T blondi trauma update :)

[Neil Ashby]

Thanks Nicola

I hope people arent getting fed up of this , i just feel it is something that people will be interested in !!

[Nicola Dolby]

I'm sure no-one is fed up Neil, we just want her well like you do. Try contacting the people who sold her to you and get a date of her last moult. That should give you an approximate timetable and make your worry a little less. I hate being upset over my spiders myself, but at the end of the day we care for them, look after them, spend time with them just like a cat or dog. For all else they are they are our pets, whether we call them so or not.

[Neil Ashby]

I did and he just said it was well over a year ago !

..... but couldnt give me a date !!!

[Nicola Dolby]

In that case e-mail one of the committee members and see what they say, they'd give you much better advice than me. I bought one of my spiders nearly a year ago and she hasn't moulted yet, then again she hasn't been through what yours has. Try Ray Hale or Mark Pennell. I hope they can give you some great advice no-one has thought of yet.

[Neil Ashby]

I think my blondi is close to death !!

She hasnt moved for 2 days and is looking very ropy . I was even able to pick her up without her even moving . I turned her over and you can see by the pictures that she is shrivelled up underneath and looks awful . She has plenty of water , the humidity is high and she is warm ..... i dont know what else to do now . When i got up today she was in the water dish , apparantly drinking because the water went right down . This may be why she looks shrivelled up underneath because she was in there all day.

Normally i wouldnt attempt to pick up a 9" blondi but she is so lethargic that i wasnt worried one bit !! . I did it to inspect her , and her leg valve where fluid is still present ! . I cant put anything on it because it is right on her book lung !!!!

I think she is going to die , i feel sick about it !!!

[TabbieNorton]

Hi Neil,

Man I feel so wretched for you and your blondi. I did have one with an abdomen that looked shriveled like that after being poisoned by a mushroom that grew from her peat and died in her water dish. I wasn't able to bring her back and an ICU stressed her out more. I have 7 of these and I just have never had one with an abdomen injury like that but it seems internal. Did the shriveled abdomen and heavy drinking start after the loss of the leg? Seems to. May be a sign of her trying to rehydrate her self due to the "leaking".

I really hope she makes it but her condition scares me. Best to you and yours I have you both in my thoughts.

[Neil Ashby]

Thanks Tabbie

The drinking did start after the leg loss , she has certainly gone downhill since then . I thought that could seal the valve when they chuck the leg , should i put something on it because it is right next to her book lung !!!

I just wanna save her but feel its inevitable she is going to die

Neil

[TabbieNorton]

Hi Neil,

I will be honest with you. It does seem like she isn't going to make it...HOWEVER there is always hope and hope is what keeps us going and your work on her has kept her going this long. You shouldn't stop now. Try Corn Starch...I don't know if you have any but get it on the end of cotton like a Q-tip or something and blot it on. That may help without getting dangerous fumes near her book lungs. Just be careful not to get dust on her.

At this point you may want to slowly and carefully put some nail hardener or super blue on it as well. Since she isn't moving it seems she may not get it in her book lungs. You would just have to be sure to be very careful and keep her other leg immobolized until it dries up. I would try corn starch first. Some people have also used ash such as cigarette ash.

[TabbieNorton]

One other thing. I did once have a tarantula that I rescued that was intensely dehydrated and someone mentioned to me to give her pedialyte unflavored through an eyedropper straight into her mouth for a day or so to bring up her electrolytes. This was a long long time keeper. My girl ended up surviving. I am not sure if you have that product there but after you mend her wound you may way to try eyedroppering some on her mouth and see if she accepts it or put it in a shallow dish if you feel she is up to drinking. It can be found in the children/baby section as it is used to rehydrate babies with stomach trouble.

[Neil Ashby]

I think its too late Tabbie

I think she is dead !

[TabbieNorton]

Oh no oh no oh no. Dang. I am so sorry to hear that...totally not responding I assume?

Gosh I am sorry Neil. It may be for the best since she has been having a rough time with it but of course will never be easy. You are in my thoughts, let me know if you need anything. Again I am so sorry to hear that.

[Nicola Dolby]

My commiserations Neil. You did everything you could. Likewise if you need anything let me know.

[Colin D Wilson]

What a shame mate
From following this (and your other theads on the subject) Nobody, but Nobody could say that you didn't do all you could.
I totally admire and respect your relentless attempts to bring her back to full health.

Regards

Colin

[Neil Ashby]

Thankyou everyone , you are really caring people and i im so glad i joined this forum .

I may have jumped the gun slightly , she wasnt moving at all even when i touched her several times but i have since gone and looked at her and she has changed position slightly , she`s a fighter !!!!

I think it is just a matter of time tho

Im sorry for giving you the impression she was gone , this is horrible

[Stanley A. Schultz]

Sorry, I haven't been following this thread right along and only now picked up on it. Also, I haven't read all 5 pages of responses, so if this is redundant, please forgive.

DON'T DISPOSE OF THE TARANTULA UNTIL IT BEGINS TO SMELL!

Did you put it in an ICU? Do you know what this is?

In general, it's a plastic tub of the sort you might pick up from a deli or a candy store. In North America we commonly use 500 or 750 ml cottage cheese cartons. For your T. blondi you'll need something about its leg span wide and nearly as tall. Maybe a mixing bowl with a plastic cover?

Punch or melt 3 or 4 quarter inch holes in the side wall somewhere above half way to the top. They shouldn't be low enough to be plugged by the paper toweling or high enough to be blocked by the cover.

Fold a common paper towel into quarters (or for something that size, maybe 2 towels) and push it to the bottom of the container. Pour a pint of room temperature tap water into the container, let it soak for a moment, then pour it back out, allowing all the excess to drain away.

Place the tarantula on top of the wet paper toweling and apply the cover. Place the whole ICU someplace in the house that will be only slightly warmer than its cage.

Immediately set up a second one, but keep this one dry. It's for use in case you need to make a quick transfer so you can clean the used one. Just soak it down and switch the tarantula into it. Be sure to clean the soiled one immediately so you don't have to do a panic setup tomorrow!

Check on the tarantula every day. Change to a clean ICU every second or third day.

After a week, assuming it's still alive, you should put the tarantula back into its cage for a few hours so it'll dry off a little. This is to help prevent rampant fungus and bacterial growths.

If it still needs it, put the tarantula back into the ICU again. At this point you should look the tarantula over really well for signs of infection. If you find any you should get an antibiotic salve either from a veterinarian or your family doctor. Apply it liberally on the infected sites.

Sorry to hear about your crisis. Hope this arrives in time. Best of luck.