Can I improve habitat conditions for Rosehair molting?

[Dragonfly18]

I bought a Chilean Rosehair T about 12 years ago, back when I was teaching biology. I have no idea how old she was when I bought her. The students enjoyed her so much that when I left teaching about 5 years later, I gave her to a colleague that had experience w/ Ts and scorpions. I got her back 2 - 3 years ago when that teacher retired, and now keep her at home. She has not molted since I got her back, so it has been a LONG time since I have watched over her molting process myself. Over the last few months, she has stopped eating, and over the past week her movements have been uncoordinated, and she has woven a mat on her substrate floor. Today she is on her back, but not moving, only twitching a bit when she feels vibrations from the floor. I am hoping she is ready to molt and not dying. Is there anything I can do to ease her molt? She is in a 10 gallon tank with a mesh lid, natural indirect lighting, temp ranges btwn 71(night) - 76(day). I live in Florida so higher than average humidity (60%-70% this time of year?) I have very dry Eco Earth in the tank along with a cave and a fresh water dish. She is plump, does not appear dehydrated. She generally hates any extra humidity in her tank outside of her water dish, but she is currently laying near her water. Would gently raising the temp or humidity just for the duration of molting ease her way? I could temporarily add a sponge to her dish, or place a warm damp towel and heating pad on top of mesh lid, if that would help soften up the old exo...

 

[dangerforceidle]

Just trust her to do her thing. Everything you've described in her recent behaviour is indicative that she is indeed moulting. If she is on her back, she will spend some time there where it seems like nothing is happening, then things will start to happen more quickly. The twitching is normal.

You don't need to raise humidity, it will not help her moult. Spikes in ambient humidity may be a moulting trigger, but her internal hydration is what makes the process successful.

It's nerve-wracking, but don't hover. She'll get the job done.

 

[Uial]

You can kill the lights or hang a towel up so it's dark in there. Also, try to keep vibrations and disturbances to a minimum. If she has a full water dish she should be fine. If she's old she might take some time to molt, give her that time, but do write again if she makes no progress at all in a few hours.

My oldest T took over 10 hours recently to molt, to give you an idea of the time frame.

 

[Dragonfly18]

Thanks guys, you've put me at ease. Just wanted to make sure that I am providing the best conditions possible without disturbing her.

 

[kinglaz85]

Any updates?

 

[Dragonfly18]

She looks exactly the same as yesterday. Still alive, I see the occasional twitch, and she's laying further from her water dish than yesterday, but still on her back and no active shedding happening. It's been a looong time, almost 24 hours since I found her like this. I have her tank covered and in a relatively quiet spot. I'm guessing there's still nothing else I can do but wait though...

 

[Uial]

Has she popped the carapace? Are there any signs she's molting at all?

 

[Dragonfly18]

None that I can see. I thought even if she was taking her sweet time, things would happen overnight. But nothing. Maybe she's just old and dying, or too old to get thru the molt. IDK.

 

[Ungoliant]

It's been a looong time, almost 24 hours since I found her like this. I have her tank covered and in a relatively quiet spot. I'm guessing there's still nothing else I can do but wait though...

If she hasn't even begun to extract herself from her old exoskeleton, there is nothing you can do but watch.

 

[Feral]

Thank you for caring so much about her, and trying to do your best for her! That's wonderful. I'm sorry things aren't going well, truly. But thank you for caring!

 

[dangerforceidle]

She looks exactly the same as yesterday. Still alive, I see the occasional twitch, and she's laying further from her water dish than yesterday,

Are you certain of this? She's moved from one place in the tank to the other? How much distance did she move?

It sounds like she flipped back upright in order to move, and has now flipped back onto her back to try again. That could be indicative of a problem, or she could have been disrupted enough to want to be upright again. They don't really move around while on their back.

 

[Dragonfly18]

I'm positive her position in the tank has changed. She started out next to her water dish two days ago, and is now at the other end of the tank. But I'm also almost as positive that she hasn't flipped over. She is still facing in the same direction and the changes have been gradual since I found her and in a straight line. I think when she does twitch/move her legs, her back legs are pushing against the substrate more than her front and nudging her along. She is moving less and less over time, though she's still alive this morning. Her abdomen is paler than yesterday, her legs pulled in rather than spread out around her. I'm thinking that as rare as it is to see a T on its back for anything other than molting, it may just be old age (she is 12 minimum, likely closer to 14 or 15), and the uncoordinated movements I saw a few days ago may have put her on her back, and now I'm watching her fade. THANK YOU ALL, FOR YOUR ADVICE, ENCOURAGEMENT AND KIND WORDS. I can't help Rose, but you all have helped me immensely. I truly appreciate it. I'll post an update when things eventually change.

