Grammostola pulchra? Strange Premolt Activity

GPulchra

Arachnoknight
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Jul 21, 2010
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279
This is a whole new pack of questions with a whole new story. Nobody responded to my other thread after a couple of posts too, so...
Earlier today, I had noticed a darker part on my T's upper opisthosoma as well as a few other symptoms. Arachnoboards helped me lead to the conclusion that, from some other insignificant symptoms which altogether provided a significant answer, my T was [probably] in Premolt. I observed his/her overall activity. Some strange occurences that I found were these-
7:05~ Damien was flipped over. I am unsure if this was a death curl, but he/she abruptly flipped back for no apparent reason before I had time to analyze it. His/her prosoma was partially hanging over a burrow.
9:00-9:45~ Damien burrowed for a long time. I had taken a video and seen no progress. He/she has burrows all along the rim. One contains a regurgitated cricket carcass, or so I believe. I forgot the alternative way to describe it.
9:45~ Damien has been hanging on the wall. One time, he made a threat posture. I have recorded evidence of it, but it does not seem to be significant to the current situation.*
10:30[ish]~ Damien walked around the substrate and returned to his original spot.
*=the current "situation" refers to this thread and the abnormal activity of my Grammastola Pulchra sling as a whole.
~=while this icon separates the time from the definition, I would also like to mention that the above times are in PM and go by PST (as of posting, right now is 1:05).

Some information that you may find useful in finding out what is happening with my Pulchra is that he/she is a sling about 1.50"+. The substrate is coconut fiber, Eco-Earth brand. I got this sling on the 6th from a very reliable source. It flipped over on July 30th and was shipped August 4th. I have been feeding my G. Pulchra sling, "Damien", a 1"- cricket every 2 days. One of them was not eaten until the next day, so 3 days once.

The two most basic questions from this topic/thread that I would like answered are-
Is this normal?
Is my sling in Premolt?

In any case, it would be very kind if you could possibly provide some information (please, no pure-link responses) about why these incidents happened and why they relate to the condition of my spiderling so that I could be more knowledgable about tarantulas and be able to read my G. Pulchra better. Unlike my other Ts, I have not stressed my sling out or vice-versa with the exception of my worry expressed in this post as well as a couple others that belong to topics/threads I have made.
Please reply as soo-
1:00am~ Damien took a drink of water.
-n as possible. I really just want to know more about these marvelous creatures rather than find out if my sling is "dying" or not (I'm not a complete n00b). Thanks in advance.

P.S.
I know I have a long post to some, but people who are not willing to type a meaningful, contributing response and/or did not read this complete topic, please do not post. It's not that I don't value a response, it's just that I don't want to be bombarded by flaming or spam responses. Yes, this thread has a few flaws. If, as a side note, you point out these flaws please try to be nice about it at the least. I have taken the time to type this because I want to learn more about Ts (as well as find out a tad more about what my sling is doing, but that isn't the main reason). Hopefully you will understand.
-B'Snow
 
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curiousme

Arachnoprince
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Dec 11, 2008
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The two most basic questions from this topic/thread that I would like answered are-
Is this normal?
Is my sling in Premolt?
I have limited time, but wanted to at least answer the important ones now. If the sling acted normal after it flipped back over, I wouldn't be worried.

As far as being in premolt, here is a list I typed up of ways that you might be able to tell premolt. If it has several of those signs, then yes it is most likely in premolt. I would wait to feed it a week or so, if it hasn't molted try feeding again with care and judge its response. If it doesn't seem even remotely interested, take it right back out. If it eats it ravenously, then you probably don't have a premolt T.
 

Crysta

Arachnoprince
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Feb 18, 2005
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1,475
Thats a lot to feed a lil t'.
Put it in a dark closet, it seems you keep an eye on it too much, it might be seeing your shadow, and feeling your vibrations of you walking by, which is making it uncomfertable with molting.
 

GPulchra

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
279
Ok, he/she is put away. But Damien didn't molt for the whole night. Something can't be right about this.
 
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curiousme

Arachnoprince
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Ok, he/she is put away. But Damien didn't molt for the whole night. Something can't be right about this.
Honestly, I think you have a case of new mommy/ daddy syndrome. If it is in the dark and it is humid in the enclosure, it will molt when it is ready. You have to just trust that the tarantula knows what it is doing. It is not a simple thing to do, so I know it is one of those easier said than done. However, you will drive yourself nuts:} if you try and decipher every move your tarantula makes. You won't understand it for the most part, because it is the tarantula, not you. Also, at that size, even if it was in distress, you would probably do more harm than good by trying to help. You can make sure it has the best environment you can, but that's about it. I have seen nothing in all of the things you outlined that was worrisome, odd yes, but that's tarantulas!:D
 

GPulchra

Arachnoknight
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Honestly, I think you have a case of new mommy/ daddy syndrome. If it is in the dark and it is humid in the enclosure, it will molt when it is ready. You have to just trust that the tarantula knows what it is doing. It is not a simple thing to do, so I know it is one of those easier said than done. However, you will drive yourself nuts:} if you try and decipher every move your tarantula makes. You won't understand it for the most part, because it is the tarantula, not you. Also, at that size, even if it was in distress, you would probably do more harm than good by trying to help. You can make sure it has the best environment you can, but that's about it. I have seen nothing in all of the things you outlined that was worrisome, odd yes, but that's tarantulas!:D
Ok, I'll leave him alone. I won't even look at him. Er...ugh...*blindfolds self*
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
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Ok, I'll leave him alone. I won't even look at him. Er...ugh...*blindfolds self*
You can still check on him occasionally, but not every hour and maybe not even more than once a day. Just watch its reaction and if it appears bothered by it, then stick to a smaller number.

