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Mechanical Action of B. Smithi Fangs with month left of pre-molt?
- Thread starter Whiskeypunk
- Start date
As you know, molting is the most dangerous time for a spider as anything can go wrong.
Generally speaking the process will begin 4 to 5 days before molt. First is apolysis, the separation of the old cuticle from the hypodermal cells and then ecdysis the shedding of the entire exuvium. The celluar events are in more detail in "Biology of Spiders" Foelix.
The best thing to do here is to examine the recent molt for abnormality. The next best thing is dissection and we arent ready for that are we?
Kerry Gowin
RIESM
Generally speaking the process will begin 4 to 5 days before molt. First is apolysis, the separation of the old cuticle from the hypodermal cells and then ecdysis the shedding of the entire exuvium. The celluar events are in more detail in "Biology of Spiders" Foelix.
The best thing to do here is to examine the recent molt for abnormality. The next best thing is dissection and we arent ready for that are we?
Kerry Gowin
RIESM
I have a B. smithi that showed similar behavior to what you described in the other thread within a month of molting.
During this time, as a cricket approached, the smithi would display the initial attack motion and would trap the cricket in its legs and pull it in, but would not bite and the cricket would escape.
I never interpreted this behavior as evidence of a physical paralysis of the fangs. I just assumed that the spider wasn't eating due to premolt, and that as a result not all the triggers that together result in a feeding response were active. So while some spiders will simply ignore food when in pre-molt (no feeding response at all), my smithi would begin the feeding sequence but not complete it. I assumed that this was because the initial attack response was so hard wired.
I also have a blondi sling that does this in pre-molt.
I don't know for sure if the fangs were able to extend during this time, because I didn't bother checking.
During this time, as a cricket approached, the smithi would display the initial attack motion and would trap the cricket in its legs and pull it in, but would not bite and the cricket would escape.
I never interpreted this behavior as evidence of a physical paralysis of the fangs. I just assumed that the spider wasn't eating due to premolt, and that as a result not all the triggers that together result in a feeding response were active. So while some spiders will simply ignore food when in pre-molt (no feeding response at all), my smithi would begin the feeding sequence but not complete it. I assumed that this was because the initial attack response was so hard wired.
I also have a blondi sling that does this in pre-molt.
I don't know for sure if the fangs were able to extend during this time, because I didn't bother checking.
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Hmm, I was thinking this, and I am worried I may have overreacted about the paralysis. Though, the fangs were very, very paralyzed. I actually held the spider and examined the fangs up close, using a toothpick, tongs and a q-tip. They had almost no movement.elliot said:
And my T. Blondi molted late march maybe 6 weeks ago. Prior to this it has molted first 2 months then 4 months since I recieved her. It's cage was next to the Smithi. It ate twice in april, then stopped eating a few weeks ago. Oh, and this one HAS eaten in pre molt, less then 36 hours prior to a molt. It's fangs are also paralyzed.
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You held the blondi while prodding its fangs with a q-tip?
I've frankly never heard of 'paralyzed fangs', though I've seen the 'attack-release' thing for extended amounts of time before, for various other reasons. Not saying I doubt you, just that it seems slightly bizarre. And bizarre things happen
I've frankly never heard of 'paralyzed fangs', though I've seen the 'attack-release' thing for extended amounts of time before, for various other reasons. Not saying I doubt you, just that it seems slightly bizarre. And bizarre things happen
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Yep, there was a thread on the handling Ts with tongs where I explain the procedure. My t. blondi is only 4 inches, and I took proper precautions. When I examined healthy ts, and prodding the fangs triggered movement in the Ts fangs.Vys said:
Fang paralysis seems a symptom of both fungal infections and nematode worms. I had an A. Avicularia who stopped eating within a month <edit> after the molt <edit>. It had a pasty white discharge around it's mouth, and this discharge would harden, paralyzing the fangs. Cleaning the discharge allowed full movement of the fangs. The mechanism of the fang paralysis was different. Too bad I never sent her in for study. I can't find the previous threads that dealt with this issue right now, but if you search hard enough you can find them.Vys said:I've frankly never heard of 'paralyzed fangs', though I've seen the 'attack-release' thing for extended amounts of time before, for various other reasons. Not saying I doubt you, just that it seems slightly bizarre. And bizarre things happen
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