Dyskinetic Syndrome

[Dumitrascu Marius]

Hello, I own a rose chilean tarantula (rose grammostola).
It`s been ~2weeks since it shedded for the first time since I have it. All went well with the shedding, she even started eating after and I was very happy. Unfortunately 3 days ago I notice some weird movement and after a quick internet search I came to the conclusion that she has Dyskinetic Syndrome based on the twitching, spasms and drunken movement.
However this morning and a couple of minutes ago I noticed she was upside down (belly up) just like in a shedding position. She did stop the spasms but her movement is still the same, she lifts he legs to cover herself up and from time to time she lifts them up and proceeds to fall on her back.

My questions is : is it possible it might be shedding again after just 2-3weeks? Or is it falling on its back based on the Dyskinetic Syndrome?
I`m really worried and I read that 80-90% of the tarantulas die withing 3-4 days after being diagnosed with this but mine seems to be still hanging in there.

What should I do? Should I turn her up every time she falls (im afraid that if I don`t she`ll die that way).

Thanks in advance.

[Luke Scott]

Not sure tbh my b smith did this to me she molted just before Xmas and did again not even 3 moths later scared me at first waking up looking at her tank looked like right mess but she was completely fine after that but before her molt after Xmas she was very odd

[Dumitrascu Marius]

Not my case - seems it shows no other signs of molding. So it`s just the Dyskinetic Syndrome - I.ve put her in an ICU and even tho it still twitches at least it`s not falling on its back in there..hopefully it recovers, been 5 days since it manifested the syndrome...

[Luke Scott]

Has the t been exspoed to any chemicals or harsh sprays say body spray and stuff my b smith was twitching tho she did stop

[Dumitrascu Marius]

No, my guess is: 1) it.s due to the new substrate I bought from the pet shop
2) it.s due to the salad I feed the crickets with (might have some chemicals left over which could harm the tarantula) / the crickets

Hopefully it will heal, I`m definitely not giving up on her: been monitoring her in the ICU, fresh water, no-stress environment, etc. The twitching isn`t as bad as before so I still have hope...

[Luke Scott]

Oh and what the ts food item I read somewhere that a guys t died after feeding a waxworm to it apparently due to the worms being in pin shavings might have poisoned it same as it can poison us humans

[Luke Scott]

Em I doubt it wih food fed to crickets cos surely they would have same problem and die fast if not they would have digested it so killed the chemical I think but I really hope she's okay never give up on such lovely creatures there tough nuts

No, my guess is: 1) it.s due to the new substrate I bought from the pet shop
2) it.s due to the salad I feed the crickets with (might have some chemicals left over which could harm the tarantula) / the crickets

Hopefully it will heal, I`m definitely not giving up on her: been monitoring her in the ICU, fresh water, no-stress environment, etc. The twitching isn`t as bad as before so I still have hope...

[Dumitrascu Marius]

Regarding the food fed to the crickets, there was some research done on this topic.
It seems the crickets have build some sort of immunity to that specific type of pesticide and therefore are unharmed by it. However it can harm the tarantulas is the cricket`s food is not washed very very well.

[Luke Scott]

I would get new crickets and feed em stuff such as fish food or bran cereal and apples and grapes are ok is she moving a lot if u touched her back legs

[Dumitrascu Marius]

Yes, she twiches and walks drunk regardless of being touched. Even upon hearing stronger sounds she start moving like that, it`s clearly Dyskinetic Syndrome, I watched some videos on Youtube and the behavior is exactly the same.

[Luke Scott]

Describe drunk walking from what u see and how old is she and do you no if it is a she

[Dumitrascu Marius]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSyQ7ED9hx4

Exactly as in that vid, a bit less "twitchy" in the past day. No idea how old it is, nor about its gender.

[Luke Scott]

Could be mature male

[John chambers]

Re: Dyskinetic Syndrome

My juvenile P.regalis came out then two day's later it was on it's back then when it was right way up, walked with wobble and fell over..
Two day's later it was dead.

[Peter Lacey]

DKS is the first port of call for people who see unusual issues with their tarantula. Its attributed to so many other issues that it discredits the term DKS to the point some people argue against it so much the actual issue is completely ignored!
My experience of DKS has been directly linked to using locusts to feed my Ts, since Ive stopped using them Ive not had a single instance. However, subsequent studies have mentioned the feeding regime we give to our feeders and the plausible knock-on effect it has on our tarantula. Its not surprising considering its perfectly acceptable to gut-load our feeders for reptiles and other exotics!


The biggest confusion and most likely candidate seems to be lack of water resulting in dehydration and when this is coupled with providing a hot environment for a species that doesn't require it then its no surprise there might be issues. Dehydration will result in a drunken looking tarantula and strange leg movements. It's easily remedied but in her book Anne West suggested there is a time frame for correcting this, after a certain point its likely to be irreversible.
Considering you have your G. rosea in an ICU I strongly suggest you put some moist kitchen towel in there, covering half the ICU and a water bowl. Leave it in there, undisturbed and without any heat, for a few days to a week.
G. rosea come from Chile where the average temperatures are between 50 and 72F, so its actually colder than the UK and much of Europe.


The other common factor is flea treatment that you might use for your cats and dogs. Powder forms can become airborne and other sprays have been mentioned as a possible cause. We use drops to apply our flea treatment, and I make sure the cats are not allowed in the T room, ever and avoid contact with them for the first 3 days. Frontline acknowledged a few years ago that their treatment would affect tarantula by attacking the nervous system.


DKS seems to present itself as something much more alarming, movements can be the same drunken pattern but the behaviour is far more erratic, the tarantula violently and rapidly twisting around with a fear of any kind of disturbance, complete lack of appetite and a long prolonged death, sometimes of months!