# Urgent, I think I am killing my tarantula :(



## DeborahR (Aug 27, 2011)

Please can anyone advise me as I am getting very scared and upset

I bought my first tarantula a week last wednesday (10 days ago), a 2.5 inch Brachypelma smithi.

The lady in the spider shop let me borrow the small shoe-box like plastic tank she was in whilst the faunarium i had ordered arrived. It had a peaty substrate and a hiding log in it. No heating of course.

Due to a problem with failed delivery, the new faunarium only turned up at the end of this week.

Up to now Marjory has seemed fine. She wandered around her tank, sitting in different places. I gave her a couple of crickets on Wednesday this week, and she ate them.

Yesterday I set up her new faunarium. It is the middle flat size one so just a little bigger than her previous home. I put coconut substrate in. There is also a pretend log for her to hide under and some fake ivy. I have a thermometer/hygrometer on the wall.

I also got a heat mat and thermostat. The heat mat is 4x5inch 10w one (though the actual hot area looks smaller than that to me) and i fixed this to the side of the faunarium at one end of the back. The thermostat is on 25 degrees, as this was the sort of temperature most websites/books agreed on (lots of conflicting advice there).

I put her in it yesterday afternoon, on top of the log.

A couple of hours later and she had moved so she was half on the log, half on the side, against the heat mat.

Bythe time i went to bed she had moved onto the back wall, against the heat mat. (the heat mat is on the outside, i should add) It was quite chilly last night, so I just thought 'ah good, she is warming herself'

Today she is curled up a bit and on the floor, still right up against the heat mat.

Obviously she isn't too hot, or surely she would have just moved.

Up to now she had seemed active etc, without a heat mat.

But it has been chilly the last few days, and i can't afford to keep the central heating on all night. Hence my getting her a heat mat.

I gently touched her. Instead of taking a step forward, like she has previously, she barely moved. Just moved a leg a bit. I touched again, a leg this time, she lightly waved another leg. That was it.

I have not seen her so still before. She has not moved from that spot all day.

I know my book says that in a new tank they take a few days to adjust and may stay in one place. But I am really scared she is dying.

I spent so long reading up on tarantulas before getting her, i have tried so hard to get everything right for her. I am now really fretting, I don't want to have let her down.


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## spicewwfc (Aug 26, 2009)

What are the actual temps inside the enclosure?
Smithi's shouldn't really need extra heat this time of year, standard room temp, about 22c should be fine, but it does sound like the T is cold.
It may just be settling in it sounds like the spid has been moved a lot over the past week or so.
Just out of interest has the spider got access to fresh water?


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## DeborahR (Aug 27, 2011)

There is a little 'lucky reptile' water bowl in there. Assuming she has moved away from the heat mat long enough to find it. It is in the same location as her water in the previous home, I set this one up in the same way so she would find it easily.

The thermometer is now saying 20 degree and 55 degree humidity. I am not sure the thermometer is very accurate though. The heat mat is near it. The heatmat thermostat is at the other end. (as advised in book)

She is in the living room, same as me. On a wooden unit, near an inside wall. I don't know what room temperature is, but I am sitting here in a thin top and not cold. 

She had been pootling about happily during the day. I was worried about her at night though as has been getting quite chilly.


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## becky89 (Nov 24, 2009)

Are you using a digital thermometer? Because the dial ones are useless, and the temperatures on the thermostat itself are just a guide, so defo get yourself a digital thermometer if you can otherwise those temperatures could be anything : victory:


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## DeborahR (Aug 27, 2011)

Yes, it is a dial one  So much to learn, so many mistakes to make


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## spicewwfc (Aug 26, 2009)

Conditions sound fine, I think she is just settling in, the general rule is if it is comfortable for you in a T shirt then it is fine for most T's, smithi's included.
The heat mat should counteract the chill at night.
A lot of T's seem to like extra heat, and to bask even though they are not really too cold.
If you are really concerned about the temperature then get a digital thermometer off ebay because the dial ones are crap, they are only about £5 max.


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## DeborahR (Aug 27, 2011)

So the fact she seemed to practically ignore my touching her and is sort of a bit curled up are ok? I have read that they curl up when they die. So am rather thinking the worse. 

I know I may just be panicking, I have had a very stressful day and am prehaps not as calm about this as I should be.


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## Lukeyk (Mar 3, 2008)

DeborahR said:


> So the fact she seemed to practically ignore my touching her and is sort of a bit curled up are ok? I have read that they curl up when they die. So am rather thinking the worse.
> 
> I know I may just be panicking, I have had a very stressful day and am prehaps not as calm about this as I should be.



sometimes they stiffen up when they are touched sometimes cos they are scared. unless all her legs are curling right under her im sure shes just chilling!


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## spicewwfc (Aug 26, 2009)

DeborahR said:


> So the fact she seemed to practically ignore my touching her and is sort of a bit curled up are ok? I have read that they curl up when they die. So am rather thinking the worse.
> 
> I know I may just be panicking, I have had a very stressful day and am prehaps not as calm about this as I should be.


Yeah when they are stressed they sometimes just stay in one position, and dont move even if you poke, or blow on them.
Is she curled up, or huddled up?
If the knees are hunched up over the eyes, sort of like the T in my sig, then she is healthy, but stressed. If her legs are tucked in under her body, she may be in trouble.
Take a picture if you are unsure, and post it.
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/newbie-advice/112135-how-post-pictures-using-photobucket.html


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## Julie&James (Sep 24, 2007)

May be a pic of her would be a good idea? I was worried about one of mine being in the death curl because I had never seen it so didn't know what it looked like, but it turns out she was slightly curled up in the "frightened" pose and settled down nicely after a couple of days in her new home.


