My b. Albo has been in premolt for about 3 months....

[Thelema777]

Hes been in premolt for roughly 3 months now, and it kinda looks like his behind is peeling. Hes set up a couple different sperm web pads and pretty much lives on them too. I was just wondering if i should expect a bad molt since it seems he is stuggling so much. He'll be 2 in july and i was also wandering if maybe its because hes getting older. I got a picture before i started cleanin stuff out of his enclosure in case he got spooked and ran to his borrow.

 

[Theneil]

Ummmmm.... i'm a bit confused.

is it a mature male? Only a mature male makes sperm webs but Mature males don't generally molt again so unlikely to be premolt.

Abdomen also looks really small for pemolt.

Also, it looks like there is a super worm or meal worm in there.

 

[Thelema777]

I dropped a worm in there this mornin before work because todays normally feeding day. Im cleaning his substrate now so its no longer there nor is most of the waste. Idk what to call his bedding then cuz it seems like a sperm web mat to me. Hes only 2 years old in july so definitely not mature. But he has had the bald spot like premolt for about 3 months now. He doesnt flick at me or his food so i know its not from him being defensive. Regardless an answer and explanation would be nicer than stating the obvious or attempting to correct my terminology without answering the thread.

 

[darkness975]

I dropped a worm in there this mornin before work because todays normally feeding day. Im cleaning his substrate now so its no longer there nor is most of the waste. Idk what to call his bedding then cuz it seems like a sperm web mat to me. Hes only 2 years old in july so definitely not mature. But he has had the bald spot like premolt for about 3 months now. He doesnt flick at me or his food so i know its not from him being defensive. Regardless an answer and explanation would be nicer than stating the obvious or attempting to correct my terminology without answering the thread.

Age is not always a factor in determining the sexual maturity of a specimen. On your B. albo, are there tibial hooks and bulbous palps that are typical of mature males of the species? It is not unheard of for them to mature at surprisingly small sizes.

A sperm web is usually pretty obvious. You would know one if you saw it and compared it to pictures of one from a reputable source.

The abdomen does indeed look on the small side for premolt. If it did molt it might be an issue (if it's not a MM).

Did you crush the head of the superworm? Uncrippled supers burrow quick and will resurface later to munch on them when they molt. They are masters of hiding. When I was a noob it once took me over an hour to find a superworm in the substrate of a medium Kritter Keeper, AFTER I had dumped it out and was sifting through it to find the thing.

 

[Theneil]

Just trying to gather adequate information to increase the chances of giving a correct answer.

If the bald patch is the only sign of premolt, then i seriously doubt that it is premolt. It could be stressed about something or just being a spider and shedding them around it's enclosure as a passive safty measure.

I assume the stating the obvious refers to the super worm comment. i can't type as fast as i think and i seem to have left out the second half of the thought about leaving food in there. But you said it has been removed so i assume you already know about that.

 

[Thelema777]

Thank you. And yes i crush the heads of my supers. His palps seem bulbous but cant tell if hooks have formed. Ill take another look here in a bit since he wasnt spooked by me being in there. He has been moody lately so stress might be an adequate answer, but he hasnt been moody the whole time the spot was there. But he could just be cranky some days and not others. Either way hes probably just bein a spider. Lol

 

[Greasylake]

Take a picture of the palps. If he has emboli well know he's mature and he's not going to be molting again. As for bald spots, those aren't an indication of premolt. All it means is your spider has been kicking many many hairs. Judging by the abdomen size and color I'd be willing to bet it's not premolt.

 

[sasker]

It is two years old? Did you get it as a tiny sling two years ago? It seems a bit big for a 2-year old tarantula. Also, I think I see a tibial hook on the first left leg. Some males mature at quite a small size. I think it is most likely a mature male getting older and having kicked off most of his urticating satae.

 

[cold blood]

Its a mature male. Its not pre-molt as t will never molt again. As MMs age, they tend to get very bald abdomens...and they rarely eat after the first month or two. I only offer my MMs food once or twice a month. Keeping them hydrated is key to keeping them around longer....but he is at the end of his life.

 

[Thelema777]

Thank you. Im quite sad to hear that as he has been a great first t and i hoped for another year with him. I must have been told the wrong age when i got him, which i hear is quite common.

 

[cold blood]

i hoped for another year with him.

You still may get another year with him.

I must have been told the wrong age when i got him

He could be mature at that age....but you could have been told wrong. In terms of care, size matters more than age...but a lot of sellers don't know and when asked, just make a guess...and not always an educated guess...lol.