Can t's change their own molt cycle?

[worm's girl]

i still consider myself a noob, so i was wondering if like a t was missing a leg, like my red rump is, can they speed up their own molt cycle to try and grow it back? or is it something that they have no control over? or i guess if i up the temp and feed often will that speed it up? not that I would, i would rather nature take its course, i was just curious if the T would help itself out.

 

[Moltar]

I've read accounts of t's hastening to a molt to repair an injury. I thnk my B smithi is doing that now. She had a bad time w/ getting her foot stuck and falling when i tried to help resulting in a chipped fang. Since then her behavior is somewhat resembling premolt behavior and her skin seems to be darkening a little faster than usual. Needless to say i have changed the top i was using.

NO screen lids people!! I had the resin dipped type lid that some people say are safe but my poor Velma got her foot stuck in the seam at the edge instead of between the wires. They're still dangerous... I now have plexiglass with holes drilled in it that's held on with electrical tape. Very hi tek.

 

[worm's girl]

velma huh? is shaggy there too? j/k

 

[sick4x4]

ummm not that i have witnessed, though if ideal conditions presented themselves and its around the time they needed to molt:? it could possibly happen sooner...when they need to molt they do...as i dont think there is a set schedule if thats what your asking....

 

[worm's girl]

i know they dont have a set schedule, i guess there isnt a real answer to my question... see the t i just got must have lost its leg in the molt process which happened yesterday. now i dont know how often this one is molting as i've only had it one day but if lets say its molting about every three months right now, can it hurry up and molt in 2 months? like can it recognize the need to molt? i guess its a bizarre question, i was just curious

 

[Windchaser]

Yes it is possible. I have had some in the past that have molted much sooner than expected as the result of an injury. I don't think they will always force a molt but it can happen.

 

[Moltar]

Yes like scooby doo but no shaggy at this time

velma huh? is shaggy there too? j/k

I name them all after pop culture figures. I've got Nel Carter, Gonzo, Marcellus Wallace, Boba Fett, Cruella DeVille, Officer Poncherello etc etc etc...

The biggest albopilosum (curly-hair) i've got is Gonzo. Maybe I should change it's name to Shaggy.

 

[Aragorn]

I'm not sure if loosing a leg will speed up the molt, but I don't think so. It takes time for the new leg to develop underneath the old skin, so my guess is it will take the same amount of time.

As for feeding them more. From my personally experience no it will not speed up the molt if the tarantula is mature. I have tried for 2-3 years and they alwasy molt at the same time. But if you feed the spiderlings more, then yes they molt faster, but once they reach a good size they will only molt once a year or once every two year for older tarantulas.

 

[Windchaser]

I'm not sure if loosing a leg will speed up the molt, but I don't think so. It takes time for the new leg to develop underneath the old skin, so my guess is it will take the same amount of time.

THis may be true. All of the cases I have seen of early motls were tarantulas who had lost fangs.