Has it molted? + Should I get her out her hide? Need you opinion!

[hardminder]

Hi I'll try to make it short (I will certainly fail) while providing necessary contextual information. 2 month ago, after over 6 months of research and preparation, I acquired my first T, a 2.5-3'' female sling Lasiodora parahybana. She molted a month prior to the acquisition. I got her in a temporary enclosure where she hate he first 3 meals voraciously over the course of, I would say, 2 weeks.

After that I transferred her into her real house, a big house. Probably a bit too big for her present size but LP's grow very fast. You can judge me for it but it's the choice I made.

In there, she went to hide in the absolute worst possible place, typical tarantula I know, but I mean....worst place. A crevasse I didn't even considered (and I built the whole damn thing). It would be near impossible to feed her there so I had to gently push her out, isolate her and fill the crevasse with pet safe silicone.

After that.... she chose the second worst place, of course. I chose to let her have it. After that think she only ate twice the first week and then went on a hunger strike. I thought ''pre-molt'' even if she had molted less than 2 months ago. But as I read, big species can molt back to back. I still tried to feed her. But in that place she's hiding, it's hard to feed her. But I tried every other day (I'll join a picture of her hiding spot, you'll understand and it will make sense for my second question). I almost couldn't see her, just half of her abdomen or some legs sometimes through plants and rocks. But she was definitely not interested in any food from what I could see, avoiding worms and crickets moving towards and even touching her, compared to her previously and briefly observed aggressive feeding response.

She didn't eat for a month. I saw bald patch on her, shiny looking, abdomen...

Then over 2 days I started to see some legs placed in an awkward position but I can't say I saw her on a molting web mat nor can I confirm she was on her back or completely inactive for long. But again, I can barely see her. I waited 2 days around that time and then tried to feed here, BAM! Instant catch! Waited a few minutes and shone a light through the glass in her hole (the absolute only way I can see, even a tiny part of her) and then I saw those amazing blood red fang munching on a cricket. I know, she ain't supposed to eat with those soft fangs but I really didn't know she had probably just molted and honestly I didn't know about the red fangs thing before that. I also immediately noticed a color and size change, that could be my mind, hoping for a molt and playing trick on me but eh, she seems much darker and from the little I can see, her legs seems longer. I could be wrong but I my first feeling was that.

I then waited a full 8-9 days before feeding her again and then she pounced and munched on 3 adult crickets in 2 hours.

So here's my first question. Do you think she molted? I can't see her molt but I know she has a small burrow. She might have stuffed it down there right. She seems too hang out more just outside of her burrow now, not completely out but definitely 75% out.

Second question: should I smoothly force her out? It's not just for me but mainly for her. I can't monitor her state an behavior where she his, feeding is a gamble, I haven't seen her head in 6 weeks, she probably molted and I don't even know... I was thinking of slowly pouring a little bit of water near her hide to get her out and then fill the hole and ''cave'' with 1/2'' gravel so she can't go back.

Yep, I failed making that story short but at least no one can complain there's not enough detail

Thanks a lot everyone for your time and future opinions/answers/advice/recommendations

PS: I just went to take a video of my viv to attach it before posting and found my T more active than ever. I actually saw her face and fangs and everything for the first time in 6 weeks, moving and not being shy at the light shining and movement. Amazing coincidence. I couldn't film it but she was making motions as if she was eating, rolling her pedipalps in her mouth and spreading her chelicerae in and out as she was shoving something down her mouth (if that makes any sense).
View attachment 20220602_025734.mp4

 

[viper69]

If you think molting is going on etc- leave it alone.

 

[ThatsUnpossible]

I hate to sound judgey, but I feel a bit sorry for your T. They don’t need or want to be micro-managed. Leave her alone and let her do what she wants, don’t worry - she won’t kill herself.

edit: no, don’t force her out. Also, sounds like she was grooming from the movements you described.

 

[Smotzer]

You need to leave it alone or rehouse it into something smaller, it reads like it’s in a oversized enclosure. Don’t remove it from its hide unless you plan on correcting the size issue of the enclosure. It sounds like it’s eating and acting normal though. A photo would go a long way though!

