Terrestrial Behavior

[serialthrilla91]

Ok, so my 3.5 inch B. Albopilosum has completely webbed up the opening to her hide. As it sits now, there is no where for her to get out. I'm positive she can just pull the webbing down, I'm not worried about her being trapped, I was just curious as to what this behavior means.

 

[catfishrod69]

most likely she is getting ready to molt

 

[Slevin]

yup, my B. smithi digs a hole and closes it every time she decides to prepare for molt. just keep humidity and water levels up.

 

[MB623]

My LP does this every molt and stays in there blocked in for a few days then removes the make shift door after molting.

 

[serialthrilla91]

Thanks everyone. I'm hoping she does molt, that would be two molts in two weeks, and I've got a pokie exhibiting similar behaviors so I might get lucky with a third molt!

 

[catfishrod69]

2 molts in 2 weeks? thats not possible..could be something else then...just making changes to its enclosure maybe

 

[paassatt]

2 molts in 2 weeks? thats not possible..could be something else then...just making changes to its enclosure maybe

The impression I got from that post was he was talking about a molt from another spider in a two week span. I could be wrong though. If so, I'd agree that the same spider molting twice in two weeks is unlikely.

---------- Post added 09-19-2011 at 09:01 PM ----------

Thanks everyone. I'm hoping she does molt, that would be two molts in two weeks, and I've got a pokie exhibiting similar behaviors so I might get lucky with a third molt!

On a side note, how do you know it's a female?

 

[catfishrod69]

hmmm didnt realize that at first, but after rereading i see what you mean..

The impression I got from that post was he was talking about a molt from another spider in a two week span. I could be wrong though. If so, I'd agree that the same spider molting twice in two weeks is unlikely.

---------- Post added 09-19-2011 at 09:01 PM ----------


On a side note, how do you know it's a female?

 

[serialthrilla91]

@ catfishrod69, I did mean two different T's. My A. Versicolor molted four days ago.
@ paassatt, well, I don't know for certain she's female, but I bought her from a friend who said he was pretty sure from her last molt that she's female, I'll of course sex her next molt, but I guess there's no way to be 100% until she's sexually mature.

 

[paassatt]

@ paassatt, well, I don't know for certain she's female, but I bought her from a friend who said he was pretty sure from her last molt that she's female, I'll of course sex her next molt, but I guess there's no way to be 100% until she's sexually mature.

You don't have to wait until she's sexually mature. You can sex the spider with its next exuvium even if it's not sexually mature. The spermathecae will still be present. If they are sclerotized then she'll be sexually mature, but even if they're not, they'll still be present.

 

[catfishrod69]

ok i see now..congrats on the molting..i had like 10 slings molt on me while i was on vacation last week...yeah she is big enough to sex...i never have much luck with anything under 3" though...my microscope is too powerful, so i do it by eye, and the smaller ones always seem to be too hard to tell, so i wait until they molt again..good luck with it being a female..