Species Aphonopelma seemanni

[Pokie1]

This is my first T, and it has turned out to be a very nice tempered one. Though quick as lightening to run away if spooked, I have never seen em kick hairs or do a threat display. Lately Spot has been very tolerant of my hands in the enclosure. At first Spot went into hiding when I opened the enclosure, but now Spot rarely moves on my account. In fact, I handled em briefly last night, and I gotta tell ya, it was thrilling. I was raised in a house of arachnophobics, so this was a big step for me. I think I am getting addicted. I guess there are worse addictions.

Pokie1

 

[MilkmanWes]

My first A. seemanni was named Spot too. A nice plump tan phase one that I eventually parted with in a trade.

 

[Pokie1]

Spot

No kidding. That is cool. Great minds think alike.

 

[Mox]

Hi everyone. I just found this board today and hope that this is posted in the correct area. It contains photos and a video so I wasn't sure where to post. AMAZING board BTW.

I just have one tarantula (Costa Rican Zebra-Aphonopelma seemanni) named Bob. I've had her for about 8 years now and she's always done well.

She molted on Tuesday and I just managed to catch her doing it. I handy camed the first hour and a half of it, but ran out of tape. Bob was pretty much done the molt by the end and shortly after this clip flipped over and climbed inside her den where she stayed untill today.

Here's the video. I shrunk/recompressed it and sped it up to 64 times. It's a windows media file, about 5.3 MBs, and a minute and a half long.

EDIT Nov 8th, 2004: Video offline now as it was on personal webspace

At about the 31 second mark you can just start to see Bob pull her fangs out. The one on the left comes out fine, but the right one comes out all blobby. Doesn't look good at all. I haven't been able to get a clear look at it yet, but she finally came out of her den today. I've included a higher res still to illustrate what I'm talking about, also a pic of her 3 months before the molt, one of her this morning, and one of her molted skin.

EDIT Nov 8th, 2004: Pics offline now as it was on personal webspace

Is the fang going to be an issue? I've never seen this happen. Will she regrow a new one next molt? Is my baby gonna be OK? Please advise and thank-you very much.

BTW, she feeds on crickets about once a week and I mist her several times a week. She has lights on in her home on a timer for 12 hours a day. Always been farely active, great feeder and all other molts were fine. Has water bowl behind ground leaf.

 

[tkn0spdr]

Way too many crickets in her cage, especially during a molt. Looks like you've had them in there so long that there have been eggs that have hatched out.
Oh yeah, and nice video.

 

[Mox]

I'm pretty sure there was just the one cricket in there (adult) when she molted.

I did see one of the crickets sticking his little tube thingy on his butt in the substrate a couple feeds ago, right after I put them in. It must have laid eggs. Never really noticed the babies till I shot the video and sped it up to 64 speed as they move very slow usually. Buggers!!

I'll make sure there are no crickets in her home next time she's close to a molt. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Pheonixx]

that6s a cool video, if i did not know it was a molt i would be a little bit worried about whats wrong LOL . thanks for sharing

 

[Bean]

Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed the video. It's always nice to see an enclosure done aesthetically.

Is the fang going to be an issue? I've never seen this happen. Will she regrow a new one next molt? Is my baby gonna be OK?

Use the search function to read about other's experience and treatments.

I mist her several times a week

If you are directly misting the tarantula, stop. You'll find that much of the information you read on tarantula care is conflicting or just plain wrong. A clean water dish, (which it looks like you have) should cover all your spiders hydration needs.

Even misting of the enclosure or substrate is not advised. (as a general rule) It can lead to problems with parasites and molds.

 

[Mox]

Bean,

Wow do I feel silly here. I just did a search for fang + molt and found some excellent information and help here. Funny, I spent awhile googling this and didn't find much, never ever occured to search here. DOH! Brain fart.

I don't usually mist her directly but instead the enclosure and ground. I'll lay off it and stick to just the water bowl. Thank-you!

 

[Bean]

I just did a search for fang + molt and found some excellent information and help here.

