Bad Molt PLEASE HELP!!!

[Spinneret]

Hello! Thanks for taking the time to look at this post.

We have a 5 yr old Cameroon Baboon who has been having trouble molting. The second to last molt left a tan colored piece of "?"(pictured below) between the Abdomen and Carapace. We assumed this would come off with the next molt. As you can see it did not. It also made it hard for the spider to remove the carapace and we had to help her. She has always been a hardy eater, 4 - 5 crickets, but after the last molt she will only eat 1 if that. She spends most of her time hovering above her water dish which is also a new behavior.

We love our Black Mamba and any information you can give to help in her recovery would be much appreciated. Thank you again for your time!

 

[Chubbs]

That would be a piece of exoskeleton. Nothing you need to do, the problem will sort itself out.

 

[RedCapTrio]

That is really sad, hope that our masters in this forum can help you out. Maybe the moist cotton swab will do the trick? But I would not do it without opinion from others here with good experience on that matter.

Just a newbie myself.

 

[Chubbs]

Like I said it's not a big issue unless the exoskeleton was stuck to the book lungs. It's on the carapace so it shouldn't be much of a problem. You can try increasing the moisture in the terrarium. I would not attempt to remove it myself especially with this species.

 

[Spinneret]

We are hoping it will come off with the next molt which won't be for a while. No plans to remove the exoskeleton as it does not seem to bother her. However I am worried about her not eating as much as she used too. Her abdomen is awfully small in comparison to what it normally is(same size as her carapace).

 

[Chubbs]

her abdomen is awfully small in comparison to what it normally is(same size as her carapace).

That is because she just molted

 

[Spinneret]

Is there a time frame in which she should be eating healthy again? or is it a guessing/waiting game?

 

[Chubbs]

How big is the spider? For an adult I wait at least a week if not longer. The spider will eat again when it wants to.

 

[Spinneret]

Its been about a month. She usually eats 4-5 crickets and her abdomen is double the size. Now she is only eating 1 cricket and stays "skinny"

 

[Chubbs]

As long as it's eating and has water there's not much else you can do.

 

[Spinneret]

Figured as much. Thanks so much for all your help.

 

[Spinneret]

UPDATE!!!!!

Black Mamba (cameroon Baboon) is doing very well!! Although the molt piece has not fallen off she is back to eating her usual amount and has been active in her tank! Thanks for all the advice and well wishes!!

 

[kormath]

UPDATE!!!!!

Black Mamba (cameroon Baboon) is doing very well!! Although the molt piece has not fallen off she is back to eating her usual amount and has been active in her tank! Thanks for all the advice and well wishes!!

That's great to hear!