Help! Sick Green-Bottle-Blue???

[Jackie Binder]

I recently (little over a week ago) got an adult female green-bottle-blue tarantula. She seamed fine when I picked her up, but tonight when I blew on her she didn't move. When I tried to move her by tapping on her thorax, the most I got out of her was a feeble movement of the legs. She "appears" to be tacked to the bottom of her cage, because she (at no time) was able to get up and move. It looks like her body is too big to lift. (And she is not a fat spider.)

I have taken precautions (put her in a room away from my other Ts, wash my hands after dealing with her, and throw away anything that I use to move her. (plastic bags and chopsticks). Just to make sure the other Ts are safe.

(The two other to adult spiders I got from the same guy are acting normal.)

What is wrong with her?
Could a change in substrate or stress cause this? (I use peat moss with ABSOLUTELY NO CHEMICALS ADDED.)

What can I do to help her?

Thank you for ANY information.

Jackie B.

[Mark Pennell]

I recently (little over a week ago) got an adult female green-bottle-blue tarantula. She seamed fine when I picked her up, but tonight when I blew on her she didn't move. When I tried to move her by tapping on her thorax, the most I got out of her was a feeble movement of the legs. She "appears" to be tacked to the bottom of her cage, because she (at no time) was able to get up and move. It looks like her body is too big to lift. (And she is not a fat spider.)

I have taken precautions (put her in a room away from my other Ts, wash my hands after dealing with her, and throw away anything that I use to move her. (plastic bags and chopsticks). Just to make sure the other Ts are safe.

(The two other to adult spiders I got from the same guy are acting normal.)

What is wrong with her?
Could a change in substrate or stress cause this? (I use peat moss with ABSOLUTELY NO CHEMICALS ADDED.)

What can I do to help her?

Thank you for ANY information.

Jackie B.

Jackie
It would be almost impossible to say what is up with your tarantula, is there any chance of a picture? we might be able to get a better idea of the problem
Regards
Mark

[Matthew Baines]

Possibly a molt is imminent , they usually go really lethargic when they are due too molt , if that being the case just leave her too her own devices because its a fairly vital yet dangerous cycle in there life and do not need any extra stress during this point in there life. But its hard too say really off other peoples descriptions without a picture.

[Mrs Linda Street]

Hi Jackie, just a thought could she possibly be dehydrated? try a good sized shallow water dish to see if she goes into it. Also you might find of interest the thread on 'ill Haplopelma' as Samantha's and mine are acting in a very similar way, albeit a different species!

[michaelmckinney]

How humid is her tank??? The only times I have not seen a spider go bezerk when being blown on, it wasn't a good sign. Like the other guys said, impending molts can cause lethargicity, but when only the legs move, and if it was a very slow and delayed reaction, it's really not a good sign.

[Phil Rea]

Could be dehydration but as Mark has pointed out, it's difficult without a picture.

[Samantha Lewanewsky]

One of mine has been acting like that too, just hardly responsive and it's like she's only got the energy to move her legs a little.

Hope she gets better soon