Molting?

[Sonicookie]

I just came to fill my T's water dish and found her lying on her back on a bed of webbing. I've heard tarantulas lie on their backs during a molt. I've had her for two years and this is my first time, so I'm pretty worried. Any advice? I'll try to get some pictures, although it is dim.

 

[Sonicookie]

I don't think this is very helpful, but it's the best I can get right now. Would it be dangerous to shine a brighter light on her?

 

[Enn49]

Don't worry she'll be fine just leave her to get on with it. Because they moult on their backs, I find the flash of a camera doesn't seem to disturb them.

 

[Tortoise Tom]

I don't know where in the world you are, but it is very dry here in my climate in the Southern CA desert. I like to increase humidity a bit when mine are molting. I mist the enclosure a bit, but no where near the spider, and I like the substrate to be a little more damp than usual. You can also add humidity to the room, if that is possible in your situation.

If your climate and the room where your tarantula lives is already moderately humid, none of this is really necessary, but it shouldn't hurt either. Just don't spray or wet the actual tarantula.

What species are we talking about? I can't tell from the pic.

 

[Raxi]

You don't need to worry, she will be just fine. Just remember not to disturb her and keep an eye on the humidity. Good luck!

 

[Sonicookie]

I don't know where in the world you are, but it is very dry here in my climate in the Southern CA desert. I like to increase humidity a bit when mine are molting. I mist the enclosure a bit, but no where near the spider, and I like the substrate to be a little more damp than usual. You can also add humidity to the room, if that is possible in your situation.

If your climate and the room where your tarantula lives is already moderately humid, none of this is really necessary, but it shouldn't hurt either. Just don't spray or wet the actual tarantula.

What species are we talking about? I can't tell from the pic.

Rose Hair. I live in Wyoming, it's about 24% right now. I'll mist her enclosure a little. She's close to freeing her toes, I think she'll be another hour or so, although I don't have any experience.

 

[Sonicookie]

She's completely free of her skin, she's just been pushing it off for a while.

My dilemma is that soon I'll be out of town for just over a week. My sibling will be filling her water dish. After that I'll be taking her (in her enclosure) to be interviewed about tarantulas, as I do yearly. Will it be safe to by then, or will I have to take her molt as a stand-in?

Also, what advice should I give my sibling? Should we mist any more? They know that she's fragile and to not feed her. As a Rose Hair, she hates moist substrate, so personally I wouldn't mist much longer, since she'd be bothered during her after-molt (post-molt?).

 

[Tortoise Tom]

She's completely free of her skin, she's just been pushing it off for a while.

My dilemma is that soon I'll be out of town for just over a week. My sibling will be filling her water dish. After that I'll be taking her (in her enclosure) to be interviewed about tarantulas, as I do yearly. Will it be safe to by then, or will I have to take her molt as a stand-in?

Also, what advice should I give my sibling? Should we mist any more? They know that she's fragile and to not feed her. As a Rose Hair, she hates moist substrate, so personally I wouldn't mist much longer, since she'd be bothered during her after-molt (post-molt?).

No need to mist anymore after they are out of their old skin.

I'd tell the sibling to look at the water bowl every couple of days, and other wise leave her alone.

She should be fine to travel and do your interview after more than a week from today.

 

[Enn49]

Congrats on the successful moult and I totally agree with @Tortoise Tom. .

 

[Arachnoclown]

Congradulations on the molt. Just for the record "air humidity " does nothing for molting. It's the moisture within the tarantula that helps them molt.

 

[Nunua]

Congrats on the successful moult!

Like Arachnoclown said, it's the moisture within the T that's important. They use fluids during the separation phase and also as hydraulic fluids to move the legs etc. Therefore it's more important to be sure that the T gets enough moisture from the food / water dish before moulting so it won't be dehydrated.

But I'd also want to remind that tarantulas have survived for a long time without us humans, so they're usually in a good shape before starting the exhausting process. So as long as you take good care of their everyday life, they know when they're ready and suitable to moult.

 

[Sonicookie]

She still looks healthy, and the molt is in pretty good condition. I'll probably try to sex it soon. She's already darkening, although lots of spots are still pinkish. Her hairs are nicely fluffed up.

Around when should I expect her to be fully hardened and ready to hunt again?

 

[Bubbles]

I've been reading your helpful thread and is put my mind at ease thanks. Please see the attached image of bubbles molting currently.

 

[Bubbles]

How long can a moult take? As far as I can tell Bubbles has been lying on his back only moving fractionally for the past 4 hours I know he drank yesterday as I spotted dirt in his bowl.

 

[Enn49]

Don't worry, all of those little twitches are part of the process, all part of shrugging off that old exoskeleton. It will stay on it back after it's moulted too and continue twitching as it pumps up it new outfit before flipping back over..

 

[Bubbles]

He's hardly changed from those photos which I took at 16:00 and its concerning me a little

 

[Sonicookie]

How long can a moult take? As far as I can tell Bubbles has been lying on his back only moving fractionally for the past 4 hours I know he drank yesterday as I spotted dirt in his bowl.

Mine (Aranea) took at least eight hours, maybe more. I found her molting around six AM and she finished in the afternoon. As long as they're still moving a little they should be fine, it's just a long and hard process.

 

[Nunua]

He's hardly changed from those photos which I took at 16:00 and its concerning me a little

It sometimes takes time for them to crack open the old carapace and after that's done, they're free to start pushing off the old exoskeleton.
Also, it's good to remember that when the T gets bigger, the molting process gets slower. Slings often molt swiftly while large individuals may take several hours.

It may be nerve wrecking to wait, but it's pretty much the only thing we can do.

 

[Bubbles]

Good news.... We've moulted....
i couldn't sleep till I knew he was ok. It was 00:42 when I first found mother nature hasn't failed me and was working her magic.

 

[Enn49]

Congrats on a successful moult