Small droplets of clear fluid on abdomen of B. Hamorii sling?

[Kayla M]

Hey guys! So here's a timeline of what I've been seeing:

A couple of days ago, I noticed that my B. Hamorii sling acquired a dark black spot on her/his abdomen. I offered her/him a pinhead roach, s/he ran away from it, and so I removed it.
[I was initially excited about this because I thought it might be a sign that a molt is just around the corner, and I am really looking forward to him/her getting through the more fragile sling stage. ]

Yesterday, I noticed that there were additional small, clear fluid droplets on her/his abdomen in the same area the dark spot was. The droplets were not "oozing" or "leaking", and I also wasn't sure if they could be water droplets (I hadn't misted her/his cage, but maybe?). I cannot think of a cause of injury if this could be the case, unless one of the pinhead roaches bit her/him (I have no idea if this can happen) before I took it out.

Today, I noticed that she/he had taken and applied a clump of substrate to her/his abdomen in the area the droplets were at yesterday. (Her/his way of sopping up the fluid?). It looks like it's doing a good job at sopping the fluid up, but I wasn't sure if I should intervene in any way to be sure s/he isn't injured.

If any of you could give me some insight or share some of your similar experiences, it would be greatly appreciated. I got this sling a couple months ago, and s/he's my first tarantula. So I'm still in that "new paranoid mother" phase.

Also, if anyone has images of what a 1/2-3/4" B. Hamorii sling in early and late premolt should look like, Would you mind sharing?

Thanks!
-K

 

[BC1579]

I’ve heard of larger Ts oozing clear fluid at their joints prior to molting. Unsure about slings, however.

 

[KezyGLA]

It sounds like water droplets. And sub sticking to the wet patches.

Pics would help.

 

[Kayla M]

I don't have any pics of the droplets themselves, but here are some that I just took. I don't know if you can see the substrate or not.

Thanks for the input though guys! I'll keep an eye on her.

 

[KezyGLA]

Ok. Looks fine.

It will be moulting soon.

The substrate looks too wet though. That is probably where the droplets came from. And now wet substrate just sticking to its butt

 

[Kayla M]

Ok. Looks fine.

It will be moulting soon.

The substrate looks too wet though. That is probably where the droplets came from. And now wet substrate just sticking to its butt

Okay! I kinda thought it looked pretty damp too once I took the pictures. I added some water to that side of the enclosure a few hours ago and it looks like I added a little much. I'll let it dry out for a while before I mist again. And I'll leave my sling alone for a week or so to let it do it's thing.

Thanks again for settling my nerves!

 

[Paul1126]

Ok. Looks fine.

It will be moulting soon.

The substrate looks too wet though. That is probably where the droplets came from. And now wet substrate just sticking to its butt

How can you tell it's going to moult soon? I just take food refusal as pre moult because I can't tell with slings.

 

[KezyGLA]

How can you tell it's going to moult soon? I just take food refusal as pre moult because I can't tell with slings.

The super shiny black mirror patch

 

[Paul1126]

The super shiny black mirror patch

Ah, well in that case my boehmei sling will moult soon

 

[sasker]

The super shiny black mirror patch

I remember the entire abdomen of my sling B. hamorii to turn a shiny black right before a molt. But perhaps that is the next stage of premoult.

 

[KezyGLA]

I remember the entire abdomen of my sling B. hamorii to turn a shiny black right before a molt. But perhaps that is the next stage of premoult.

Depends how much exo and setae is developing underneath. The younger the sling the ligter it stays

 

[sasker]

Depends how much exo and setae is developing underneath. The younger the sling the ligter it stays

That makes sense. It was a long time ago she was a sling so I don't remember very clearly. She is becoming a big girl now