Grammostola alticeps

[Skuikki]

premolt:

postmolt:

 

[Tegenaria]

Wow thats quite a colour change!
Is she much bigger?

 

[Skuikki]

Her legs got a lot thickier but I haven't had the chance to measure the new LS. Old LS was ~10cm. Looks so big now.. I'll see if I can get a male for next summer

 

[Tegenaria]

I read in my spider book that when they molt their legs and cephalothorax get bigger but their abdomen is smaller. Is this because it is unsclerotised and soft and therefore is able to grow unrestricted?

 

[Skuikki]

That's something I don't have the experience to answer :8o

 

[IguanaMama]

Congratulations on the molt, one of my favorite species, I have a few. They look so much better after a molt!

 

[Ando55]

Talk about color change, I'm loving that new velvet like texture the T has after the molt. It sure is a beauty!

 

[Skuikki]

Thanks. She really is beautiful and i only wish that i had a better camera and the spider would "love" more the camera :wall: You can't see the red hairs (under legs) from top so a better pose would be an ideal picture.

 

[Arachnophilist]

when the spider molts it pushes all the fluids from the abdomen into the rest of the body to expand it and release it from the old exuvium. then as the new soft cuticle is hardening the fluid makes all the new parts bigger and leaves it with a teeny bum.untill the have theyre frenzy of course which for me is just as much fun as the molt!

 

[Tegenaria]

so the shrinking bum is a necessary part of molting,cool!

 

[PetteriP]

Her legs got a lot thickier but I haven't had the chance to measure the new LS. Old LS was ~10cm. Looks so big now.. I'll see if I can get a male for next summer

I'll get you one I got this one too

 

[Skuikki]

I'll get you one I got this one too

:clap: great idea!