I’d be helping the little guy by providing a safe space for him to re grow and was not expecting him to take this long to molt. Should I release him sooner? Is it too late?

 

[m0lsx]

Hi. This is just a guess. But most tarantulas who go walk about are Mature Males who are wandering to find a female to mate with before they die.
When a male tarantula matures they have just one thing on their mind, reproduction. And things like food & water come second to that. A mature male can molt again after they mature, but it normally does not go well for them & after that final molt, their future is in short-ish. They may live a year or two, but they, in general, slowly wither away.

 

[Josh]

You're doing him a favor by offering him a predator free stress free living space to chill out and retire. Sounds good to me...

 

[taylorET]

Hi. This is just a guess. But most tarantulas who go walk about are Mature Males who are wandering to find a female to mate with before they die.
When a male tarantula matures they have just one thing on their mind, reproduction. And things like food & water come second to that. A mature male can molt again after they mature, but it normally does not go well for them & after that final molt, their future is in short-ish. They may live a year or two, but they, in general, slowly wither away.

Thank you for your advice. If this is the case, should I still release him where I found him or hold on to him? Or should I let the natural cycle take its course.

 

[taylorET]

Hi. This is just a guess. But most tarantulas who go walk about are Mature Males who are wandering to find a female to mate with before they die.
When a male tarantula matures they have just one thing on their mind, reproduction. And things like food & water come second to that. A mature male can molt again after they mature, but it normally does not go well for them & after that final molt, their future is in short-ish. They may live a year or two, but they, in general, slowly wither

You're doing him a favor by offering him a predator free stress free living space to chill out and retire. Sounds good to me...

that’s what I was thinking. But he/she is very young maybe only 2 years old and is very small.

 

[m0lsx]

Personally, I would release him. His whole reason for existing now is to mate. Mature Males tend not to eat or drink & to simply shrink away.

So I would let him have his chance. Even if that is going to mean he dies sooner, rather than later.