Grammastola pulchra molting

[Bry]

A lot of people have posted their concerns about their Ts being in molt, so I didn't want to say anything. She barricaded herself in her hide almost 2 weeks ago, and just this morning around 3 am, I was feeding the curlyhair, when I decided to take a peek in the little gap near the top of the G. pulchra's flowerpot that's been webbed over. She was laying on her back, and it took longer than I thought it would, so I started to worry. Well, it's 7:30 am, and I just happened to notice a little movement in there. So, I feel a bit better now. Should I wait at least a week before feeding her again, or wait until I physically see her out of her hide if it takes more than a week before she emerges?

Bry

 

[jwb121377]

I would wait a week and check on her, then after checking on her feed her. She may come out on her own after the molt is over.

 

[vulpina]

She will come out after she has hardened up from the molt and is ready to feed. My G. pulchra just molted too along with my B. emelia.

Andy

 

[rapunzel]

What happens with my g. pulchra is

she webs herself in her hide, molts, then spends the entire day in the hide..she then comes out and spends the next three days laying flat, stretched out..stretching out her legs I guess..and she hardly moves at all. Then she usually goes back into her hide for the next few days. When she is out and moving around, it is after she has hardened up. I add a couple days for good measure, then I offer her a cricket. If she runs the other way, I remove the cricket and wait a day, then try again. If not, she snags it up and then I put in another cricket...
Congrats on the molt!

 

[Bry]

Okay, thanks. I'll just wait until I see her come out of the hide before I try feeding again. At 2", is that too small to tell its sex from looking at the exuvium?

Bry

 

[Professor T]

Originally posted by Bry
A lot of people have posted their concerns about their Ts being in molt, so I didn't want to say anything. She barricaded herself in her hide almost 2 weeks ago, and just this morning around 3 am, I was feeding the curlyhair, when I decided to take a peek in the little gap near the top of the G. pulchra's flowerpot that's been webbed over. She was laying on her back, and it took longer than I thought it would, so I started to worry. Well, it's 7:30 am, and I just happened to notice a little movement in there. So, I feel a bit better now. Should I wait at least a week before feeding her again, or wait until I physically see her out of her hide if it takes more than a week before she emerges?

Bry

Bry,

My G. pulchra shed a few weeks ago and she ate the next day. My B. smithi shed right after that and didn't eat for about a week. I think the answer will vary, however when they do start eating...they are ravenous!

 

[RugbyDave]

Well its not only when they are hungry, you have to make sure their fangs are all nice and hard! Otherwise you could risk damaging them, possibly putting your T out of commision!

Wait untill the chelicerae are all ready to go (nice deep black).

Although, slings usually take less time during the "hardening up phase" than adults, so just keep an eye on the pointy things and thats the best way to determine whether to feed the T yet

peace
dave