getting molt out

rayford

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
18
i have a 5 in Nhandu chromatus and it just molted. problem being i would like to find out the sex but the molt is about 18 in under the dirt. will it bring it out or should i try to get it. if i wait for it to bring it out will i still be able to find out the sex or will the molt be to hardend.
 

Offkillter

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 18, 2010
Messages
149
I usually get to my spiders molts after they are hard all I do is soak them in water for a few minutes and that works well.
 

rayford

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
18
tks

i will leave it then and try to get it out at a latter date. thanks
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Messages
1,661
i have a 5 in Nhandu chromatus and it just molted. problem being i would like to find out the sex but the molt is about 18 in under the dirt. will it bring it out or should i try to get it. if i wait for it to bring it out will i still be able to find out the sex or will the molt be to hardend.

We have a H. sp.Vietnam that has molted in her burrow twice and not brought up the molt either time. Some tarantulas like to keep a clean burrow and some do not. I wouldn't dig out the molt personally, because it will stress out the T for no reason other than being sure of its sex. Perhaps next time it will molt above ground.
 

Londoner

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
846
We have a H. sp.Vietnam that has molted in her burrow twice and not brought up the molt either time. Some tarantulas like to keep a clean burrow and some do not. I wouldn't dig out the molt personally, because it will stress out the T for no reason other than being sure of its sex. Perhaps next time it will molt above ground.
Agreed. I had an E. murinus once that molted three times while I had him, and each time he webbed the exuvium into his burrow walls. I kept him in a tall, narrow container with a piece of black card taped over the side for viewing purposes. His burrow walls certainly looked better than your average plain old dirt versions :D.

rayford: As stated, if the T decides to kick the molt out sometime in the future, you can still make it pliable again with some drops of water. That's assuming the bugger hasn't shredded the molt beyond all recognition like a few of mine have been known to :wall:.
 

Shell

ArachnoVixen AKA Dream Crusher AKA Heartbreaker
Staff member
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
1,659
My H. incei does this also. The first few molts in my care were done where I could get them, now it likes to molt in it's tunnels. It has burrowed against the side of the enclosure, and I can see the old molts, but it has decided to keep them I guess.

2 of my B. vagans though, always bring their molts out when they "are done with them."

Just have to wait and see, but like already said, I wouldn't dig it out if it doesn't bring it out.
 

rayford

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
18
thanks everyone

i guss i am just unlucky and wont find out then. i was hoping to find out it was a female and try to breed it. my best guss is that it's a female but i wanted to know for sure. thanks again everyone
 

webbedone

Arachnobaron
Joined
Aug 27, 2010
Messages
410
Generaly T's are neat freaks they will drag away uneaten food push out excess substrate from their burrow and poo elsewhere in a corner, so it should bring up its molt and thats when you snatch it just give it some time and soak it to get it to soften up
 

Shell

ArachnoVixen AKA Dream Crusher AKA Heartbreaker
Staff member
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
1,659
i guss i am just unlucky and wont find out then. i was hoping to find out it was a female and try to breed it. my best guss is that it's a female but i wanted to know for sure. thanks again everyone
Depending on how long ago it molted, it may just not be ready to give up it's molt yet. Give it some time, hopefully it will not decide to decorate it's home with it. The ones of mine who molt in burrows (aside from the H. incei) usually don't discard them for at least a week, one went almost a month once.
 

WARPIG

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 29, 2007
Messages
821
Forget about going dumpster diving for the molt, it will either leave it under ground, bring it to you in pieces, or if your real lucky, bring up a nice section of molt that you can use to identify the sex.

But its easier on you to get a ventral shot and post that for sex I.D.

PIG-
 
Top