Hardened fangs

[omarahmedbya]

My A. Geniculata moulted last Tuesday morning, is it ok to feed it now or are its fangs not strong enough?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Arachnophobphile]

What size is your genic in diagonal leg span measurement?

Bigger than sling size is when the fangs turn black it's safe to feed.

 

[omarahmedbya]

I got it when it was juvenile, then it moulted last Tuesday. Issue is, I can’t see its fangs as it’s in the hide, but it did come out to investigate when I teased it with the tweezers (just outside its hide).

 

[Arachnophobphile]

It should eventually come out to hunt for prey.

If it never comes out to where you can inspect the fangs or just in a spot you can't see wait until Wednesday or Thursday.

Your genic will not starve if holding off feeding if you wait two weeks after a molt

 

[TenebrisAvicularia]

Depending on the size of the tarantula, I'd usually wait for about a week or so if it has a legspan over 4 inches.

 

[omarahmedbya]

Depending on the size of the tarantula, I'd usually wait for about a week or so if it has a legspan over 4 inches.

So I just found out that it crawled out its hide and is now sitting at the top of it.

I also noticed its abdomen is much thinner than it was pre-moult. What does this mean?

 

[TenebrisAvicularia]

So I just found out that it crawled out its hide and is now sitting at the top of it.

A soft exoskeleton usually has a whitish or translucent look to it. You can also check the fangs if possible, white or red fangs mean that they still need hardening. Black fangs are ready to go.

They lose weight in the abdomen after a molt, that's normal. It'll just need some extra feeding when ready.
I'd give the T a few extra days of no feedings just to make sure. It will be fine, just keep the water dish full for hydration.

 

[omarahmedbya]

A soft exoskeleton usually has a whitish or translucent look to it. You can also check the fangs if possible, white or red fangs mean that they still need hardening. Black fangs are ready to go.

They lose weight in the abdomen after a molt, that's normal. It'll just need some extra feeding when ready.
I'd give the T a few extra days of no feedings just to make sure. It will be fine, just keep the water dish full for hydration.

Ok, great. Also, is there a way to tell the male and the female apart other than by way of the moult?

 

[TenebrisAvicularia]

Ok, great. Also, is there a way to tell the male and the female apart other than by way of the moult?

Ventral sexing is not always 100% accurate, but it can help. For that, you can take a look at the underside of the tarantula's abdomen.
Males tend to have a dark patch of epiandrous fusillae just above the epigastric furrow (between the first pair of book lungs.)
Females may have a more noticeable furrow, it almost looks a bit open or 'fleshy'.

You can get a pic of your T's underside and post it to the Epiandrous fusillae sexing media page.