I was able to pull the bit of leg from the exuviae. I did so to see how much was in there. His legs are much longer than the but i pulled out but you can see the "toe" section of the leg. I believe he got most of it out, this piece broke off, and he self-amputated the rest. But why?
Usually, tarantulas self amputate a limb that they feel will hinder them. Example: a leg that is stuck inside it's old exoskeleton or a deformed limb. Things like this could possibly render the tarantula helpless or make it difficult for them to hunt or do physical activities such as climbing, burrowing, etc. It may also cause issues in their ability to breed. Several factors could play a role in this.
@Casey K wow, I've already learned my new fact for the day and it's barely 9am! Self amputation, that's one of the items on my list of things never to do. Thank goodness I haven't yet needed to molt!
@Casey K i know why they self amputate, the why was more "why could i get it out so easily but he couldnt?" Another theory i have is that the legs growth was stunted and he knew it, so he just ditched it. More speculation than anything, i know itll grow back pretty quickly, so im not worried about it, really.
@JoshDM020 ahhhhh.....I see. Well, that's a good thing about them. You know they're fast growers so it will grow back in no time. Interesting question, though.
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