Do tarantulas grow without molting?

[tarantulanewbie]

I don't know if this is common knowledge as I can't find anything on this topic.

I bought my first T, a b. Albopilosum a couple months ago and it was about 1.25-1.5 inches.

It is now a little more than 2 inches but it has NOT molted. I know because I've rehoused it 3 times and sifted through the sub to see if a molt was hiding, nothing.

The frequent rehousing was because it kept outgrowing the container.

It's not just a fat rump either since it's been proportional to the carapiece since I got it.

I check on it several times per day too so I find it hard to believe that I could have missed a molt, and it is just now starting to get dark in the abdomen.

Is it normal for it to grow that much without molting?

 

[Toxoderidae]

The spider has molted if there was such a large size difference. Chances are you missed it, or as Albos do, it destroyed the molt and carried on with life, something I've seen almost all terrestrials do.

 

[Sarkhan42]

I don't know if this is common knowledge as I can't find anything on this topic.

I bought my first T, a b. Albopilosum a couple months ago and it was about 1.25-1.5 inches.

It is now a little more than 2 inches but it has NOT molted. I know because I've rehoused it 3 times and sifted through the sub to see if a molt was hiding, nothing.

The frequent rehousing was because it kept outgrowing the container.

It's not just a fat rump either since it's been proportional to the carapiece since I got it.

I check on it several times per day too so I find it hard to believe that I could have missed a molt, and it is just now starting to get dark in the abdomen.

Is it normal for it to grow that much without molting?

They have to molt to grow a noticeable amount, it's simply how anything with an exoskeleton grows. If you couldn't find any traces of it then it was chewed into a bolus, which does happen often for moisture regaining purposes, mostly in terrestrials in my experience.

 

[tarantulanewbie]

The spider has molted if there was such a large size difference. Chances are you missed it, or as Albos do, it destroyed the molt and carried on with life, something I've seen almost all terrestrials do.

Wouldn't there be some remnant of the molt?

I know they chew on the back end like my b. Smithi did but wouldn't the legs be too hard for their fresh fangs?

Feeding could have injured it as well since I feed it somewhat irregularly but not less than once every week. Usually small crickets since I feed it often.

 

[tarantulanewbie]

My question still stands though, do they get noticeably bigger without a molt?

 

[Toxoderidae]

Wouldn't there be some remnant of the molt?

I know they chew on the back end like my b. Smithi did but wouldn't the legs be too hard for their fresh fangs?

Feeding could have injured it as well since I feed it somewhat irregularly but not less than once every week. Usually small crickets since I feed it often.

I don't mean with their fangs lol, spiders will incorporate their molts into their webbing or just destroy it in ways you can't fathom. Those things are so flaky, they fall apart just by blowing on them. Trust me, if the spider's grown that much, it's molted. And no, I've answered your question twice now, spiders have exoskeletons, they MUST molt in order to grow..

 

[tarantulanewbie]

I don't mean with their fangs lol, spiders will incorporate their molts into their webbing or just destroy it in ways you can't fathom. Those things are so flaky, they fall apart just by blowing on them. Trust me, if the spider's grown that much, it's molted. And no, I've answered your question twice now, spiders have exoskeletons, they MUST molt in order to grow..

Well I guess I have to accept that since I have no evidence to refute it.

Though my albo doesn't Web at all

I just don't think I would have missed the molt I check on them at least every hour, I'm too eager I suppose

But it is what it is

 

[Venom1080]

You missed a molt. Simple as that. Ts do not get bigger without molting.

 

[elysium]

I would be interested what the experienced folks have to say about shrinkage after a molt. Not sure if just an illusion but I get the impression that my Ts shrink slightly in the days after a molt as their exos harden.

 

[8Legs8Eyes]

The exoskeleton is hard and does not grow. The spider grows a body underneath it, and when it is ready it will molt. Size is gained here, but it can take a few days while they stretch and try to get size while they harden. That is why it is important to leave them be after they molt. Their abdomens are usually much smaller after they shed their skin, which is why they might seem smaller just after the molt.

Also not really sure why a spider would need to be rehoused three times after growing only an inch? Let your little bugger get some privacy, he will thank you for it.

 

[EulersK]

Their abdomens get bigger as they eat, but nothing else.

 

[xhexdx]

My question still stands though, do they get noticeably bigger without a molt?

No they don't.

Did you measure it the same way both times? How are you measuring it?

You missed a molt. Simple as that. Ts do not get bigger without molting.

Either a molt was missed or it was measured in a way that is inaccurate.

I would be interested what the experienced folks have to say about shrinkage after a molt. Not sure if just an illusion but I get the impression that my Ts shrink slightly in the days after a molt as their exos harden.

They don't shrink after a molt. The first couple of days after a molt, the spiders tend to 'stretch' out in order to allow the exo to harden correctly. Odds are you're seeing this, since the spider appears larger in this position. Then, once it's done stretching, it resumes its 'normal' posture and looks smaller.

 

[Haksilence]

It either molted and you missed it, they can demolish them easily and without the use of their fangs.. They have mouths you know.

Or, and much more likely, you simply miss measured since it should be very Easy to tell if it's molted or not.

Show us a picture of the specimen and we will be able to tell you if it's molted recently

 

[tarantulanewbie]

Just took this

It either molted and you missed it, they can demolish them easily and without the use of their fangs.. They have mouths you know.

Or, and much more likely, you simply miss measured since it should be very Easy to tell if it's molted or not.

Show us a picture of the specimen and we will be able to tell you if it's molted recently

It either molted and you missed it, they can demolish them easily and without the use of their fangs.. They have mouths you know.

Or, and much more likely, you simply miss measured since it should be very Easy to tell if it's molted or not.

Show us a picture of the specimen and we will be able to tell you if it's molted recently

Only picture I could get, she keeps scurrying into her burrow.

 

[Sana]

Wow that's a pudgy spider! I'm not one of the people that is going to tell you that you're over feeding. I don't actually think it's possible to overfeed most tarantulas. I wouldn't be surprised if you have a molt coming up pretty soon though.

The enclosure looks reasonable to me. I'm assuming there is a water dish in there that I can't see.

 

[tarantulanewbie]

Wow that's a pudgy spider! I'm not one of the people that is going to tell you that you're over feeding. I don't actually think it's possible to overfeed most tarantulas. I wouldn't be surprised if you have a molt coming up pretty soon though.

The enclosure looks reasonable to me. I'm assuming there is a water dish in there that I can't see.

It might look pudgier than it actually is because it's abdomen is raised since it's at an angle, that's it's burrow entrance.

 

[xhexdx]

Wow that's a pudgy spider! I'm not one of the people that is going to tell you that you're over feeding. I don't actually think it's possible to overfeed most tarantulas. I wouldn't be surprised if you have a molt coming up pretty soon though.

The enclosure looks reasonable to me. I'm assuming there is a water dish in there that I can't see.

Based on what?

 

[viper69]

My question still stands though, do they get noticeably bigger without a molt?

No

 

[viper69]

Based on what?

Good to see you back!

 

[Olan]

I just don't think I would have missed the molt I check on them at least every hour, I'm too eager I suppose

But it is what it is

How do you survive without sleep?