Feral, thank you for your kind words. They are very much appreciated!

 

[Ungoliant]

I'm thinking that as rare as it is to see a T on its back for anything other than molting, it may just be old age (she is 12 minimum, likely closer to 14 or 15), and the uncoordinated movements I saw a few days ago may have put her on her back, and now I'm watching her fade.

They generally don't flip themselves over except to molt, even when they are old or sick.

My guess is she flipped over in an attempt to molt but can't complete the molt.

 

[Dragonfly18]

Yes, I was considering that too, just forgot to add it. And it's so strange she hasn't even popped the carapace after all this time.

 

[Ungoliant]

Yes, I was considering that too, just forgot to add it. And it's so strange she hasn't even popped the carapace after all this time.

Sometimes it happens.

I lost a juvenile male GBB in the same manner. (He flipped over to molt, remained in that position for many hours, and then flipped back over without having made any progress. He remained lethargic and died a week later.)

 

[Dragonfly18]

A week is a long time to suffer. I hope I see SOME sort of change soon. If she can't molt or otherwise improve, I would rather she pass soon than suffer. Still holding out some hope though.

 

[viper69]

Increasing humidity doesn’t help- they are not like reptiles!

 

[Feral]

I'm so sorry she's struggling. <3

If her abdomen has turned paler, it may be from separation of the old and new exoskeletons that happens during the first stages of molting. It's one of the first parts of normal molting I see. But I imagine it could also happen if the internal exoskeleton 's abdomen were to rupture. So not to imply that I think her situation is normal, but just that the paler abdomen could by itself be normal or not.
When you say her legs are starting to "pull in", do you mean that her legs are curling around (like she's holding an invisible ball) or that her toes are starting to point either up or in toward her body (instead of being pointed outwardly as they would in a normal molting posting)? If so, this may be the start of what's called the "death curl" and is a sign of hypovolemia/dehydration/low blood pressure. If this is the case and she's curling, I would be thinking about (while leaving her where she is and not moving her!) putting a small drop of water on her mouth parts for her to drink, then when the previous drop has disappeared adding another drop, for maybe six drops total (for an adult sized T). She may be too far gone, but at the point I don't think it could hurt to try rehydrated her. If she's curling and you can do it without disturbing her, that seems like maybe it might help and be worth any risk at this point.

I haven't been in this situation myself, so these are just my thoughts. I'd definitely like to hear others' thoughts on it.

 

[Vanisher]

I bought a Chilean Rosehair T about 12 years ago, back when I was teaching biology. I have no idea how old she was when I bought her. The students enjoyed her so much that when I left teaching about 5 years later, I gave her to a colleague that had experience w/ Ts and scorpions. I got her back 2 - 3 years ago when that teacher retired, and now keep her at home. She has not molted since I got her back, so it has been a LONG time since I have watched over her molting process myself. Over the last few months, she has stopped eating, and over the past week her movements have been uncoordinated, and she has woven a mat on her substrate floor. Today she is on her back, but not moving, only twitching a bit when she feels vibrations from the floor. I am hoping she is ready to molt and not dying. Is there anything I can do to ease her molt? She is in a 10 gallon tank with a mesh lid, natural indirect lighting, temp ranges btwn 71(night) - 76(day). I live in Florida so higher than average humidity (60%-70% this time of year?) I have very dry Eco Earth in the tank along with a cave and a fresh water dish. She is plump, does not appear dehydrated. She generally hates any extra humidity in her tank outside of her water dish, but she is currently laying near her water. Would gently raising the temp or humidity just for the duration of molting ease her way? I could temporarily add a sponge to her dish, or place a warm damp towel and heating pad on top of mesh lid, if that would help soften up the old exo...

No just leave her with a full waterdish. Absolutely no need of raising humidety before a tarantula moults as you can read in certain caresheets

 

[Dragonfly18]

Feral, her 'elbows' of her back legs are pulled up underneath her, lower legs are on the substrate. She has shimmied herself a bit against the glass but not tight, front legs are folded pointing upward. Tried to take a pic that avoided glare without disturbing her. Don't know if it helps.

If you still think trying to give her a couple drops of water will help, I will, I'm just extremely hesitant to disturb her. Vanisher, I don't always trust care sheets, esp. when things go awry. Then I prefer to ask people who have experience (i.e. you guys).