I'm glad to hear you found helpful info. I would have replied on the fang matter based on my own experience, but have not had a tarantula in my care with this issue.

Oh and...

Welcome to the boards!

 

[edesign]

nice video and pics

i also have only one T, an A. seemani (haven't named her yet and i've had her since late April) and it's been acting differently lately, I'm guessing she's about to molt but i'm not sure. She has not come out of her hide in about 4-5 days, didn't even move for 2 of those days. She has webbed over most of the opening to the hide as well. Also, her abdomen has turned a lighter color...kind of a light grayish tan. I haven't tried to feed her since she's webbed herself away, might get a large cricket or two when i go to buy some for my scorps and see if she eats it. I know that tarantulas stop eating a while before they molt (a month or so depending on species) and will hole up in their hide...but since this is my first and only T i've never had the opportunity to experience the molting process. Does this sound like she's going to molt? She doesn't appear sick, abdomen is plenty plump. I started to "starve" her for a few weeks at a time she was getting so fat lol, just kept water in her water dish.

just a lil concerned about my T...guess I should consult my "tarantula keeper's guide book" i bought lol. again...excellent pics and great video!

 

[Mox]

Thanks guys!

Sounds like a molt coming to me edesign! I remember the first time I saw my rose Cleopatra molt, it was amazing!!! You're gonna think it's hella-kewl. Whata thing!

I mistakenly named the zebra Bob after my furry bearded monster of a bos at work years ago... Now I just say it's short for Roberta! At least yours is sexed so you can pick a name!

 

[chris73]

I got this 7 legged fellow a few weeks ago labeled A. seemanni. I thought seemanni were black with pronounced "knee" stripes?! My local T expert, affectionately dubbed "spider man" by my wife said it is in fact A. seemanni and the peach colored spinerettes are a dead give-away of the species. What do you all think? At any rate, it is a bit aggressive, but all in all a great animal. I gave it 6" of dampened coconut fiber and it never tries to web or burrow. It is in my reptile room which is 80 degrees f in the daytime with a night drop of 7 degrees. Eats like a hog!

 

[Ishkabibble]

I'm still relatively new to IDing T's, but it looks more like an A. Anax(Texas Tan), or a New Mexico Blonde to me. Of course, my A** could just be suckin' wind on this matter. How big is this T?

 

[becca81]

From my understanding, A. seemani usually turn brown before a molt. I've heard it described as "browning out."

Do you have a molt history? Any chance of getting the scientific (Latin) name from the seller?

Although I know it's not possible to ID a spider by a picture, the carapace looks just like my A. seemani.

 

[chris73]

From my understanding, A. seemani usually turn brown before a molt. I've heard it described as "browning out."

Do you have a molt history? Any chance of getting the scientific (Latin) name from the seller?

Although I know it's not possible to ID a spider by a picture, the carapace looks just like my A. seemani.

This animal JUST molted! These are it's fresh colors. As far as the name, I thought A. seemanni WAS it's latin name. Now I'm confused.

 

[becca81]

This animal JUST molted! These are it's fresh colors. As far as the name, I thought A. seemanni WAS it's latin name. Now I'm confused.

I'm sorry, stupid me. I somehow didn't notice that you put A. seemani in the thread. :8o

Hmmm, I've never seen an A. seemani that was always brown instead of black/blue.

 

[chris73]

I'm sorry, stupid me. I somehow didn't notice that you put A. seemani in the thread. :8o

Hmmm, I've never seen an A. seemani that was always brown instead of black/blue.

I was hoping you were mistaken about the name! Otherwise I was TOTALLY misinformed! LOL! I agree with you about the color, though. I do think it's an attractive T anyhow.

 

[becca81]

It does look like some type of Aphonopelma sp., however. I wonder what other Ts have orange/peach spinnerets?

 

[druid8783]

Out of curiosity I went and looked at my A. seemanni. She has peachy colored spinnerets also (not nearly as bright as yours). Mine is dark almost black with the white striping.

Maybe you just have a brown A. seemanni LOL There are color morphs of different species. Perhaps you stumbled upon one?