What are the signs of a nearly 3 year old tarantula molting

[boo boo 86]

Hi guys wonder if anyone could help me. My chilli rosea is acting strange with walking. When she is walking her legs are moving really fast but she isn't going anywhere or she circles. Any idea what could be wrong I'm quite worried about her.could she be getting ready for a moult?

 

[Tomoran]

Does she appear to be discombobulated? Like she's unable to control her limbs? When she moves, does she seem to be unable to go in one direction?

 

[boo boo 86]

Yea that exactly!! Tried to upload a video but not sure how to do that.

 

[Tomoran]

Can you upload to YouTube? What you're describing sounds like the symptoms folks refer to as DKS. When did this start? Does she act like the spider below?

 

[boo boo 86]

She is like the tarantula in the video :-( it started maybe a week and half ago. What do I need to do and what is Dks? Erm I'm sure I can upload on you tube.

 

[Tomoran]

She is like the tarantula in the video :-( it started maybe a week and half ago. What do I need to do and what is Dks? Erm I'm sure I can upload on you tube.

There was actually another thread posted earlier about "DKS". It's actually just a series of symptoms where the tarantula seems to lose the ability to coordinate and move its limbs properly and becomes spastic and unable to eat or drink. In the case of the tarantula above, I noticed these symptoms three days before that video was shot. It died two days later. Sadly, most folks that find their spiders acting like this lose them soon after.

As for causes, it's been blamed on extreme temperatures (high or low), exposure to pesticide (folks with dogs/cats often worry about the flea/tick treatments), or poisoning by household products, like cleaners or fumes. I've even hear of contaminated crickets and mold being mentioned as possible causes. Truth is, any of these could be the cause, or it could just be a sick spider. Has yours been exposed to anything?

 

[boo boo 86]

Only thing I can think of is when my child has sprayed too much furniture Polish in the house. that could possibly be the reason I'll post the video so you can see. She has eaten in the last few days.

 

[boo boo 86]

But saying that I have another spider that hasn't been affected.

 

[Tomoran]

Only thing I can think of is when my child has sprayed too much furniture Polish in the house. that could possibly be the reason I'll post the video so you can see. She has eaten in the last few days.

Oh, dear...that could definitely be a possibility. Sometimes, tarantulas display these symptoms and keepers can't figure out what might have caused it. When mine got it, I was going nuts trying to figure out what I might have done to cause it (I don't like the uncertainty). I had about 30 Ts when mine started showing it, and my insubtilis was the only one to display any issues.

If she has eaten even with the jerky motions, that could be a very good sign. I did read of one instance where the spider survived, but I don't remember the circumstances.

 

[boo boo 86]

Is there anything I can do??? I feel very useless and hate seeing her like that. Unfortunately I can't post the video it's not letting me. How long do they act like that before her time ends. Don't like the thought of her suffering.

 

[Tomoran]

Is there anything I can do??? I feel very useless and hate seeing her like that. Unfortunately I can't post the video it's not letting me. How long do they act like that before her time ends. Don't like the thought of her suffering.

I'm really sorry...believe me, I've been there with one of mine, and it's horrible. Did it eat after showing these signs? Mine didn't eat after I noticed the strange leg movements. For mine, there was nothing I could do.

 

[boo boo 86]

:-( yea I put a cricket in like 3 days ago and it's been eaten and she has been like this a week and half. Can i ask how long did yours live after finding out it had dks?? Is it really rare they survive?

 

[Tomoran]

:-( yea I put a cricket in like 3 days ago and it's been eaten and she has been like this a week and half. Can i ask how long did yours live after finding out it had dks?? Is it really rare they survive?

That's really promising then. Most won't eat after losing their coordination. It was five days from when I noticed the movements. They might have been there before that, but they were more subtle.

 

[boo boo 86]

Could substrate be the problem?? I bought a different substrate because the reptile shop didn't have any that I normally get. Really thinking about it I changed her tank 2 week ago. I ask the shop assistant if the substrate is alright for tarantulas n he said yes it would be ok.

 

[boo boo 86]

 

[Tomoran]

Could substrate be the problem?? I bought a different substrate because the reptile shop didn't have any that I normally get. Really thinking about it I changed her tank 2 week ago. I ask the shop assistant if the substrate is alright for tarantulas n he said yes it would be ok.

If there was something in it that could harm a T (like pesticide or chemicals), then that is a possibility. It's possible that it could have been contaminated. What type was it?

 

[Tomoran]

Well, if it was specially formulated for use with spiders, you'd like to think that it's suitable for them. It's possible that it was somehow contaminated. It would be in the back of my mind if it was my tarantula, but unfortunately there would be no way to prove it.

 

[boo boo 86]

So what do I do?? Sit and wait for her to pass sorry if it sounds wrong but I'm stuck.

 

[boo boo 86]

Is that your tarantula on your prof pic?

 

[Tomoran]

If you think that it might have been contaminated substrate, you could try switching it out. If she's been showing these symptoms for a while, and she's actually eaten after getting them, then I would be hopeful that she might pull through. I couldn't find anything that worked with mine and it soon died. Has yours been getting worse?