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## lil lizzie (Apr 27, 2009)

could she not maybe be goin into pre moult , has she got any bald spots etc?


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## spicewwfc (Aug 26, 2009)

lil lizzie said:


> could she not maybe be goin into pre moult , has she got any bald spots etc?


She only ate on Wednesday, so I seriously doubt it.
And bald patches has absolutely nothing to do with premoult, it means the T likes to flick hair.


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## Danhalen (Jun 6, 2008)

If the legs were curling under the spider rather than in then it may be an item of concern but from what you've described it sounds absolutely normal.

If the spider were ill and you prodded it, it would likely have tried to stumble away as quickly as it's little legs would allow, opposed to remaining still and hunched - at least in my experience.

Don't worry too much about the heat thing - just because the spider is drawn toward extra warmth doesn't mean it's particularly beneficial - in the same way I'm drawn toward a couple of pints on a friday night.


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## kris74 (May 10, 2011)

Danhalen said:


> If the legs were curling under the spider rather than in then it may be an item of concern but from what you've described it sounds absolutely normal.
> 
> If the spider were ill and you prodded it, it would likely have tried to stumble away as quickly as it's little legs would allow, opposed to remaining still and hunched - at least in my experience.
> 
> Don't worry too much about the heat thing - *just because the spider is drawn toward extra warmth doesn't mean it's particularly beneficial* - in the same way I'm drawn toward a couple of pints on a friday night.


This....

I took my Smithi off the heat a few weeks ago as she spent most of her time at the heat end of the tank and since then she has just acted normal. Take the heat away and see what she does. They would experience a drop in temps at night anyway so it shouldn't be a real issue for it. At the very least you can always put the heat back.


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## Hedgewitch (Feb 12, 2008)

First things first: your setup and care so far sound spot on.

I'd not bother with extra heat in summer, as said before, if you're all-right in a T-shirt the spider should be good too. Remember, in the wild they experience drops in temperature at night as well.

Also, not moving much is normal for a tarantula, especially during the day. Legs with the "knees" drawn up over the prosoma (the head bit) is a standard pose for a T, especially in a new home (legs are expendable, see? Lost legs can grow back, but the prosoma needs protecting). Only worry if the feet are tucked under and the legs are extended sideways.

She may just be enjoying the warmth, insofar as tarantulas can enjoy stuff, and feels no great need to move atm. To wildly anthropomorphise, imagine you have nothing to do all day and your bed is exactly the right temperature, how much would you move?


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## Grimbo007 (Sep 4, 2010)

My Brazilian Black (Betty) gets really carried away when the mat is on and will not budge away from it. If its not cold you can turn it off and see what happens as I dont think it will freeze at the moment. She is also getting used to her new environment and will be a bit timid. I am sure if you turn off the matt she will be roaming about as usual :2thumb:


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## Dr3d (Jul 31, 2010)

Try and grab an image of the spider and post it up.... Would be alot better to see it before making to many assumptions as to whats going on with it....


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## DeborahR (Aug 27, 2011)

Last night I went to bed expecting the worse.

This morning she had moved, her legs were up the wall again...still glued to the heat pad, but looking far more alive now.

I turned the heat pad off, as it is normal room temperature in here today.

She is currently (half 5 pm) still over by the heat pad, 'sitting up', not curled at all. I guess she is indeed just a bit confused from being in a new home and not yet ready to explore.

Here is a picture taken a minute or two ago:


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## spidersnake (Dec 1, 2009)

Gorgous pic but dont worry, she is just fine & settling in. I havnt given any of my T's (except 1 old world) any heat & they are all fine. Good feeders & active.


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

There is a post in the FAQ and stickies thread here with pictures of dead tarantulas, which will help show what the death curl tends to look like.


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## DeborahR (Aug 27, 2011)

Just a quick update.

This afternoon Marjory finally decided that sitting in one corner was boring and had a good explore around her new tank. There was much leg waving as she wandered around. She spent some time sitting in various places, for all the world as if checking out good places for future naps.

Right now she has gone back to her favourite corner, but I am much happier now she is clearly alive (hehe) and has had an explore.

Tomorrow night I will offer her a couple of crickets.

Thank you so much to everyone who offered advice and reassurance.

I spent a lot of time researching before aquiring my leggy friend, this is the realisation of a very long-term ambition, and now I have her, and she is SOOO beautiful and elegant, I really want her to be happy (well, as happy as spiders can be) and not let her down.


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## spicewwfc (Aug 26, 2009)

That's good news, I am sure you will do a great job looking after her, if you care so much.
She looks like a perfectly healthy T in the picture.
I'm sure she will be the first of many :2thumb:


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## DeborahR (Aug 27, 2011)

Ah yes *wags a finger* I should also say a big GRRR to everyone on this website, hehe

I have spent a lot of time reading the posts here, fascinating stuff, I am particularly interested in learning more about the taxonomy of the many sorts of Ts.

But of course.. yes... there are so many beautiful ones! And you guys keep mentioning more and more... and then I google.. and then I want...

Ya bunch of tempting pests ;-)


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