What is an Avicularia Avicularia ("Peruvian purple pink toe tarantula)" pre-molt behaviors?

Demonjack123

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Yeah I am wondering what is the behavior of a Pink toe in pre molt? She has essentially a black bottom since I got her (took me awhile to realize that and it wasn't hair). After I assessed her being potentially in pre-molt I left her alone and everything. Now she has been adding to her hammock but recently this morning I woke up and she destroyed part of her web she was making on the wall. Sorry I am not being very specific I am stressed about other issues right now.
 

flamesbane

Arachnobaron
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Refusing food and webbing are common pre-molt behaviors. Don't stress about it, she will be fine.
 

Demonjack123

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Refusing food and webbing are common pre-molt behaviors. Don't stress about it, she will be fine.
Well thanks, and when I first received her she ate, and even 2 days after that then she stopped. Is that normal, or was it caused because of the long trip she took? Or it could just be considered her "last meal" I tried to get her to eat yesterday though and she almost did attack it but mainly out of agitation with me basically poking her with the cricket (she even slapped me a little!), so that did make me ffeel confident that yes it was pre-molt. I was just curious since Avics behave a bit differently than terrestials in terms of pre-molt. Am I right?
 

Chris_Skeleton

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There is no difference in premolt behavior between terrestrials and arboreals. Also, Peruvian Purple is A. urticans not A. avicularia. Post some pics of your spider.
 

takelondon

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Well thanks, and when I first received her she ate, and even 2 days after that then she stopped. Is that normal, or was it caused because of the long trip she took? Or it could just be considered her "last meal" I tried to get her to eat yesterday though and she almost did attack it but mainly out of agitation with me basically poking her with the cricket (she even slapped me a little!), so that did make me feel confident that yes it was pre-molt. I was just curious since Avics behave a bit differently than terrestials in terms of pre-molt. Am I right?
Avicularia spp. are usually good eaters, so a sudden refusal of food is almost always a sign of pre-molt, and certainly not a result of stress from the trip. Don't press the issue (i.e. no need to attempt feeding again when she is refusing food,) try to avoid any interaction with her until a week or so after she has molted, and make sure her water dish is filled to keep her hydrated and keep humidity up for her upcoming molt.


-Kendra
 

Demonjack123

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I think you might have misunderstood one of my comments. I said that she was very hungry AFTER ARRIVING in her container (she was still in premolt) and then continued to eat a day after that then stopped, so does that mean she is getting closer to molting? As for the hydration and leaving her alone after her molt I know this quite well.

Avicularia spp. are usually good eaters, so a sudden refusal of food is almost always a sign of pre-molt, and certainly not a result of stress from the trip. Don't press the issue (i.e. no need to attempt feeding again when she is refusing food,) try to avoid any interaction with her until a week or so after she has molted, and make sure her water dish is filled to keep her hydrated and keep humidity up for her upcoming molt.


-Kendra


---------- Post added 09-06-2011 at 06:15 PM ----------

I will not post pics of my spider. The camera on my Mac is not that great. I called it a Peruvian purple because thats the name I came across when I did a "Avicularia Avicularia" google search.Judging by how she looks she is an Avic Avic but I continued to use "Peruvian Purple" because I did not know if that was some other name for Pink toe's or not. Judging by your post I will say it isn't. And I would say there is a bit of difference between terrestials and arboreals since arboreals to my knowledge have a tendency to web a cocoon like web/hammock and terrestials generally do not.

There is no difference in premolt behavior between terrestrials and arboreals. Also, Peruvian Purple is A. urticans not A. avicularia. Post some pics of your spider.
 
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Chris_Skeleton

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Webbing a cocoon has nothing to do with premolt. They construct them to use as a hide. Even terrestrials will web up their hide and block the entrance "cocooning" themselves in.

Premolt signs are the same with all spiders. Refusal of food, darkening of the exoskeleton, lethargy, etc.
 

Demonjack123

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Well you could be right about that, but I also remember reading somewhere on these boards yesterday that someones tarantula never webbed except to make a hammock to molt in, and then tore it down right after. The cocoon to my knowledge is for them to safely molt in right? My tarantula has recently been turning her hammock into a more sealed off web for what I assume to be a safety thing for molting since she is high enough up that a fresh molt fall could kill her.

More or less I'm just now thinking that it has something to do with each individual tarantula and how they behave (behave webbing wise). Otherwise you are right that all premolt behavior is the same - no eating, lethargy.


Webbing a cocoon has nothing to do with premolt. They construct them to use as a hide. Even terrestrials will web up their hide and block the entrance "cocooning" themselves in.

Premolt signs are the same with all spiders. Refusal of food, darkening of the exoskeleton, lethargy, etc.
 

xhexdx

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I love how people join the boards and start disagreeing with other members right away.

