I just want to say thank you to everyone for your support and the interest in this Tarantula. I have grown pretty fond of her and I have sent her "Lot's of Love".
Can't help it. I love nature, although maybe not the Tarantula Wasp part-LOL! Have to do what I can for her. This is an entirely new experience for me. I never had a desire to have a Tarantula as a pet but now I can see why people have them. If she makes it she has a wonderful terrarium at the school and the kids will love her!!! I will continue to keep you all updated on the T's progress.
Peace always......Pat

I took this to be a good sign. The T "Pooped" today as I had it out getting it to walk around on the table. For what it is worth I have attached a picture of it as I do not know what T "Poop" is supposed to look like. I had no luck finding meal worms locally so I will have to either go catch a bug outside away from the house so there is no pesticide on it or get some worms while I am out and about in Prescott tomorrow.
Pat
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Looks like normal Tpoop to me! Stick with the store bought munchies; neither of you need to run the risk of any more neuro problems!

Love your signature line, BTW! So appropriate!

Hi Pat-

Didn't you say you had superworms (they're just a different species of darkling beetle larvae)? They or crickets should work just fine. The spider likely dosn't care. I found that when feeding my stung spider, the trick was getting the insect "guts" as close as possible to the spider to initiate feeding.

Tarantulas have incredibly low food requirements, so don't worry too much if it won't eat. It would take a year or more to starve it to death! All you're trying to do is help it to eat IF it wants to, but it might not want to!

Generally, the water needs of NA Aphonopelma is pretty low as well, but my "gut" feeling (meaning it's nothing based on scientific knowledge) is that water might help the spider get the wasp venom "out of it's system". Again, that's just a hunch, but in any case the water certainly doesn't hurt!

Keep up the good work!

Wade

Hi Wade,
I have giant meal worms that are raised using some kind of hormones and I asked Anette and she recommended to " stay clear of those giant mealworms... If they are already a warning on them that can't be a good sign. I have heard that the hormones they add to these worms are really unhealthy for your tarantula." It is advised not to feed these worms to reptiles and birds so I will take that advise and just pick up some other worms or crickets and see it the T is hungry. It would be nice to see her move about on her own as opposed to only when I stimulate her. A little at a time I suppose. I have the same feeling about the water and it flushing the venom out of its system. It drank its drop well today. I am going every 2 days for now.
That she made it another day makes me happy!
Pat
And thanks Larry. Someone had sent that quote to me in a e mail it if it isn't the truth...

Remember guys - I am a total worry wart and I just despise the idea of the giant meal worms... Something about the fact that their breeders claim they are for fishing purposes only and should not be fed to reptiles and birds throws me off completely....

Pat, I am glad she is doing so well. Patience is the word and I am sure she will be doing just great in no time.

Ah, the "giant mealworms". I think they are actually produced with a type of inhibitor that prevents the larvae from pupating, so it instead just continues to grow. I agree, I'd stay away from those when feeding inverts, who knows what effect it could have!

"Superworms" on the other hand , are just a different species of tenebrionid beetle, Zophobas morio, and are safe for tarantulas. The common names get switched around alot, but Zophobas is recognizable because the head and "tail" ends will be much darker, almost banded on the rear. These larvae are also mor glossy than either the regular or "giant" meal worms.

You can also try small pieces of raw meat, like beef heart. Thiis sometimes sold at tropical fish stores for certain fish, and it comes frozen in little cubes. You might be able to get it cheaper from a butcher, but not so convienently packaged! There is some controversy over vertebrate meat as a REGULAR part of a captive tarantulas diet, but it has been used with some success as a supplement.

Wade

Thanks for more info Wade. I finally got some "Safe" meal worms and some crickets and now I am wondering what time of day would be the best to try to get the t to feed? She did some traveling on her own last night and this morning in her container. When do they normally eat? When ever they are hungry and can get a meal? All news to me.
Thanks.....Pat

It does look like normal poop to me, but it also looks like an abnormal amount. Maybe not, but I've never seen any of mine produce that much poop at one time. Maybe it is getting rid of the toxins from the sting?

You are right about the amount; I was just commenting on the appearance. That's more poop than my kids put out!

How have I missed this thread until now??



Yeah, I was going to say something about that... and I was thinking that, maybe there is a possibility, and someone with a biology background please correct me if I'm off base, but maybe the paralyzing properties of the toxins also paralyzed the digestive system for a bit, and your girl was just a teeny bit blocked for a while? If that is the case, then not only is she looking better, she's feeling better too, I'd wager!

Makes sense, Jen. They absorb nutrients and the material is transported through the digestive system by peristalsis. That requires muscular contraction, which would probably be paralyzed by the wasp sting as well.

Saturday's update on the T.
I had her walk a lot tonight and instead of dropping water into her mouth I put some drops on the bottom of her container and she drank quite a lot by herself.
I too think this will help flush out the bad stuff in her from the sting.
It looks to me like she is a Mexican Blonde from the pictures I have looked at on line. So what can I expect from her and what will be the best environment? Does she burrow or need something to hide under?
I will try to get a new picture of her tomorrow posted.
Till then......
Pat

There are a number of substrates in use that will do. You could simply take a shovel full of dirt from the area where you found it and put that in. The possible drawback is other bugs that might be in that soil.
I've been using a mixture of 50/50 sifted peat moss and sifted potting/topsoil dirt (the kind without fertilizers or insecticides mixed in -- read the label) with a cup or two of clean sand mixed in. Others use coconut fiber, vermiculite or some of the stuff available in pet stores, but not wood shavings.
Half a clay flower pot big enough (but not overly huge) for the spider to hide away in works good, and the spider may burrow when it recovers enough, then a water dish large enough for the spider to get its face into to drink.
Tarantulas kind of like it shady and dark in their tanks, so no direct sunlight, but you don't have to keep the room dark 24 hours per day.
Others will chime in with their suggestions too.

Wow Pat, Congrats on doing such a great job keeping this blessed little creature alive. I am so impressed! Thanks for sharing this experience with all of us in this forum, and thanks also for inviting me to this board. Sending lots of love and healing her way. Looking forward to seeing your follow ups. I have always thought about having a tarantula as a pet, but just never went out and got one. They are such beautiful creatures. Take care... Wendy Tarahtoes from South Carolina/Florida

Hello everyone,
Here are a couple of pictures I took of the T today. She is moving better and better.
Pat
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Your update made my day. Thank you

So glad to hear she's doing better.

AWESOME and such a pretty T too
if you get tired of her you can send her to me lol

Yay! Thanks for the pictures!