First post and a newbie question..

[Shell]

okay! thanks again!

You're welcome Enjoy, and welcome to the boards.

 

[ZergFront]

Welcome to the wonderful world of spiders!

I'm in agreement with what Shell says (then again, experience-wise I'm like the pup and she's the alpha. LMFAO!) and I'll just add he/she may also plug up the burrow for some peace and quiet for the molt as well.

 

[Newflvr]

OP~ Are you saying that its abdomen has looked like that since the molt??

If thats the case, IMO it kind of looks like it could have been the result of a wet molt...but Im no expert. Compared to some of the pictures Ive seen, the threads Ive read and some of the researching Ive done myself, I think it kind of looks similar. Other than that, he is a portly little guy :}

If your not a "expert" and you do not have first hand experience with it,please refrain from scaring the heck out of this person. My question is what in this post points to ( wet molt).

 

[GForce14063]

For a general point of reference, keep the abdomen at least as wide, or a little wider than the carapace. If the abdomen is wider, you needn't worry about
feeding at all.

I don't feed every day, or every week as a matter or course. I feed according
to abdomen size. Based on this I may skip feeding an animal for many weeks, often until after the next molt.

This is a good rule of thumb espcially about skipping a feed if the abdomen is large. Some spider have slow metabolism B. smithi being one of them.
The little guys abdomen looks like it's darkening usually meaning a oncoming shed so you really don't want any crickets in the cage during shedding. So IMO I would wait for a shed before feeding again just make sure there is plenty of fresh water to drink as needed.

 

[JimM]

Also Luke, as an addendum, often a tarantula will eat all that it can (or should) within as little as one, but often 2-3 feedings post molt. Meaning that within the space of a day or two that tarantula can be done eating until after it's next molt. It depends on how much you feed at one time, species, etc, but I find this often to be the case with growing T's.

 

[Scoolman]

Your smithii is definitely in heavy premolt. As for the size of the abdomen, it is normal for it to swell prior to a molt. A well fed T can take on on obese appearance prior to a molt due to the new inner exo expanding and "stretching" the old outer exo. You have a very healthy and well fed T who is prepared to molt.
As was mentioned earlier, it may still be a few weeks off, and your T may seal itself off from the world for awhile. Keep humidity up and fresh water available. After the molt give it about 5 days before trying to feed again.
As for feeding until it "pops", that will not happen. An obese T is in danger of a rupture should it fall from a height, but it will not eat itself to death.
Your T looks well cared for, keep up the good work, and good luck with the impending molt.

 

[Motorkar]

Damn that B. smithi is fat! And yes it will soon to molt. Don't worry, I belive its going to be allright, don't be that stressed.

If spider is that fat it is a bit dangerous to rapture its abdomen if it clibs and falls, but it can't rapture it on its own. One more thing: if its overfed and the temperature is a bit higher, it will molt faster, grow faster. And spider gets a bit bulkier body build afterwards. But some say that their lifespan is shortened becouse of that( with B. smithi isn't that of a problem, females have 20-30 years.:razz:

 

[winwin]

That looks to be in premolt, stop feeding until it molts.