Bad Moult - Avicularia Avicularia

[Mark Earnshaw]

I have a young (2" pedipalp to spinnerets) Pink Toe that moulted yesterday, but has suffered damage to two legs on the left-hand side/rear. One leg is bent completely over the carapace (almost 180 degrees) and sticking in the air, the other is withered and doesn't look usable.
The spider lives in a superb web funnel in a piece of bamboo and appears to have moulted without sufficient room.

I spotted the 'mess' when I found the spider out of the burrow and trying to drag the skin off, which it eventually managed. It then hauled itself (literally) back into it's burrow but did look to struggle, but it moved quickly enough.

Can anyone help advise me on the likelyhood of survival and whether I need to take any action on the damaged legs? This is the first time in 15 years that I have witnessed a bad moult from any of my spiders.

The spider looks healthy enough, just disfigured and I am concerned that the next moult will pose even bigger problems.

Advice most welcome!

Mark

[Peter Roach]

I would be thinking of removing the sticking up leg at the very least. By grabbing/holding the offending leg with forceps, the spider will 'drop' the leg and will grow.back over a few moults. Im sure there are a few threads detailing this somewhere on here.

[Mark Earnshaw]

Thanks Peter. The spider has stayed in its burrow but as soon as it comes out (hopefully over the next few days), I will try to get hold of the offending leg. The problem I have at the moment is that it has holed up and I cannot tell what's going on. It moves when the tank is misted, so it is still alive at least!