My versicolor found dead :(

[Quintin]

Hi all,

As some of you may know I recently became quite fond of tarantulas, and bought my very first T... a Avicularia Versicolor (Martinique pink toe) sling no bigger than a 10c piece. I have kept her alive fo about a year and become so fascinated with T's that one T became a collection of 10 tarantulas in my snake room!

I am saddend to say that i found Versi hanging from its cages' vent by one leg about an hour ago... I know that she was in pre molt, as she has been off feeding for about two or three weeks. Last night when I misted her cage, I could see that she was a little sluggish, and assumed that she would molt soon.

What I think happend, was that she was in fact in pre molt, and her foot got caught in the mesh vents of the cage..... Well so i assume, as this was a very healthy Tarantula..

Its quite sad to see a lifeless creature in your hand, knowing that you cared for it and raised it to "almost adulthood".

Here are some pics in beter days, as a baby..





And now my lifeless T..





Its cage it was found in, hanging from the left air vent..



Can you belive that a person can get so attached to a bloody Tarantula??!!!! LOL

Q

[Fooble]

Shame man that's unfortunate but gee that spider looks(ed) GREAT.
At least you know you did a good job in the time you had it.

i guess when you look at it, a life is a life no matter if it's a snake or even a little invertebrate.

[Quintin]

Thanks fooble.

Appreciate the kind words!

As they say... "Elke sport het sy beserings"

[Wolf777]

Sorry to hear man, that tarantula looked awesome, at least you know it wasn't neglect or anything on your part.

[addonexis]

Sorry 4 your loss, it sucks to loos a pet especially when u have raised it from so small.

And u are correct on the stuck part, it has happened to me as well luckily I found here in time. They basically die of stress or from a drop and even a torn of limb in your case the latter named are obviously not applicable…

[Aluston]

Man, maybe it was outdoor venomous insect ? She does not looks like a not molted, if so, then she must be some darker and with open carapace (IMHO). What she did near vents? Spiders don't leaves their holes along pre-molt with normal conditions.
However, she was your daughter.
RIP

[Quintin]

Thanks for all the comments guys.

@ Aluston.. I also thought it strange that she was hanging around the air vent. She was behaving abnormal for the past couple of days.
I was pretty sure that she was going to molt some time soon As her color did darken, and due to the fact that she went off feeding.
Suppose one can never tell.
Q

[Aluston]

Don't settle anyone else to this cage without a solution cleaning before.

[Karin]

sorry for your loss, and yes, I can believe that one can get so attached to a spider. I have a few and if any of my mature males go I will be devastated! There is also a thing called SADS - sudden Avic death syndrome, where a helaty avic can die for no reason at all.

Hope you get another t soon - they are so awesome!

[Quintin]

Thanks all,

Yip... will clean the cage properly and disinfect before my P irminia takes over the cage..

Q