B. Emilia Sling Molting Soon

[SugrSean]

Hello, I love the site! It's nice to have so many knowledgable people in one place. I'm an animal junkie (5 tortoises, a parrot, and 2 dogs) who does everything possible to ensure they've great lives. I owned a male g. rosea when I was much younger, and had him for about 4 years. I bought him full-grown, so I'm assuming he died of age.

Recently, I decided to get another T, but wanted one that looked a little more exotic looking than the rose-hair, but still fairly docile, so I bought a b. emilia sling about 2 and a half months ago. I went with the advice of many on this board and didn't use a water dish, but instead, misted half the cage every other day. I saw it drink from the drops on the side of the keeper once, so I assumed it was working like it was supposed to. However, I had it in a medium-sized critter keeper, with the vented top, and my guess is that the humidity was too low. Anyway, I woke up one morning and it had molted, but never made it off its back. When I found it, it was still on its back right next to the molt, with it's legs curled around itself, dead :wall:

All the animals in my home mean everything to me...so I was crushed. Anyway, after another month of research, I decided to try again. This time, I'm keeping my sling in a 4-inch wide deli cup, rather than the critter keeper. I poked 12 holes in the lid with the heated end of a small paper clip. I can't fit my humidity guage in there, but from my experience with reptiles, I'd guess from the condensation on the lid that it's at about 70-80% right now. I've also added a small chapstick lid as a water dish.

It's been burrowing a lot, refusing food for just over a week, and its abdomen has darkened significantly. So, I think it's about to molt. I'll die if I lose another, so that's why I'm posting. Is there any advice anybody can offer to help make this one successful?

I'll be back to check often, and I'll definitely let everybody know how it goes.

Thanks!

 

[P. Novak]

Hello, I love the site! It's nice to have so many knowledgable people in one place. I'm an animal junkie (5 tortoises, a parrot, and 2 dogs) who does everything possible to ensure they've great lives. I owned a male g. rosea when I was much younger, and had him for about 4 years. I bought him full-grown, so I'm assuming he died of age.

Recently, I decided to get another T, but wanted one that looked a little more exotic looking than the rose-hair, but still fairly docile, so I bought a b. emilia sling about 2 and a half months ago. I went with the advice of many on this board and didn't use a water dish, but instead, misted half the cage every other day. I saw it drink from the drops on the side of the keeper once, so I assumed it was working like it was supposed to. However, I had it in a medium-sized critter keeper, with the vented top, and my guess is that the humidity was too low. Anyway, I woke up one morning and it had molted, but never made it off its back. When I found it, it was still on its back right next to the molt, with it's legs curled around itself, dead :wall:

All the animals in my home mean everything to me...so I was crushed. Anyway, after another month of research, I decided to try again. This time, I'm keeping my sling in a 4-inch wide deli cup, rather than the critter keeper. I poked 12 holes in the lid with the heated end of a small paper clip. I can't fit my humidity guage in there, but from my experience with reptiles, I'd guess from the condensation on the lid that it's at about 70-80% right now. I've also added a small chapstick lid as a water dish.

It's been burrowing a lot, refusing food for just over a week, and its abdomen has darkened significantly. So, I think it's about to molt. I'll die if I lose another, so that's why I'm posting. Is there any advice anybody can offer to help make this one successful?

I'll be back to check often, and I'll definitely let everybody know how it goes.

Thanks!

Hey, welcome. First, I'm glad you care abour animals alot! We can never have too many people like that. About the sling that passed, are you sure it was dead or did you assume it was dead, because after molts they lay on their backs folding them in like an opposite death curl. If you got another Brachypelma emilia sling, here is a word of advice, they don't like it humid. Keep it dry. Mist it every other day to every 2 days. Once the T has begun molting leave it alone.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Sometimes they just die, actually, whether from a "typo" in their genetics or whatever else.

If you're keeping condensation on the lid and misting all the time, with only a few paper clip holes for ventilation, you need to stop. You're going to have the mother of all mold outbreaks and that WILL kill your spider. I only ever watered my slings once, sometimes twice a week, and they both grew up fine.

External humidity does not affect molting anyway, unlike reptiles who shed their skin. It's internal hydration that counts.

 

[SugrSean]

Hey, welcome. First, I'm glad you care abour animals alot! We can never have too many people like that. About the sling that passed, are you sure it was dead or did you assume it was dead, because after molts they lay on their backs folding them in like an opposite death curl. If you got another Brachypelma emilia sling, here is a word of advice, they don't like it humid. Keep it dry. Mist it every other day to every 2 days. Once the T has begun molting leave it alone.

WOW! Thanks for the quick response!

I considered that, so I waited 2 days before going in and blowing on it to see if it was dead. It still gave no response, so I touched it lightly with a straw, and still no response. Afterward, I kind of felt like a creep for keeping a dead T around for 2 days, but I did want to be certain.

Oh, and the misting was in the larger, vented keeper. I've only misted once (the day I put it in) since I've had it in the deli cup, but there is still condensation on the lid. Should I poke more holes?

 

[P. Novak]

WOW! Thanks for the quick response!

I considered that, so I waited 2 days before going in and blowing on it to see if it was dead. It still gave no response, so I touched it lightly with a straw, and still no response. Afterward, I kind of felt like a creep for keeping a dead T around for 2 days, but I did want to be certain.

Oh, and the misting was in the larger, vented keeper. I've only misted once (the day I put it in) since I've had it in the deli cup, but there is still condensation on the lid. Should I poke more holes?

No problem! It's good that you waited just to be sure. Some people would have touched it or thrown it away. It is always best just to leave it alone for a couple of days to be sure. It probably died because it could ust have meant to not survive. It happens especially with slings. Just let the container dry out and you'll be fine. You should mist is just enough so that it would dry out within 12 hours.

 

[SugrSean]

External humidity does not affect molting anyway, unlike reptiles who shed their skin. It's internal hydration that counts.

Thanks, I've had many snakes and for some reason thought the same humidity principles applied to T molts. I appreciate that!

No problem! It's good that you waited just to be sure. Some people would have touched it or thrown it away. It is always best just to leave it alone for a couple of days to be sure. It probably died because it could ust have meant to not survive. It happens especially with slings. Just let the container dry out and you'll be fine. You should mist is just enough so that it would dry out within 12 hours.

Thanks for all your help, that 12 hour rule is a good one because it gives me something to measure with. Gracias!

I'll let everybody know how it goes. It hasn't molted yet, but I'm very anxious and nervous. *Crossing my fingers*

 

[Talkenlate04]

Hey, welcome. First, I'm glad you care abour animals alot! We can never have too many people like that. About the sling that passed, are you sure it was dead or did you assume it was dead, because after molts they lay on their backs folding them in like an opposite death curl. If you got another Brachypelma emilia sling, here is a word of advice, they don't like it humid. Keep it dry. Mist it every other day to every 2 days. Once the T has begun molting leave it alone.

How can you keep them dry and mist them every other day.....
Keep them moist till they are about 1.5-2" when they start getting a bit bigger you will be able to tell when they dont want it moist anymore they will start to scale the container and avoid the ground. At about that point you can start keeping them like every brachypelma which is dry with a water dish.

 

[P. Novak]

How can you keep them dry and mist them every other day.....
Keep them moist till they are about 1.5-2" when they start getting a bit bigger you will be able to tell when they dont want it moist anymore they will start to scale the container and avoid the ground. At about that point you can start keeping them like every brachypelma which is dry with a water dish.

Haha I should of clarified more, Mist it till it dries out, the mist again. Yeah, that's what I meant. Sorry for any confusion.