maulting

[the dogs]

how often due tarantulas mault and what are the signs

[Hedgewitch]

How often depends on tarantula species, gender, age, size, temperature and feeding schedule.

Signs are not always there but signs are things like excess webbing, lethargy, refusing food, balding and dulling colour, loosing 'stickyness' of feet in arboreals and probably some other stuff I can't remember.

[Poxicator]

moult or molt, depending UK/US

A tarantula will moult quite often as a sling, approx once a month, but much less often as an adult, possibly once every 12-18 months. Obviously as they get larger the moulting process reduces.

Classic signs are a dark patch to the rear of the upper adbomen, similar to a jewish cap which is a sign of the hairs of the new body showing through the translucent existing body. A tarantula getting fat or losing the hairs on the abdomen are often mistaken for an upcoming moult.

[the dogs]

she is a chiile red and she is about 12 months old

[spudsgirl]

Glad I read the thread Poxicater as I was gonna ask how often slings molt.

[Peter Parker]

How long will a T normally stop eating before they moult? I ask because my little A Versicolor is displaying all the classic signs described here, and she has not eaten in about 6 weeks.

[Poxicator]

Fasting prior to a moult can vary but it's not always the case that they fast, some will moult without fasting at all.
In the case of A. versi slings you'll usually notice them getting darker overall. 6 weeks for a sling sounds too long. Try raising the temperature and spraying directly onto the web plus some pre-killed crickets on the web. If these are 1st or 2nd instar you should expect them to moult within that timeframe

[Peter Parker]

OK thanks Poxicator.