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Eupalaestrus Campestratus Molt

SikmT7

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Rahway, NJ
Greetings all, I am posting this thread in regards to my Pink Zebra Beauty and her extended fast. When I first purchased her, she was very active, almost constantly walking around her terrarium, drinking water, and even setting up shop in her home by digging ditches in the sphagnum peat moss. She ate the first 5 crickets I gave to her with in a 2 week period, she was continually active then all of a sudden, I found her hanging out in her log for extended periods of time, only emerging to drink out of her water bowl occasionally. I continued to offer her crickets for the past 3 moths and she has refused all of them. All she has been doing is turning in circles here and there, she has not spun a web mat on the floor and she refuses to come out of her log but only to drink water. This is the first Pink Zebra beauty I have ever had and I am wondering if it is the Eupalaestrus genus that takes quite a long duration of time to prepare to molt. She is 3 inches in leg length, her legs and carpace are growing pale in color and her abdomen is darkening. Could there potentially be a medical problem with her or should I just continue to wait patiently for her impending molt? Any knowledge will help. Thank you all and God bless you!
 

kormath

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that's normal, the larger they get the longer the premolt, molt, and recovery takes. 3 months is nothing.
 

SikmT7

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Rahway, NJ
that's normal, the larger they get the longer the premolt, molt, and recovery takes. 3 months is nothing.
WOW! Thank you so much Kormath I really appreciate that info! I'm gonna leave her alone and let her do her thing.
 

SikmT7

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Rahway, NJ
She came out of her log after 2 months and finally drank some water!! Now she's has been hanging out by her water dish and staying still in random spots around her terrarium. It appears as if the edge of her carpace is becoming unglued in the front, which could be another sign of impeding molt. Only time will tell, I will keep you all updated....
 

Zurchiboy

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A clear sign of premolt is a fat abdomen after fasting for a long period, our chalcodes has fasted for 2 1/2 months now and is still fat. you should notice it's color start to fade considerably and darken. and if it has bald spot on the abdomen the exoskeleton should be black. that shows that you tarantula will be molting very soon


Edit: I just reread your post. Clearly premolt if its abdomen is darkening. our b vagans which is 1.2-1.5" DLS, its abdomen becomes pure black about 4-5 days before it molts. As kormath said. the bigger they that process takes much longer especially if you have a T like my blond one which grows at a snails pace
 

SikmT7

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3 Year Member
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Messages
306
Location
Rahway, NJ
A clear sign of premolt is a fat abdomen after fasting for a long period, our chalcodes has fasted for 2 1/2 months now and is still fat. you should notice it's color start to fade considerably and darken. and if it has bald spot on the abdomen the exoskeleton should be black. that shows that you tarantula will be molting very soon


Edit: I just reread your post. Clearly premolt if its abdomen is darkening. our b vagans which is 1.2-1.5" DLS, its abdomen becomes pure black about 4-5 days before it molts. As kormath said. the bigger they that process takes much longer especially if you have a T like my blond one which grows at a snails pace

Thank you, Zurchiboy for your knowledge on this subject. I am unable to tell if her abdomen is dark because she is not bald. It appears that her legs and carpace have become more pale in color and her abdomen is not fat or swollen in any way at all, it is quite small, which is concerning me. She drank lots of water when she appeared and then she stayed in one spot for the night and turned in circles. Then she proceeded to walk to the back or the terrarium and now she is laying down there. I offered her a cricket a few days ago and all she did was jump back from it and completely refused it. When I looked at the front of her carpace where her eyes are located, I could see what appeared to be clear fluid and it was separating from her chelicerae. I have had tarantulas on and off for 15 years and none of my T's ever exhibited this type of behavior, appearance, and slow growth. Can't really call it...
 

Zurchiboy

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A clear liquid coming out of her eyes. hmm. That doesn't sound good and her abdomen not fattening up. why don't you upload a picture.
 

SikmT7

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Rahway, NJ
A clear liquid coming out of her eyes. hmm. That doesn't sound good and her abdomen not fattening up. why don't you upload a picture.
The fluid is not coming directly out of her eyes it's just a glistening I can see coming from the edge of her carpace. I will get a good pic as soon as she comes out of her log, I def don't want to disturb her. She is drinking plenty of water and is doing well otherwise. Will definitely alert you as soon as her molt begins, I have a feeling it's a week away...
 

Zurchiboy

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Ok cool. I am concerned that her abdomen has not expanded and their is a glistening liquid. It sounds like your T somehow got injured, I believe they can't clott up a wound like humans can. That may explain the fact that she is drinking a lot of water to compensate for all the loss of fluids. I picture will certainly will help and the sooner the better :).
 

SikmT7

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Location
Rahway, NJ
Ok cool. I am concerned that her abdomen has not expanded and their is a glistening liquid. It sounds like your T somehow got injured, I believe they can't clott up a wound like humans can. That may explain the fact that she is drinking a lot of water to compensate for all the loss of fluids. I picture will certainly will help and the sooner the better :).
You got it! :cool:
 

SikmT7

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Rahway, NJ
You got it! :cool:
Just a quick update, I was reading a few articles and many testimonies of Pink Zebra Beauty owners and 99% of them said that it took several months before they molted, one person had testified saying his PZB did not eat for 7 months before it molted! I know when they molt, they pop out of their carpace. Her carpace looks like it is rising up which is why I can see glistening, perhaps the shine of the new coat! Will keep you posted!
 

kormath

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Just a quick update, I was reading a few articles and many testimonies of Pink Zebra Beauty owners and 99% of them said that it took several months before they molted, one person had testified saying his PZB did not eat for 7 months before it molted! I know when they molt, they pop out of their carpace. Her carpace looks like it is rising up which is why I can see glistening, perhaps the shine of the new coat! Will keep you posted!
In my experience the carapace shouldn't be separating like that. I've never seen any separation til they flip over.

Maybe one of the more experienced here can advise on that part
 

SikmT7

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3 Year Member
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Messages
306
Location
Rahway, NJ
Just a new update. My PZB is doing quite well, she is not injured in any way and her abdomen is finally beginning to show signs of swelling. Slowly but surely she will shed that old coat off...
 

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