How do arboreals molt?

[PhilMcWonder]

Terrestrials set up a little flat spot where they can molt on the ground...
But arboreals are up in trees, How do they molt without falling?

 

[The Seraph]

Terrestrials set up a little flat spot where they can molt on the ground...
But arboreals are up in trees, How do they molt without falling?

They make a sealed web tube and molt in that I believe.

 

[EtienneN]

They make a moulting hammock that's anchored on both ends to either the sides of their enclosure or cork bark. Now, for the record, they can sometimes fall out of it, so if they look like they are in a precarious position, you can very gently put in a balled up tea towel so that if the T slides out accidentally, they won't hurt themselves.

 

[Theneil]

I think it depends on species too. Many arboreals live at the base of trees and usually make some sort of burrow feom the ground up a ways and they can molt in that. My Versi and avics usually molt in web tubs, but my AF A. avic actually went to the ground to molt (could be because i just got her and she didn't have time to properly create a tube. My P. metalica Makes a skimpy hammock most of the time to molt.

 

[FrmDaLeftCoast]

My A. avicularia just molted and as others have mentioned they make a sealed web tube (kinda looks like a water slide). My A. juruensis is about to molt and it has more of a Hammock type of web (with the help of a leaf).

 

[BoyFromLA]

This is Poecilotheria metallica, which recently molted. It put down layers of thick webbing under neath, and safely molted.



And this happened on May 29, 2018. Again, same method.

 

[LordAnon]

Terrestrials set up a little flat spot where they can molt on the ground...
But arboreals are up in trees, How do they molt without falling?

My A. avic just molted and it did it in it's web tube.

 

[Tenebrarius]

hammocks of web, then like any other T it just climbs out of its old exoskeleton.

oh I might have got it wrong: they do lots of dancing until their exoskeleton melts off for all the sick dancing

(I don't recommend doing this btw)

 

[Nightstalker47]

They either make a web hammock, or molt right on the ground under the hide.

 

[SDCustom78]

Heres a short vid of my A. avicularia about 5 mins post molt. This one made a horizontal webtube at the top of the enclosure and proceeded to stand vertically as it molted landing on its back when it fully did so. Shaky camera work and poor lighting but i didnt want to disturb "him now" too much sorry.

 

[FrmDaLeftCoast]

Below is not the greatest picture of my Avicularia avicularia which molted a few days ago.

 

[Nightstalker47]

 

[viper69]

They take a swan dive off the top of the container and molt very quickly.