Molting Signs - A Public Service Announcement

[Feyd2Black]

Hi all

I bought a 4 year old mexican blond on Tues, along with a small sun tiger, first time keeping spiders.

And the blond has decided to moult my first week! Nervous!

She didnt eat when I gave her a locust on Tues, and was very sluggish, not moving around much.
Now lying on her back and not moved at all for about 4 hours. Having read all the advice here and other places I have just left her to it in the dark, with peace and quiet.

How bad can an obstruction be to the process though? There is a strip of vegetation, (not quite sure what it is, a bit like duckweed but dry) like trapped between her legs and side. Sort of held underneath her incurled legs on one side. Will this be a problem for her when she starts shucking the old skin? Should I remove it with tweezers now or just leave it?

[ph0bia]

To the above post, don't worry, they know the environment when they moult. She'll be doing it in a place with ample room.

Originally Posted by davieboi

my simple one is its stopped eating its webbing alot and the SKIN has turned black

Same theory as the bald patch. With slings, the entire skin changes colour as it's not covered in bristles. Basically, the majority of the sling is a bald spot

Sticky please! Report the first post with the comment "Sticky this please!"

[pepper29]

I've been waiting months for my smithi to moult, she's a hair kicker so i know the bald spot was because of that but now its gone black

[ph0bia]

Originally Posted by pepper29

I've been waiting months for my smithi to moult, she's a hair kicker so i know the bald spot was because of that but now its gone black

That suggests the moult is imminent, any day now

[The Lone Gunman]

Originally Posted by ph0bia

To the above post, don't worry, they know the environment when they moult. She'll be doing it in a place with ample room.

That's not always the case.

My first tarantula (a juvenile male, species unknown) chose to moult on once particular occasion under a piece of wood in the corner of his tank despite having ample room elsewhere in the enclosure to do so (he had always moulted out in the open beforehand).

Unfortunately, this resulted in him getting a leg trapped against the wood during the moulting process. The leg concerned was subsequently deformed. He moulted again relatively soon afterwards (out in the open again that time) and the leg was fine afterwards.

That experience taught me that spiders don't always choose the best locations for their moults. I think the spider himself learned from the experience too!

[krytes]

OK.
Thanks for this thread. Admittedly, I am a novice with tarantulas.
I've just noticed something peculiar. I have a sling that was sold to me as a red knee it's just showing hairs today. Only, it's pale blue all over. Is there a problem, is it about to molt or is it that it's not a red knee at all?
Please advise.

[Kizzu]

Originally Posted by krytes

OK.
Thanks for this thread. Admittedly, I am a novice with tarantulas.
I've just noticed something peculiar. I have a sling that was sold to me as a red knee it's just showing hairs today. Only, it's pale blue all over. Is there a problem, is it about to molt or is it that it's not a red knee at all?
Please advise.

When was the last time it ate? Refusing food may indicate that a molt is coming, also you'll notice that the T (in particular the Abdomen) is darkening off.

I'm not too sure about B.Smithi slings, but the majority of Ts look very different as slings than they do as adults. Someone will no doubt come along and clear this up better than I have, though

[krytes]

Originally Posted by Kizzu

When was the last time it ate? Refusing food may indicate that a molt is coming, also you'll notice that the T (in particular the Abdomen) is darkening off.

I'm not too sure about B.Smithi slings, but the majority of Ts look very different as slings than they do as adults. Someone will no doubt come along and clear this up better than I have, though

It does seem to be going through a transitional phase. Maybe, it is about to molt.

[Mad Carew]

I got my first ever tarantula about 5 weeks ago - a Chilean Rose (who I've affectionately named Shakira). I'm not sure how old she is and the bloke in the store couldn't tell me, but given what I have found out researching online, I'm guessing at somewhere between 6 months and 1 year. Over the last few days she's started acting a little odd and don't know if it's normal behaviour and she's soon to moult.
Up until now, she's never burrowed but now she's dug herself a small burrow, piling all of the bedding she's scooped out in front of the burrow - making a softer area, as it's all mixed in with web that she's been laying as she went along. Now, she's sitting right on the water bowl (which is filled with water gel, not just plain water).
I can't see any particularly bald patches and she doesn't seem to have got any darker. I haven't tried feeding her yet so I couldn't say if she's off her food or not.
I'm hoping she's about to moult and that sitting on the water gel might be some sort of way of moistening/softening her skin or perhaps she's a bit warm and trying to cool down. I was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience with a Chile Rose? Any guidance would be welcome!!

Thanks

[toro9186]

Originally Posted by Mad Carew

I got my first ever tarantula about 5 weeks ago - a Chilean Rose (who I've affectionately named Shakira). I'm not sure how old she is and the bloke in the store couldn't tell me, but given what I have found out researching online, I'm guessing at somewhere between 6 months and 1 year. Over the last few days she's started acting a little odd and don't know if it's normal behaviour and she's soon to moult.
Up until now, she's never burrowed but now she's dug herself a small burrow, piling all of the bedding she's scooped out in front of the burrow - making a softer area, as it's all mixed in with web that she's been laying as she went along. Now, she's sitting right on the water bowl (which is filled with water gel, not just plain water).
I can't see any particularly bald patches and she doesn't seem to have got any darker. I haven't tried feeding her yet so I couldn't say if she's off her food or not.
I'm hoping she's about to moult and that sitting on the water gel might be some sort of way of moistening/softening her skin or perhaps she's a bit warm and trying to cool down. I was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience with a Chile Rose? Any guidance would be welcome!!

Thanks

Hi, and welcome to the spider world!

Im not the best person to give out advice on moulting but im sure you will receive some comments about the gel. I believe that Tarantulas cannot drink from the gel and the best option is to have an open water bowl. Maybe you could put a couple of pebbles in the dish to prevent any drowning.

Some one should be along soon with a bit more knowledge than me to comment on behaviour of your chile rose.

But i hope everything goes well if she is in premoult. And no doubtedly she wont be your last T. Its like an addiction lol