Another bad molt

[abysswatcher97]

2 months ago I made a post that I lost a gbb to a bad molt and now Its happening again for a different reason. This individuel here is bleeding and I have no idea why. In the morning I discovered it on it's back ready to molt and around 3:00 it finished. Hours later I check on it again and it was still on it's back which was a little suspicious because they usually flip over after sometime but thought nothing of it. Now it is night and it was still on its back so I am a little concerned and I open the container and I quickly noticed it was bleeding so I flip it over and see all this blood all over it and I have no idea what to do. One leg is stuck in the molt and the area around the leg is bleeding. I poked the spider with some tweezers and it is not moving and I think it is dead. At this point I don't know if I am having bad luck keeping tarantulas or I am doing something wrong with the husbandry I have done all my research on them.

 

[abysswatcher97]

Here is my normal set up am I doing anything wrong?

 

[vicareux]

How hot do you keep the room theyre in?
The only time i had a bad molt (recently) was due to the high temp (up to 90F) in my room. The moist layer inbetween the old exo and the new exo that lets them slip out evaporates way quicker in hot temps (as does all water) and this can be impactful with bigger specimen that take a bit longer to molt.
So i'm beginning to practice lowering the temps of my room if the molting T doesnt have a burrow to molt in,as they are evolved to molt in their cold,moist burrows and retreats.

 

[abysswatcher97]

How hot do you keep the room theyre in?
The only time i had a bad molt (recently) was due to the high temp (up to 90F) in my room. The moist layer inbetween the old exo and the new exo that lets them slip out evaporates way quicker in hot temps (as does all water) and this can be impactful with bigger specimen that take a bit longer to molt.
So i'm beginning to practice lowering the temps of my room if the molting T doesnt have a burrow to molt in,as they are evolved to molt in their cold,moist burrows and retreats.

The temperature in my room where I keep them is 70F at the lowest and 76F at the highest

 

[vicareux]

The temperature in my room where I keep them is 70F at the lowest and 76F at the highest

I see. Sounds pretty normal.
I've never kept a GBB personally,but from what i know about their husbandry,your setup is good. (Dry sub,web anchors,water dish..) Mightve been just a streak of bad luck
Sorry for your loss

 

[Poonjab]

Bad luck. Nothing you did.

 

[viper69]

Bad luck

How hot do you keep the room theyre in?
The only time i had a bad molt (recently) was due to the high temp (up to 90F) in my room. The moist layer inbetween the old exo and the new exo that lets them slip out evaporates way quicker in hot temps (as does all water) and this can be impactful with bigger specimen that take a bit longer to molt.
So i'm beginning to practice lowering the temps of my room if the molting T doesnt have a burrow to molt in,as they are evolved to molt in their cold,moist burrows and retreats.

Except in the wild it’s warm where they live…

 

[vicareux]

Except in the wild it’s warm where they live…

True,but don't most of these T's from hotter areas live and molt in burrows/shelters where its cooler?
I haven't researched C.cyaneopubescens much since they are not avaliable here,so i dont know how they live in the wild to be honest.

 

[Kibosh]

Sounds like bad luck, but also how much activity is going on around the enclosure at the time of the moult? If you meddle too much or make too many vibrations around the enclosure at the time of moult it can disturb the T and cause it try and flee or abort the moult causing complications.

 

[abysswatcher97]

Sounds like bad luck, but also how much activity is going on around the enclosure at the time of the moult? If you meddle too much or make too many vibrations around the enclosure at the time of moult it can disturb the T and cause it try and flee or abort the moult causing complications.

None I keep my room very quiet.

I'm glad to hear it's just bad luck however I have 2 t's in premolt right now and can't help but feel a little scared. Time will tell I guess.

 

[Dorifto]

This one looks pretty strange, looks like it has a wound in the abdomen. But two in a row it's strange too.

What about your climate? Or house values?

Wich species are the other two?

Sorry about asking so much questions, but trying to discard any other issues.

 

[abysswatcher97]

This one looks pretty strange, looks like it has a wound in the abdomen. But two in a row it's strange too.

What about your climate? Or house values?

Wich species are the other two?

