Normal for a P. Ornata?

[kryptix]

My adult female P.Ornata who is about 8 inches right now has been in premolt for right around 8 months now. She hasn't eaten in that time and has been dull in color the whole time. I have had her since 11/26/08

She has molted in my possession 3 times so far:

1/15/09
4/4/09
8/30/09

I was under the impression from these forums that pokies usually do not do this, and are pretty fast with their pre-molts and growing. I doubt she is going to get much bigger, but dang this sounds like Rosea status right now.

It has been a little cooler though since I moved her into my closet, ranging from probably 70-80 degrees so this could have something to do with the prolonged pre molt status would be my best guess. Any thoughts on this?

 

[xhexdx]

That's odd.

I'd ask if you're sure it's not a MM but a MM living that long after a mature molt (8/30/09) is very very rare.

If your P. ornata's (lowercase 'o') abdomen isn't shriveled and you've got a steady supply of water in there, I suppose I wouldn't think too much of it.

I'd like to see pictures.

 

[bioshock]

I agree with hex.

 

[kryptix]

Ill try to get some pictures of her, she can be pretty recluse though. Her abdomen isn't shriveled and she looks normal just dull as heck. I got her from TalkenLate08 ( i think that was his name ) so I am pretty positive it is a female.

 

[AmbushArachnids]

Thats very odd indeed. I am sure you have a Female. Talkenlate04 wouldnt sell a female as a male. Hes really good with Poecilotheria.

I have a 7" female that went from candling yellow (gravid) to a 2 week premolt, She just molted this morning.

What are your temps like? <<NVM Has she been very lethargic this whole time? As many details as possible will give us clues.

 

[Lawnmower599]

never heard this before

 

[kryptix]

Arghhh she was just out but I couldn't get my camera in position to get her so I had to move her cage and she bolted. To answer your question about being lethargic, no not at all. I used to feed her a roach every 2 weeks, and sometimes a cricket in between roach feedings.

She has not eaten in months and doesn't even strike at the roaches or crickets I have put in there, even if I push the prey right into the beginning of her web shade. No interest at all, which I think is just odd because she used to hunt down and destroy anything that would hit the ground before all of this started.

It is starting to warm up around these parts though so maybe she will come out of this funk, maybe it just has not been hot enough for her or something.

I'm not too worried about her since she looks fine and moves about just fine though, just very uncharacteristic of a pokie from my understanding!

Edit : Oh yeah, will definitely keep trying to get a clear shot of both her top side and underside to post so I can get some more opinions!

 

[kryptix]

So here she is today, bad lighting so I hope you can see it alright and this is only an under shot. The Blue LED lighting I had brought out the yellow a little more than it actually is right now. But in the first 2 pics you can see it a little better, she kinda of has that light brown/drab tint to her under half like she gets before she is going to molt every time.

I tried to slowly move her enclosure to get a top pic but she bolted into her log right when I touched it >_<