Something is eating away at my Smithi's abdomen.Help please!

[Jason Debono]

Something appears to be eating away at the abdomen to my Smithi very slowly but surely and it has been there for a month. His/her behaviour seems unaffected but my fear is that if left untreated it could become serious and could affect the next molt. The last molt happened in June. I have taken some pictures but I am not sure how to post them onto the forum so that those of you in the know might take a look and advise me what it could be and how to treat it. HELP please

[Guy Tansley]

Hi Jason,

email your pictures to me at guy@giantspiders.com and I'll post them up for you.
Hopefully it will be easier to determine what's wrong from the pictures.

[Guy Tansley]

Thanks for the pics, Jason:



From what I can see, it looks like it has just lost some urticating hairs from it's abdomen which is totally normal.
I'm assuming you know what urticating hairs are for but if not, just ask the question!

[Jason Debono]

Thanks for that Guy. I know what urticating bristles are and this is not just a case of them being shed or scratched off by Smithi which is what I thought at first.

Its the fluff on the lefthand side above the bald patch that turns into the baldpatch after a few days. Is it not clear what I am talking about from the pictures?

I will send another picture to you from today which shows it getting progressively worse. Please attach this to the forum. I hope it makes the problem clear.

Thanks Guy for your help.

[Guy Tansley]

Hi Jason,



The fluff on the left side of the abdomen is urticating hair that sometimes clumps together to form this. Once this falls away the patch of abdomen where the hair was is now bald. Again, completely normal and nothing to worry about IMO.

I would however, consider changing your substrate to a compost mix.

[Jason Debono]

Thanks again guy. I'm feeling alot more comfortable that what Smithi is going through is perfectly normal. However, I will just keep an eye on it just incase.

About the substrate. A quarter of the tank is covered in these pebbles but the vast majority is covered with a mix of vermiculite, compost (no peat or chemicals) and cork bark.

Cheers Jason

[James Metcalf]

why do u use hose pebbles ????
i think they would not be good for the t at all as it may want to burow there.