GBB possibly stuck in Premolt?

ronoverdrive

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 27, 2017
Messages
11
I've had this GBB sling for going on 6 months and it has molted once in my care already, but for the past roughly 2 months its been acting like its in premolt. Its refusing food, a little lethargic, dark exoskeleton, bald spot on the bumb, etc. Right now its abdomen isn't fat fat, but its not small or shriveled. I've been making sure it has plenty of water in its water dish and have even tried lightly spritzing its webbing to see if that will help. Is it unheard of for a GBB to be in premolt this long?
 

Tomoran

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
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239
Had it been eating for you after its last molt? Were you feeding it large meals? A sling given large prey items (or one being fed often) can go into premolt quickly and spend more time in it. In my experience, this species doesn't get super plump before molting, and depending on the size, can go quite a long while without eating before a molt.

Pictures would be awesome. :)
 

JoshDM020

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
356
Like tomoran said, there are a lot of factors that go into that. Some species as a whole can go months in premolt and from there it kinda just varies by individual. Yours is taking a while, but theres undoubtedly another from the same egg sack molting on a much more regular basis
 

ronoverdrive

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 27, 2017
Messages
11
Had it been eating for you after its last molt? Were you feeding it large meals? A sling given large prey items (or one being fed often) can go into premolt quickly and spend more time in it. In my experience, this species doesn't get super plump before molting, and depending on the size, can go quite a long while without eating before a molt.

Pictures would be awesome. :)
Yes it had eaten after its last molt. As for what I was feeding it, small red runners half its size once a week. That in mind it only at like 3 or 4 times before it started refusing meals and I waited about 2 weeks before attempting a feed again and it still rejected food. On the 3rd week it "ate" but it was more like it just dismembered its prey and started refusing meals again. I've tried offering it a wood worm since its something else it has eaten in the past figuring maybe it might it that, but again it just rejects it. Its been a month since its last "meal" and I've figured its most likely in premolt again since its exoskeleton is dark, its slightly lethargic, and it looks like it has a really shiny patch on its abdomen just like the last time it went into premolt. However the last time it was in premolt that lasted a week.

As for pictures I'll get those soon, I've just had a lot of things in my life suddenly happening since I posted this.
 

ronoverdrive

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 27, 2017
Messages
11
Sorry for the really late reply with the photo. For the past few weeks I've been dealing with a possible eviction which turned into me voluntarily looking move out so on and so forth. But here's how s/he looks. More or less s/he hasn't eaten in months, but I've always tried feeding it. I've tried mealworms, waxworms, red runner roaches, etc. Doesn't seem interested in eating and will at most throw a small threat posture at the feeder. Is it normal for a GBB to be in pre-molt this long?
 

Attachments

The Grym Reaper

Arachnoreaper
Joined
Jul 19, 2016
Messages
4,835
Sorry for the really late reply with the photo. For the past few weeks I've been dealing with a possible eviction which turned into me voluntarily looking move out so on and so forth. But here's how s/he looks. More or less s/he hasn't eaten in months, but I've always tried feeding it. I've tried mealworms, waxworms, red runner roaches, etc. Doesn't seem interested in eating and will at most throw a small threat posture at the feeder. Is it normal for a GBB to be in pre-molt this long?
It's very plump so I wouldn't stress out too much, there's no point in trying to feed anymore as it won't eat until it moults now, introducing feeders is just stressing your T. My juvenile GBB is usually only in premoult for about a week or so at a time but I feed her smaller prey items (no bigger than her abdomen) once a week, you may want to try smaller prey items or feed less often to prevent really long premoult fasts.
 

Lunitar

Arachnoslacker
Joined
Jan 24, 2017
Messages
10
I was going to chime in but Grym pretty much covered everything. Follow this advice and all will be well. That is a well fed T, just maintain the water dish and let him do his thing.
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
Stop trying to feed it and dont mist...just keep water in the dish and wait....these long pre molt periods are precisely why many of us have lots of ts.
 
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