Problem with my B.smithii!!!!!

[HitokiriSessha]

HELP!!!!

I may be over-reacting, but Psychosis (my B.smithii, as mentioned on an earlier post) seems to have a problem climbing the glass as she usually does.
She's normally climbing it every night and i saw her attempting too, but slipping about twice and falling before she got all 8 legs onto the glass. Concerned she might have sustained an injury, I picked her up and checked her over.
For those of you who handle your tarantulas:
Notice how their tarsal hooks kinda dig into ur skin, almost like velcro? I mean, normally i tilt my hand a litte, keeping her realll close to the mattress (my mattress is on my floor) and my t, its hooks anchored in, if you will, doesnt move much, even if the hand on which it rests is turned completely so the t is upside-down.I've only done this once, and it was a stupid idea, i will admit.

There appears to be a problem with Psychosis/my b. smithii in this area.
When I picked her up to check her over (which i did very carefully) I noticed that her hooks weren't in as they usually were. That "velcro-ey" feeling (which those of you who have handled their tarantulas will probably be familiar with?) wasn't present. Curious, i gently tilted my hand with my other hand right underneath the t....and my t started scrabbling around, as she began to slip. I get the distinct feeling that she can't use the tarsal hooks on her feet(or those pads (?)) on her feet which i've seen stick onto the glass when she climbs......

I'm very concerned/worried at this point. This hasn't happened to any of my previous t's, and I have no idea how to proceed.
Has anyone else experienced or observed this happening to any of their t's?
If so, how do I go about treating (if i can or should?) my lil Psychosis?

Comments appreciated!

HitokiriSessha

[Chris R. Jones (Sirunus)]

Hi,

I have a B. Smithi and she kept on climbing the glass and falling down. Red Knees and other terrestrial tarantulas are usually too bulky to support their own weight when climbing. And are a little clumsy. My tarantula was climbing all over the place for the first couple of weeks I got her. She kept on falling down and I got so worried she would hurt herself. But she was fine, and now she's stopped climbing altogether. I have not handled my tarantula, so I wouldn't know if anything was up with her tarsal hooks. She had no problem climbing up rocks and whatnot, but I did see her once use her fangs to help her climb! Just make sure your T dosen't have more than a foot to drop. My T also fell when she took her eigth leg off and at some point really fighting to keep her grip. One point I attempted to handle her, she wouldn't touch me with her tarsal hooks. Your tarantula could just be a little nervous after her ordeal.

If there is something up with your T's tarsal hooks, is she grabbing her prey normally? If she is, there is no need to worry. If you only got recently, or gave her a new home, she's just exploring her new home and will stop once she settles. If you rearranged her home, ditto. Again, make sure she has less than a foot to fall. If she can't grab her prey with her front legs, dangle dead crickets from a bit of string in front of her. Make sure if she tries to climb, she has a soft landing by the sides of the glass. Don't worry, in her next molt, if there is something up with her tarsals, she should shed those and get new ones.

Though I'm not saying all of this from experience. This is just guesswork from the limited experience and knowledge from the things I read. Try handling your T again.

[HitokiriSessha]

Psychosis

Well, I've had my B.smithii for a good few months now, so I doubt that its due to stress of any kind.

It doesn't seem to be able to grip onto my hand whenever i tilt it slightly, when I handle her. She doesn't seem to be able to "stick" onto the glass when climbing.

.............I'm worried.....

[Chris R. Jones (Sirunus)]

My tarantula couldn't climb the glass very well either. Have you, by any chance, given her a new home or moved anything around recently?

Tarantulas are pretty clumsy. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Is she eating okay? It's most likey she's too heavy to support her own weight, especially after drinking or eating a fat cricket. That was the case with my B. Smithi. If your tarantula has lost the stickiness on her tarsal claws, then it should come back, especially when the tarantula molts next.

[marie metcalfe-brachygirl]

it could well be she is coming up to a moult, as the gripping hairs begin to degrade they have problems gripping. i see this with all my brachys.

[Neil Richardson]

I've seen a similar phenomenom in my G.Rosea and my E.Campestratus. The hooks just seem to wear out as they get used.

[John]

Its not to humid for the smithi is it ?
As sometimes t's climb to get away from the humidity, I know this as i ask once why it was climbing and the t gave me a coronary by replying to me and this is what she said hey bariba, bariba its to sticky and huuumid in ere i is from a dryier clime. I know go figure it only happened that once never spoke since , well i spose shes happy now Its finally happened