Please HELP this is a serious question.

[Emily Burrow]

My tarantula Eerie last molted on August 12th. Her colors started to fade last week and she stopped eating so I figured she was about to molt again. So today was feeding day and I went to check on her and see if she has molted, her colors were more vibrant than before but I couldn’t find a molt. Since I couldn’t find a molt I thought I would just try giving her a small mealworm ,but she wouldn’t eat it. I am very confused on why she won’t eat and am worried. Someone plz give me advice on what I should do or what you think is wrong. Thank you!

 

[chanda]

What species of tarantula is she - and how big? Post pictures of the tarantula and her enclosure.

It is normal for tarantulas to refuse food - sometimes for weeks or months at a time - particularly if they are in premolt, but even spiders who are not in premolt will sometimes turn down food. Since you know there's a chance she won't eat, crush the heads of any feeders before offering them to her - and remove them if she isn't interested.

As far as whether she molted or not, some T's will molt inside their hides or burrows and will leave the molts down there. I have a 5-spider M. balfouri communal that I've had for I think almost two years now - and I've only ever seen a couple of molts. The darn things are hoarders! The biggest question is whether she had gotten any bigger? I'm assuming, since she molted in August and might be ready to molt again shortly (if she has not already done so) that this is a young spider - a larger sling or juvenile - so a size increase should be pretty obvious every time she molts.

 

[Emily Burrow]

I usually always remove the heads of the mealworms when feeding her. She stay in a 3 gallon glass terrarium.

 

[EulersK]

I'm not sure how this myth got started, but colors do not fade as they approach a molt. The setae ("hair") is benign in the sense that there is no living tissue in them, very similar to your own hair. The only real indication of an impending molt is a darkening of a bald patch on the abdomen. What is darkening is the tarantula itself, not the setae. Which is why you can only see it if there is a bald patch. Colors do seem to dull the longer they go without a molt, but that has nothing to do with an impending molt.

What is the size and species? Depending on those factors, it could be in premolt for months.

 

[Emily Burrow]

As you can tell her colors are pretty bright. A lot more bright than last week. She made her own burrow as well that’s where she usually stays.

She is a Mexican Red knee and when I first got her ,her leg span was 2-2.5 inches and she’s molted one time since then.

I just want to make sure she isn’t starving herself or something like that. I am new to the tarantula care-taking life and want to make sure I am doing everything right.

 

[Goopyguy56]

She might have to harden for a while if she did molt. I usually wait a week before I drop food in

 

[Tenebrarius]

you should you scientific names both b. hamorii and B. smoothie are called red knee.
my B. smithi hasn't eaten for two months now nothing to be worried about, dont even think its in premolt anymore and its just a jerk. and a B. smithi are slow growers I will probably not live to see the day its full grown .

 

[Goopyguy56]

She looks fine to me. She is nice and plump. She sure isn't starving. Just get more t's so you have something else to eat the feeders. If her abdomen is nice and round I wouldn't sweat it

 

[Emily Burrow]

Ok thank you so much!!!

 

[Goopyguy56]

If her booty is nicki minaj big then she certainly fine. If anything, she could just be full. If she kept eating she would be on my 600 lb life. I had a t go over 5 months without a meal and he/she is doing just fine now

 

[The Grym Reaper]

both b. hamorii and B. smithi are called red knee.

Na, hamorii is "Red Knee", smithi is "Giant Orange Knee".

But yeah, scientific names are preferable.

 

[The Seraph]

It looks fine. Don't worry about feeding days, just look at them and if they are not fat feed them. Also, I don't believe she molted as she is much too large to have molted.

 

[Tenebrarius]

Na, hamorii is "Red Knee", smithi is "Giant Orange Knee".

But yeah, scientific names are preferable.

was more confusing with annitha good thing they killed that, plus I've seen them both sold under the same common name, scientific is a good go to(and never leave).

It looks fine. Don't worry about feeding days, just look at them and if they are not fat feed them. Also, I don't believe she molted as she is much too large to have molted.

molting in a week interval? I wish my brachypelma(smithi) would molt that fast

 

[The Seraph]

molting in a week interval? I wish my brachypelma(smithi) would molt that fast

Not sure what my comment did to evoke that, but I feel you. I feel you.

 

[Teal]

you should you scientific names both b. hamorii and B. smoothie are called red knee.