1cm GBB Pre-moult?

[ArachnoEvans]

Hi everyone, i was just wondering if these where the signs of pre-moult

1) It isn't eating when it usually takes down anything i put in the tub.

2) It kicks a lot of hairs ( i know they're a skittish species) but i could make a wig with all the urticating hairs.

3) It is very clumsy, seems to climb onto the side and then fall off and get back up.

Any reasons?

 

[Jared781]

1. Yes

2. No

3. Somewhat!

Flicking Bristles doesn't necessarily mean Pre molt! As for the "clumsy" part, this could be a potential sign in my opinion

 

[hamhock 74]

Take a look at this thread does your GBB have a blacky shiny abdomen like the pictures posted there? If so then then its in premolt. Refusal to eat, profuse hair kicking and clumsy behaviour may be due to physical stimuli or enviromental factors and cannot be used to 100% predict if an molt is upcoming or not. For NW t's at least.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/sho...pre-molt-looks-like&highlight=premolt+picture

 

[ArachnoEvans]

I have had it a month now and it has a fat abdomen if that helps? There is a spot of black on it's abdomen but that has been there for ages

 

[Prometheus]

Best thing to use is the refusal of food. Slings that small though will refuse food and then molt much faster than an adult, so you won't have to wait long. There are always exceptions to the rule as some slings legs will darken when they are that small abdomen darkening etc...

 

[ArachnoEvans]

So pre-moult or not?

 

[DaveM]

You'll know soon enough with such a small sling. All anyone else can tell you is maybe/probably given this second-hand information. Good species. Have fun!

 

[Jon3800]

I'll briefly mention the conditions of the premolt tarantula whether it's a full size adult or a spiderling

1) The abdomen has a black bald spot exactly like the picture thread that hamhock74 has shown you. If you saw my latest feeding video I made yesterday and the one I'm about to upload on my P.regalis very soon (since they'll soon be molting into 2nd instars ) my N.tripepii is in heavy premolt because he has that black spot. In slings, they show the same signs and you'll notice that the T WILL appear very dark and drabby colored. If you see that, the tarantula is definitively in premolt.

2) The specimen sometimes will appear defensive and move lethargically. If it's clumsy, seems to climb onto the side and then fall off and get back up, this could simply be the fact that the substrate may be too wet. As you know GBBs don't take very humid conditions very well, it should be semi-moist, but not too wet. You have to consider that GBBs are more terrestrial than they are arboreal (despite them being semi-arboreal), so naturally they're not the best climbers like you'd expect from pokies or avics.

3) They begin to spin a lot of webs shortly before molting. And some of them will hide and barricade themselves. If you see that behavior... Often a sign of premolt.

4) The specimen will sometimes refuse food. However, it HIGHLY depends on the species as some will fast like G.rosea. GBBs normally don't fast but certain individuals do. My own GBB female doesn't always take in food readily,even if she was in premolt or after her molt.

Prometheus said it best "Slings that small will refuse food and then molt much faster than an adult, so you won't have to wait long. There are always exceptions to the rule as some slings legs will darken when they are that small abdomen darkening etc... " Not eating doesn't necessarily mean in premolt. If your GBB is fat, then it means she's full and is not hungry. A tarantula eat will eat as much as it can and as much as it wants to. So that could why it's refusing food.

So to answer your 3 questions:

I'm in agreement with Jared. Hair kicking is normally seen in these species as they are prone hair flickers for being a semi-docile species. If you're saying to us that your GBB it has a black spot, then there is a strong indication that it will molt very soon. When, she will molt? I can't really predict that exact. Generally my Ts molt within 2 weeks after the darkness in abdomen patch is seen

Hope it helps
Jon

 

[Prometheus]

Very well put Jon!

 

[Jon3800]

Very well put Jon!

Thanks man