Death curl after molt!?!?!?

[GOMER113]

I got 3 B. smithis yesterday and one molted last night and one molted in the last 3 hours that I've been home. It's on its right now and it's curling up. The one that molted yesterday didn't do this, so I'm hoping it's normal. Here's some pics I just took. It was mostly still while I was taking the pics, but as I was picking up the cup to put it back in the T area, it seemed to have stretched its legs on the left side and curled them back up. While typing this post, I saw it move a little bit, but it's still on its back. It doesn't have its legs curled under it, it's more like a regular stance, only on its back. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[clearlysaid]

That's normal. That's not a death curl. No worries.

 

[moose35]

100% normal



moose

 

[Talkenlate04]

100% normal. Most T's will do this after a molt. It gets the blood flowing so to speak.

 

[Talkenlate04]

Three posts at the same time, I am not too sure I have seen that before. But you got the same answer all three times!

 

[jbrd]

Looks fine to me. If you keep watching you may see what very few people in the hobby have seen yet. You will see your T flip back over.

 

[GOMER113]

Wow! Thanks for the quick replies! :clap: :clap: :clap:

I was worried since I've never seen a T molt until last night and I wasn't sure this was normal behavior. The one that molted yesterday did so while on her belly. Thanks for the big ol' sigh of relief.

UPDATE: It's back on its feet! I'm going to grab something to eat and give the T some time to settle down and then I'll pull the molt and get it sexed.

 

[desertdweller]

Beautiful T and a perfect molt. Congratulations! If you want any inspiration on enclosures do a search. Robc does some beautiful ones that are show pieces too. T's need a bit of room to walk around, hide if they want and stretch. Natural plants help too. Keeps them happy! Enjoy your beauties!!!!!

 

[GOMER113]

OK, he/she is doing just fine now! Here's a few pics of the molt. I'm guessing male. What do you guys think? The first two were taken about 20 minutes after it had gotten back on its feet. The last two were taken probably about 3 hours later.

 

[clearlysaid]

I guess male, too.

 

[desertdweller]

Yeah, that makes it three. Male

 

[Pociemon]

Yeah, that makes it three. Male

definately male;-)

Damn i can only buy females, my 3 apophysis juvie turns out female too(she changed yesterday) so now i have 1 very big girl and 3 females juvies. I WANT A MALE!!!

 

[gambite]

For the record, I thought it was a male from the first pics.

 

[Danahan]

Absolutely normal! Molting is a strenuous process. She's probably just gathering her energy back before flipping over.

 

[GOMER113]

Absolutely normal! Molting is a strenuous process. She's probably just gathering her energy back before flipping over.

I didn't know it at the time, hence my worrying too much. I've seen plenty of pics of Ts on their back before and during molting, but I don't remember seeing any after molting. Also, the way it was curled up and not moving kind of looked like rigor mortis to me. Since one of my other smithis molted the day before and wasn't on her back at all during the entire molting process, I thought this one had a problem.

 

[Noexcuse4you]

Hehe. You may also see your T in all kinds of weird positions while it hardens. My avic avic is always in some sort of peculiar position like 3 legs on one side forward with one back while on the other side two legs are sort of twisted forward and the other two are sticking completely straight out. Hard to describe, but trust me, it freaks you out the first time you see it!

 

[SNAFU]

No worries! My big fear during a molt is my T will lose a leg or two or get stuck 1/2 way out of the exuvium! You've got a great looking "boy" Smithi there.

 

[smof]

Looks like you got a gorgeous boy to go with the girl that just molted too (if I'm thinking of the right person) Congrats