Phormictipus cancerides

[Robtwelsh]

Hi all, I have a Haitian Brown T and still learning lots (still a newbie). A couple of weeks ago she (Hazel) started to develop a bald patch on her abdomen and it's getting bigger - the area look a dull pink shade. Is this a sign that she may moult or perhaps something else I should worry about? Would appreciate some advice if anyone can help?
Robert

[Peter Roach]

A couple of weeks ago she (Hazel) started to develop a bald patch on her abdomen and it's getting bigger

The bald patch is where she is kicking the hairs off and has nothing to do with moulting.

Something is upsetting her and so she is kicking the hairs to discourage whatever is bothering her to bog off !!!
This can be anything from someone or something actually bothering her (kids or pet tapping on glass etc), loud music or vibrations or something similar.
This is something that tarantulas do in the wild when something is bothering/attacking them, they kick the hairs into the attackers face which gets into the eyes, nose and mouth. This will stop the attack due to extreme itchyness to the eyes and throat as well as large amounts of tears and mucus being produced.

the area look a dull pink shade.

This is just the actual skin, when she is in premoult the pink area will slowly turn darker until it is almost black. This black is the new hairs under the old skin. The bald patch is stay until she moults and then she will be as new again.

or perhaps something else I should worry about?

Something is definately bothering her, all you have to do is find out what !!

[Robtwelsh]

The bald patch is where she is kicking the hairs off and has nothing to do with moulting.

Something is upsetting her and so she is kicking the hairs to discourage whatever is bothering her to bog off !!!
This can be anything from someone or something actually bothering her (kids or pet tapping on glass etc), loud music or vibrations or something similar.
This is something that tarantulas do in the wild when something is bothering/attacking them, they kick the hairs into the attackers face which gets into the eyes, nose and mouth. This will stop the attack due to extreme itchyness to the eyes and throat as well as large amounts of tears and mucus being produced.




This is just the actual skin, when she is in premoult the pink area will slowly turn darker until it is almost black. This black is the new hairs under the old skin. The bald patch is stay until she moults and then she will be as new again.




Something is definately bothering her, all you have to do is find out what !!

Thank you, Peter, much appreciated... The room that Hazel occupies is very quiet and more so during the day - no children, no other pets, or humans to bother her. Except when I feed her or drop a little water into her home, there is very little disturbance. I'm attaching a couple of 'before' and 'after' pictures just for you to see. I might start logging her movements when I'm indoors. She seems happy and settled enough, eats well and moves around quite placidly.

This is Hazel before she lost her hair and....

...this is after. You can clearly see her balding area. Could she possibly kick off so much hair?

Thanks again for your advice.
Robert

[Peter Roach]

She sure has kicked a lot off hasnt she LOL
Something has made her do it, all you have to do is find out.
It could be something as simple an annoying cricket, it could be anything at all !!

You mentioned placid.
Are you sure she's a P cancerides ?
I have 2 AF's and they certainly are anything but placid, in fact the species are well know as 'wannabe face eaters' LOL

Showing me that she want to give me a little kiss




Fatty !!!

[paul charlton]

very nice ive got two around 6in in size just the same as yours soz if ive highjacked your post

[Robtwelsh]

Hi Peter, thanks for another kind reply... What I meant when I said that Hazel was moving around quite placid, was that I guess when she has a little wander around her home, she always seems quite happy and slow about her business... She's actually quite skitty when I feed her, she's fast, very fast and takes her food very aggressively. I used to feed her through the top of her tank and drop in her crickets but since I've found it much easier to go in through a door at the front. When I do, she seems as though she always wants to 'give me a kiss' too! I'm at a loss as to why she might be upset or agitated?
Thanks again, Peter
Robert

[Robtwelsh]

Hi Paul, please jump in, you're welcome, I could do with any help and info as I'm relatively new to keeping Ts and any input is welcome
Thanks
Robert

[Robtwelsh]

...oh, and by the way, Peter, super pictures! I noticed the webbing in your pictures - now that's something Hazel has almost none of! She moves to do it when she's fed seems to leave no web at all... I'm beginning to wonder if this is normal too.
Guess I've a lot to learn!
Thanks again
Robert

[Peter Roach]

. I noticed the webbing in your pictures - now that's something Hazel has almost none of! She moves to do it when she's fed seems to leave no web at all... I'm beginning to wonder if this is normal too.

I have 2 species of Phormictopus, cancerides and altrichomatus.
Some web and some dont, all T's are different even of the same species.

I'm at a loss as to why she might be upset or agitated

That is the main reason they are known for. LOL
All cancerides that I've ever seen are all the same.
Some people call them aggressive and other people call them defensive.
I call them 'Face Eaters. Its descriptive and true !!!

[Robtwelsh]

Thanks again Peter, I'll keep an eye on her, maybe diary her habits if I can spot them.
Robert

[paul charlton]

Hi Paul, please jump in, you're welcome, I could do with any help and info as I'm relatively new to keeping Ts and any input is welcome
Thanks
Robert

i am not much help i am new to this game lol one of mine will eat anytning the other wont might be in pre moult lol

[Robtwelsh]

Just an update guys... I finally caught Hazel at it! Or at least I think I did. A couple of nights ago she was stood up on her toes, so-to-speak, and I noticed her rubbing her furthest back leg against her abdomen. She did this a few times and each time, she brought the leg underneath toward her mouth parts, and then back to her abdomen. This continued for about half an hour before she disappeared off into her log.... There was nothing that I could see, hear or sense that would be bothering or irritating her... I guess she could just be an odd sort
Robert

[Peter Roach]

She was just having a clean, just like a cat does.

When she kicks the hairs off you will definitely know when !!!

[James Box]

just a thought, could it be that she's using her hairs to line her home with defensive barbs? i know many do this, though it's an awful lot of hairs being used for that purpose, if that's the case!

my spiders live in the same area with me, and put up with movies, guitar playing, and other loud things...and generally i dont have much of an issue with bald patches (the occasional one happens but no biggy). they can get used to anything...even me LOL

the good thing is that as soon as she does moult, she'll have her fine coat of evil hairs back

maybe in the meantime just keep an eye on her at random times, and see if she starts kicking for any particular reason...(obviously stealth is the key)

[Robtwelsh]

Thanks Peter and James. I'll be sure to keep a very 'stealthy' eye on her... I'm probably worrying too much, I usually do