Our first winter, we had several of our slings burrow down and I was a worry wart about them. I worried about whether I needed to dig them up, because I couldn't see them to make sure they were okay. A few months later all reemerged, beautifully molted and 100% okay. Patience in the tarantula hobby is a virtue. ;)
 

GPulchra

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
279
You can still check on him occasionally, but not every hour and maybe not even more than once a day. Just watch its reaction and if it appears bothered by it, then stick to a smaller number.

Our first winter, we had several of our slings burrow down and I was a worry wart about them. I worried about whether I needed to dig them up, because I couldn't see them to make sure they were okay. A few months later all reemerged, beautifully molted and 100% okay. Patience in the tarantula hobby is a virtue. ;)
I guess. I'll just leave him for a bit. I'm not usually patient...
 

Chris_Skeleton

Arachnoprince
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Just let it do its thing, you might be new to this, but the spider is not.

P.S.
I know I have a long post to some, but people who are not willing to type a meaningful, contributing response and/or did not read this complete topic, please do not post. It's not that I don't value a response, it's just that I don't want to be bombarded by flaming or spam responses. Yes, this thread has a few flaws. If, as a side note, you point out these flaws please try to be nice about it at the least. I have taken the time to type this because I want to learn more about Ts (as well as find out a tad more about what my sling is doing, but that isn't the main reason). Hopefully you will understand.
-B'Snow
You might want to put the part about not reading the complete topic at the beginning next time, because if they don't read all of your post, then they didn't read that ;)
 

Vespula

Arachnodemon
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Jul 27, 2010
Messages
706
I've had T's molt in the past, but about 2 months ago, I actually SAW my first molt. My Mommy syndrome nearly drove me crazy. So I know how you feel, and can say from recent experience that I think everything will be OK. :D
 

Scoolman

Arachnolord
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Feb 9, 2010
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612
Hey Bsnow,
I told you parenthood was stressful.
I still have one of Damien's sac mates and it has sealed its burrow and is looking very pre-molt (dark plump abdomen). At this point you could be waiting as long as two weeks for the actual molt to occur.
Although, I am still baffled by the flip and then return to upright. I suppose he thought he was ready to go, and then changed his mind.
Considering you have been feeding him 1" crickets at each feeding I am not surprised to hear he is going to molt again already.
He is growing up so fast ;).
 

GPulchra

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
279
Hey Bsnow,
I told you parenthood was stressful.
I still have one of Damien's sac mates and it has sealed its burrow and is looking very pre-molt (dark plump abdomen). At this point you could be waiting as long as two weeks for the actual molt to occur.
Although, I am still baffled by the flip and then return to upright. I suppose he thought he was ready to go, and then changed his mind.
Considering you have been feeding him 1" crickets at each feeding I am not surprised to hear he is going to molt again already.
He is growing up so fast ;).
They do grow up so fast. Anyways, I think the flip may have been, like, a test flip. I'll wait two weeks. I'm actually very excited about this; I've been wishing to see a T molt.
Vespula, I honestly imagine sitting there all day, watching my G. Pulchra molt.
Chris_Skeleton, yeah he is. He's still a baby :p .
 

NevularScorpion

Arachnoangel
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Hey Bsnow,
I told you parenthood was stressful.
I still have one of Damien's sac mates and it has sealed its burrow and is looking very pre-molt (dark plump abdomen). At this point you could be waiting as long as two weeks for the actual molt to occur.
I agree with him I think you just need to wait, time will tell :)
 

GPulchra

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
279
1:17 Damien started moving his arm around his opisthosoma, much like a fat dude scratching his stomach.
 

Motorkar

Arachnobaron
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Aug 16, 2009
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My B. smithi acted yesturday strangely too. When she was turning around for 180°(not into molting position, just around), she was shaking her front legs like mad, just like some phobia person when its afraid of spiders or grasshoppers etc... Two days before she was moving about 2-3 times her whole body up and down like she was doing push ups. Ha explain this interesting premolt behaveur! And yes, her abdomen is dark since last sunday so she will molt soon.;P
 

GPulchra

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 21, 2010
Messages
279
My B. smithi acted yesturday strangely too. When she was turning around for 180°(not into molting position, just around), she was shaking her front legs like mad, just like some phobia person when its afraid of spiders or grasshoppers etc... Two days before she was moving about 2-3 times her whole body up and down like she was doing push ups. Ha explain this interesting premolt behaveur! And yes, her abdomen is dark since last sunday so she will molt soon.;P
I guess Ts just get prepared in strange ways before a molt :p .
 

Motorkar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Aug 16, 2009
Messages
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Indeed and that is the beaty of them.They are so fascinating creatures becouse if that!
 
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