Well you could be right about that, but I also remember reading somewhere on these boards yesterday that someones tarantula never webbed except to make a hammock to molt in, and then tore it down right after. The cocoon to my knowledge is for them to safely molt in right? My tarantula has recently been turning her hammock into a more sealed off web for what I assume to be a safety thing for molting since she is high enough up that a fresh molt fall could kill her.
P. murinus? C. cyaneopubescens? Heavy webbers that aren't arboreal.

Point is, tarantulas all exhibit the same characteristic of webbing a special place for them to molt in, whether it's a simple molt mat or a 'cocoon'. Still the same behavior.

I will not post pics of my spider. The camera on my Mac is not that great. I called it a Peruvian purple because thats the name I came across when I did a "Avicularia Avicularia" google search.Judging by how she looks she is an Avic Avic but I continued to use "Peruvian Purple" because I did not know if that was some other name for Pink toe's or not. Judging by your post I will say it isn't. And I would say there is a bit of difference between terrestials and arboreals since arboreals to my knowledge have a tendency to web a cocoon like web/hammock and terrestials generally do not.
Chris is right, Google is wrong.

Also, Peruvian Purple is A. urticans not A. avicularia. Post some pics of your spider.
Common name for Avicularia avicularia is Guyana Pinktoe. My advice? Lose the common names and stick to scientific names. Also, as a friendly reminder, proper capitalization for scientific names states that species is not capitalized; only the genus is.
 

Demonjack123

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Interesting. I did not know terrestrials webbed a spot to molt in as well. I was only basing it off of a Rose hair I owned years ago, and the fact I never came across this type of information during my research. Thanks for all the information! And yes I knoiw about proper capitalization but I get lazy and sometimes don't care. I will keep that in mind if it's required for these boards however.


I love how people join the boards and start disagreeing with other members right away.



P. murinus? C. cyaneopubescens? Heavy webbers that aren't arboreal.

Point is, tarantulas all exhibit the same characteristic of webbing a special place for them to molt in, whether it's a simple molt mat or a 'cocoon'. Still the same behavior.



Chris is right, Google is wrong.



Common name for Avicularia avicularia is Guyana Pinktoe. My advice? Lose the common names and stick to scientific names. Also, as a friendly reminder, proper capitalization for scientific names states that species is not capitalized; only the genus is.
 

Demonjack123

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Okay then. Thanks for all the answers. This thread can be closed now I suppose.

Oh, and I love how other longer members are sarcastic and snarky. (just noticed your post where it said new members joining just to disagree)

It's not required.
 

xhexdx

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Yeah, that's what I said.

Oh, and I love how other longer members are sarcastic and snarky. (just noticed your post where it said new members joining just to disagree)
That's not what I said.
 

Shrike

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Demonjack, you started a thread asking for help and then either disagreed with the folks that responded, or played it off like you already knew what they had to tell you. While I think it's perfectly acceptable to use your knowledge to think critically and question information, you initiated the discussion by indicating you were unable to recognize pre-molt behavior and needed help. I think you'll have a more positive experience on this board if you leave your ego at the door and just accept advice when it is offered.
 

Demonjack123

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Demonjack, you started a thread asking for help and then either disagreed with the folks that responded, or played it off like you already knew what they had to tell you. While I think it's perfectly acceptable to use your knowledge to think critically and question information, you initiated the discussion by indicating you were unable to recognize pre-molt behavior and needed help. I think you'll have a more positive experience on this board if you leave your ego at the door and just accept advice when it is offered.
I'm sorry do you know me? No. I did not bring an ego to this discussion. I was simply misinformed and thought what previous information I had was correct which is why I brought it up so I could find out if what I knew was right or wrong. As I stated in my first post I was too stressed to go into specifics but I have read up on pre-molt and I understand the behavior. I thought A. avics' however acted differently in terms of pre-molting behavior in terms of webbing in preparation. Please do not assume this had anything to do with an ego. Believe me this site was the last option I had if I wanted to find out any specifics about a certain T.

I am thankful for all the helpful information I have received.


---------- Post added 09-07-2011 at 05:59 PM ----------

It's not the same thing at all.
Umm, actually it is. You said you loved how people just join the boards to disagree with others. In response I said I love how senior members are snarky and sarcastic. Got it? Okay.
 
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Drakk

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Aug 29, 2010
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Lol this site is an invaluable resource to T people....people like xhexdx and others answer questions like this for people all the time...things u can find by looking elsewhere or reading a decent book on T's.
Personally im just happy to have the contacts and people with a TON of exp who i can ask things of...and who are willing to take the time to answer questions which to them must at times seem repetitious and maybe even silly.
Perhaps u were not trying to disagree...but it did read that way.
I read the thread post you spoke of about the t that hammocked just to molt....id say thats an exception and by no means the rule.
I only have 10 avics atm but they all seem to keep a web hide...except the 3 little versicolors i got yesterday and there working on them.
 
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