For those wanting examples of the symptoms of DKS, try these videos:

Swipe wrote:

My friends over at Spideplanet now has the T in their ISO but if there is no improvements by midweek i'm putting it down.

If there's any improvement to expect at all, it will only be after the next moult. I'd suggest to give the sick T' a chance as long as it eats by itself.

Sorry to hear that swipe .

Well I have had 5 Ts with DKS.

One of my females died due to ripping her abdomen open.
It was so bad she was running on her stomach.

Then I had three Tarantulas from the same sack. One was juvie male that got DKS but shed out to be a mature male with no signs of DKS.
The other two Tarantulas are females one has DKS the other one is fine no signs as yet.
The female with DKS is eaten fine maken hectic burrows and webbing .when she sheds it seems to go away but comes back .

Then I had another Tarantula,she is a female, that had DKS.Shed out twice and has not come back as of yet.

Its nasty But if your tarantula is eaten then keep it alive ,only keep substrate in the tank nothing else.

Also keep them away from your other tarantulas its safer .
Also do not take uneaten food and feed your other Tarantulas with it.
Also do not use your tweezers or any other tools on the DKs spiders that you use for your healthy tarantulas.
Also wash any container that had the DKS spiders in or throw them away.

I have now taken over the care of my brothers P.Regalis. This poor thing is suffering really bad, like it has a proper cold with high fever and the shakes. You really feel like giving it a nice warm blanket and putting beside the fireplace with a hot bowl of chicken soup.

Hey! maybe I'm on to something here, T's are "bird eating" spiders right? maybe Chicken Soup is just the trick! LOL, no seriously this poor guy is not having a good time. If you interact with it in any way its legs contract and shiver and it's fangs go all over the place. The video above of the P.Regalis is exactly how this one is acting except the legs contract instead of expand, on it's back or on its tummy.

I have started making cricket soup using a few drops of water and some mushed up crickets, sometimes I add a few tiny roaches for flavour (lol) but I then use an eye dropper to place a drop of "soup" right on it's mouth and it IS eating. It has pooped like Marula mentioned, so it must be digesting and passing the food through it's system. :pinch:

I figure it may just have a chance so I will keep trying, if it dies it dies, but at least I tried.

HS

Yea mine is in a ICU atm, and is refusing to eat, but im writing it off, due to stress.
Unlike the vids above mine is show very skittish, fast, sudden and irregular movements. It's literally all over the show, fangs and legs everywhere, like in this vid:



I have decided to give it a fair chance at recovering after and if it ever gets to molt. But if it still continues to show signs of DKS after that i would have no choice. Its about quality of life for me, and thats no way for a T to live.

We as tarantula keepers should agree not attempt breeding with DKS patients. Even if they 'recovered'. I know i wont.

Thanks for the videos guys, seriously awful stuff but always good to be aware.