Sorry about asking so much questions, but trying to discard any other issues.

I live in texas. I'm not too sure what you mean by 'house values' and they're all green bottle blues.

 

[Kibosh]

I live in texas. I'm not too sure what you mean by 'house values' and they're all green bottle blues.

Are your T's religious? Are they possibly using drugs? Lol I'm kidding of course, but I also wondered what they ment by "house values".

 

[Neonblizzard]

Are your T's religious? Are they possibly using drugs? Lol I'm kidding of course, but I also wondered what they ment by "house values".

Do you have a moment to talk about our molt and saviour, RH values?

 

[Dorifto]

If you live in a dry house, using AC etc. Something that could make molting process harder.

Even if they come from a xeric environment, with low anual precipitations, the average humidity is pretty high, around 75% compared to the anual precipitations, as their habitat is surrounded by water, remember that they live in a peninsula.

So it's not the same to keep them bone dry (substrate) in a dry environment, like dry climates or using ACs etc, or to keep them bone dry in a humid environment.

They don't live in a dry environment, they live in dry soil (xeric), the environment is pretty humid indeed.

So people that live in dry environments should keep an eye on this, giving a bit of moisture to the substrate, not keeping them moist...

 

[abysswatcher97]

If you live in a dry house, using AC etc. Something that could make molting process harder.

Even if they come from a xeric environment, with low anual precipitations, the average humidity is pretty high, around 75% compared to the anual precipitations, as their habitat is surrounded by water, remember that they live in a peninsula.

So it's not the same to keep them bone dry (substrate) in a dry environment, like dry climates or using ACs etc, or to keep them bone dry in a humid environment.

They don't live in a dry environment, they live in dry soil (xeric), the environment is pretty humid indeed.

So people that live in dry environments should keep an eye on this, giving a bit of moisture to the substrate, not keeping them moist...

I do have an air conditioner in my room but it has been off for a couple of days and I have been using my heater on low. I will start dampening the subsrate when they are in premolt for now on but it does not make sence as they have been living like this for 2 years with no problem.

 

[Dorifto]

I will start dampening the subsrate when they are in premolt for now on but it does not make sence as they have been living like this for 2 years with no problem.

If your house is dry, or your climate is dry and you heat that air (makes it even drier) this air will absorb their moisture way faster than in their habitat, so they have less time to molt, as their internal moisture evaporates way faster, ence stuck in molt and dehydration issues.

The subtrate only needs a bit of moisture to counteract any dryness, partially moistening or overfilling the water dish should provide enough humidity to prevent this issues. You don´t need to damp all the substrate.

But to be honest, this last one doesn´t seems related to humidity issues, or at least not to known one. Maybe the abdomen skin got stuck and she moved and make that wound? but this only a conjecture.



Chect the next thread, @l4nsky explained pretty well how humidity affects our Ts.

The Paradoxical Importance of Humidity

Disclaimer: If you're a beginning tarantula hobbyist or an intermediate hobbyist starting with moisture dependent species, looking for specific care information, the theories in this thread aren’t for you. The maxim of "ignore humidity percentages, maintain proper soil moisture and ventilation...

arachnoboards.com

 

[Tarantuland]

Your enclosure looks fine, I doubt it’s anything you did. Sorry for your loss

 

[winter]

The moist layer inbetween the old exo and the new exo that lets them slip out evaporates way quicker in hot temps (as does all water) and this can be impactful with bigger specimen that take a bit longer to molt.
So i'm beginning to practice lowering the temps of my room if the molting T doesnt have a burrow to molt in,as they are evolved to molt in their cold,moist burrows and retreats.

That is a good thought/theory and might explain why some of the larger species are more moisture dependent. I wonder if there's research to support or refute this?

 

[Dorifto]

That is a good thought/theory and might explain why some of the larger species are more moisture dependent. I wonder if there's research to support or refute this?

I'm more towards that they are larger species because of the food availability and the better conditions to molt. Humidity retards the evaporation of the internal fluids, so it helps in the molting process. Larger species live in humid environments where those conditions are more available than in other places, and also they grow faster too, thanks to this favorable conditions. On the other hand you can find the "arid" species, the slow growers.