Bad Molt

[naganalf1]

Ack! One of my sweet little G. pulchras had a bad first molt (first mot in my care - not first of its life -- the little thing is between 3/4"-1").

I keep my Ts at work, so I don't see them all weekend. On Friday evening before leaving work I noticed that it had started molting. When I came in this morning, I was going to remove the molt from the container and when I picked it up with the tweezers, I found it was still attached to the spider! Apparently the back right leg never fully came off. I gently pulled at the molt, thinking that with gentle pressure I could get it to come off of his leg. Ugg! Apparently that's a mistake because while the molt came off, so did the leg!!! What was I supposed to do? The little guy was dragging this molt around with him -- should I have let him be -- would he have managed to get the molt off by himself (don't forget, he started this molt Friday evening and it was now Monday morning).

Now I'm feeling overwhelming guilt that this poor sweet little spider is missing a leg!!! Will he be okay? Will he get a new leg with his next molt? Can he move as well without that back right leg -- do I need to cripple his crickets so that he can catch them?

Thanks in advance for any advice and thoughts on this!
Martha

 

[SCORPIONNOOB]

No worries! Ur little T will be fine. My little versi had a bad molt last week and I tried to soften up he exuvium with water and she struggled and pulled 2 legs off and is doing fine! Next time try to soften the old skin with water in order to soften it up n then try and gently loosen your t from it. They will grow back legs and they can still hunt and move without a leg or two! Just wait it out n eventually it will come back! Cheers!

 

[naganalf1]

Thanks for the response! I've been watching the little guy a lot today and he seems alright I guess. Good advice -- If it happens again I'll try softening it with water but he was struggling so much I'm not sure even if I had done that he wouldn't have lost the leg anyhow. And I couldn't just let him drag his molt around, right? I'm glad to know that this isn't an unusual occurance. You said the leg will grow back ... but it won't show up 'til the next molt, right?

 

[upwith inverts!]

Yeah the leg will start to regenerate next molt, only it will be a bit shrunken. In 1-2 molts it will be fully regenerated.

 

[naganalf1]

Okay ... good to know. I'll keep an eye on it but I guess there isn't really anything I can or need to do for the little guy (or girl).

 

[Exo]

You didn't do anything wrong, if anything, you helped free him.

It might be unpleasent, but losing one leg is no big deal for a young T, it grows back.

 

[naganalf1]

I wonder what would have happened in nature -- would he have continued to drag that molt around? Would the molt and the leg have eventually torn off? I would think, being slowed down with a molt attached to him, that he'd become easier prey for something bigger looking for a meal.

Based on the responses I've received here and on the ATS forum, it appears that this isn't necessarily an unusual occurance. Still, it did freak me out a bit, as I felt like I damaged the poor little thing. He does seem to be getting around fine though. I'll be interested to see how he does when I feed him -- someone mentioned that the lack of one leg shouldn't slow him down. It'll also be interesting to watch that leg grow back!

I've spritz his container and moistened the substrate some, to bring the humidity up (a little too late I guess - but I'll try to keep it up more so the next molt goes better).

I've got 7 slings (of different species) and 3 sub-adults and this is the first real "problem" I've had. I guess I'm doing alright.

 

[Exo]

Don't keep the cage too moist, it can encourage mites.

A little humidity and moisture while they are in premolt could be a good idea though.

 

[naganalf1]

Okay -- I thought (and it was suggested) that perhaps this happened because the cage was too dry. But I will be careful about finding the right balance of moisture vs. too moist. My sub-adults have water dishes, so I never worry about getting the substrate terribly moist. I love the little slings, but I wish they were big enough for water dishes!

 

[Exo]

You can keep slings permanently moist until they reach reach 2in, but after that only keep them moist just before they molt.

 

[naganalf1]

I guess by 2" I can use a soda cap as a water dish. None of my 7 slings are even close to 2" yet.

 

[Paramite]

If we don't count the few species that actually need humidity, I think it's a myth that humidity would help them when they molt. Especially when we're talking about a Grammostola. I've always kept my G. pulchra bone dry and she's always been fine.

 

[naganalf1]

Wow, that's interesting Paramite -- I've tried to find some information about the Brazilian Black natural history and there's not much out there. Do you know for sure that in the wild they wouldn't be in a high humidity environment? Sure - we know that G. rosea is in a dry environment but Brazil certainly has a lot of high humidity areas (rain forest, etc.). I'm not challenging you - just wondering since I can't seem to find much info on their natural history.

 

[Paramite]

They live in higher humidity than G. rosea, yes. But that doesn't mean they require it in captivity. Especially when we are talking about CB specimens. T's like G. pulchra usually hang around the waterdish all the time, if the enclosure is too dry for them. Mine never does it. In fact, most of the tarantulas can be kept bone dry. The thing is, we can't possibly give them the conditions they have in the wild. Usually, it brings more harm than good when you try it.

I'm sure almost everyone who've kept them, will tell you the same.

 

[naganalf1]

hmm - interesting. I bet a there are debates about this -- there's probably a camp that says you should try to replicate their natural condition and then there's the camp that you are in saying it's not necessary. Being new to this, I'm on the fence and could go either way I suppose. For now, I'm just taking in and digesting what everyone is telling me and learning as I go ...

 

[Paramite]

hmm - interesting. I bet a there are debates about this -- there's probably a camp that says you should try to replicate their natural condition and then there's the camp that you are in saying it's not necessary. Being new to this, I'm on the fence and could go either way I suppose. For now, I'm just taking in and digesting what everyone is telling me and learning as I go ...

There's a debate about it, sure. But there isn't a debate about the fact that G. pulchra can be kept bone dry.

Edit: Meaning, they survive and are healthy.