# Brachypelma premolt - How long?



## Marvin (Jan 12, 2010)

Hi guys. I just wanted to make a quick thread about my Auratum. Its been 3 months now without eating anything! When I bought her I was told that she was in premolt. But I had no clue that she would be in premolt for that long! 3 months.. 

Whats the longest they can be in premolt? Maybe Brachys are slower at this like they are with many other things ? rolleyes

Anything special I should do for her besides misting her enclosure every third day? Any signs I should keep an eye on? Her black colour is turning sorta grayish. She deffinetly looks like a brachy in premolt to me! Her hairless spot on her abdomen is also slowly turning black.

I'm new in the hobby and this is gonna be my first T molting. I really want it to go well. Oh and by the way, does it sound decent to wait 2 weeks with feeding her after she has molted?


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## violentblossom (Jan 12, 2010)

The black means that the molt is pretty eminent.. she could molt tomorrow, but her abdomen being so dark could mean that her molting with come in as distantly as a month (I could be a bit off about this time period, but I don't think so). 

It took my smithi about 2 weeks to molt after her butt turned. 

Brachys may generally be slow growers, but my baby tripled her size in the 5 months that I had her. It was all pretty quick imo, because when people told me that they were incredibly slow growers, I imagined being 80 myself before my girl would mature. 

Besides the misting, there's no much to do.

And time after molting to feed depends on the T's size. How big is your auratum?


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## Marvin (Jan 12, 2010)

Thank you for your reply! I can't wait for it to molt  I don't have its measurements in inches. In centimeters its 16 in LS.


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## gvfarns (Jan 12, 2010)

Just so you know, it's very common for people to think tarantulas are in premolt when a molt is not anywhere on the horizon.  The person who sold you this tarantula may have made a mistake.

I recall when I got my first T I always though the abdomen had turned color, but it hadn't really.  It was months before it really did and then just a week or two until the actual molt.   Nowadays none of my T's have bald spots so I never know when they are going to molt. 

So to me not eating is just not eating.  If a tarantula doesn't want to eat it could mean it's full or it could mean it's in premolt.  Either way there's no special care required (except to remove uneaten prey items) and no particular reason to think anything will happen within the next few months.  At that age, it could molt once a year or less often.

You mention the abdomen turning dark.  I only really notice this if there is a big, noticeable bald spot.  If there is and if it really does turn colors, get excited because a molt is right around the corner.  A few hours before they molt they put down a bunch of web, typically from the ground up to the walls of their enclosure.  When that happens it's time to get out the time-lapse camera.


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## barabootom (Jan 12, 2010)

I have an 8 in L parahybana that didn't eat anything for three months prior to her molt and about 6 weeks after.  Now she's finally eating like a pig again and getting fat.  For awhile I thought she was at the end of her lifespan she was getting so thin.  I have several smithi that go months without eating once they get fat.  Unless your T is looking very thin I wouldn't worry too much.  Can you post a pic?


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## Marvin (Jan 13, 2010)

Easyer to just post this. Its my picture thread. Second post is where you find my Auratum, and its a new picture!

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=171322&highlight=Marvins+collection


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## rustym3talh3ad (Jan 13, 2010)

My B. vagans, has a small bald spot on its butt which has been black for over 2 months now...ive been watching it to see when the little bugger is gonna molt and ive gotten nothing but disappointment. its not eating and its FOR SURE been premolt for almost 10 weeks now.


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## Lumberguy (Jan 13, 2010)

I've got a B. emilia that hasn't eaten for probably 5-6 weeks, and has a small bald patch but the patch is still peachy colored. Seems to be taking forever, especially since it is only about a 1.5" or smaller sling. I'm hoping that maybe that's a sign that it's a female, along with seeing much more lip-like epigastric furrow than I see on my male B. albopilosum or my girlfriend's B. smithi.


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