 

[kingshockey]

use the search function and learn about t behaviors/pre molt/ molt etc and quit trying to micro manage things

 

[MarkJ]

You need to leave it alone or rehouse it into something smaller, it reads like it’s in a oversized enclosure. Don’t remove it from its hide unless you plan on correcting the size issue of the enclosure. It sounds like it’s eating and acting normal though. A photo would go a long way though!

I'm curious as to why you feel the enclosure is too large and what exactly is detrimental to the spider?

 

[hardminder]

If you think molting is going on etc- leave it alone.

As i mentioned repeatedly, i wasn't sure she was molting at all...but still, in doubt I left her alone for a few days so...

I hate to sound judgey, but I feel a bit sorry for your T. They don’t need or want to be micro-managed. Leave her alone and let her do what she wants, don’t worry - she won’t kill herself.

Only thing i did to "micro manage" her was to get her out an absolutely impossible place. The rest is just observation of my part. No need to feel bad for her, she's left alone 99% of the time. I still have to try and see her from time to time to know if she's in premolt/molting.

 

[Smotzer]

I'm curious as to why you feel the enclosure is too large and what exactly is detrimental to the spider?

Well as the OP has described an oversized enclosure can make monitoring and managing its care if it does not feel secure and is hidden. The OP sounds like he’s having a hard time managing stages of growth. But they stated it was large so who knows how large and of its well decorated or not

 

[hardminder]

A photo would go a long way though!

There's a 1 minute long video attached to my original post

 

[Smotzer]

There's a 1 minute long video attached to my original post

It does not work for me

 

[hardminder]

It does not work for me

It should now!

use the search function and learn about t behaviors/pre molt/ molt etc and quit trying to micro manage things

I do use the search function and other ressources to learn about all that, I'm still learning too. That's why I was able to make the observations and conclusion I made. Still, sometimes, it is nice to get some specialized opinion and recommendations. If it bothers you that I posted something and believe I should have just read already existing thread, I respect that. If other people don't mind and are willing to chip in, that's the people I'm looking for.

As for the micro managing, the only macro management i did was to get her out of that impossible crevasse where it would have been impossible to feed her. She wouldn't have let herself die in there, I know that, but It is still my first T so I think it's understandable that I'm being a bit of an helicopter parent. But apart from that, all I did is observation, she'S left alone 99% of the time. I still have to try and see her from time to time to know if she's in premolt/molting.

 

[kingshockey]

I do use the search function and other ressources to learn about all that, I'm still learning too. That's why I was able to make the observations and conclusion I made. Still, sometimes, it is nice to get some specialized opinion and recommendations. If it bothers you that I posted something and believe I should have just read already existing thread, I respect that. If other people don't mind and are willing to chip in, that's the people I'm looking for.

As for the micro managing, the only macro management i did was to get her out of that impossible crevasse where it would have been impossible to feed her. She wouldn't have let herself diet, I know that but It is still my first T so I think it's understandable that I'm being a bit of an helicopter parent. But apart from that, all I did is observation, she'S left alone 99% of the time. I still have to try and see her from time to time to know if she's in premolt/molting.

you can tell or make a good guess if a t is in pre molt when it refuses to eat some ts will eat still right before it molts.if/when your t has refused a meal several times its a good non visual sign along with blocking its hide full of dirt. then you just want to make sure its water dish is full always. its good your always keeping an eye on it good luck to you

 

[aprilmayjunebugs]

You said her fangs were red, she definitely molted.

 

[NMTs]

Yes, red fangs = recent molt.

That's a really nice looking planted enclosure - I'm sure it took a lot of work to put it together. From what I can see of the T in the video, the enclosure is a little large, but it will be fine for that LP in about 6 months at most. If you are able to feed it, then I wouldn't worry about trying to force it out of the current hiding spot - it will grow out of it and find a more comfortable place soon. If you don't see the T waiting for food, then offer prekilled prey so you can find it and remove it if it doesn't get eaten. You'll learn to recognize the signs of a T being in premolt without actually seeing the T with some time and practice.

 

[viper69]

As i mentioned repeatedly, i wasn't sure she was molting at all...but still, in doubt I left her alone for a few days so...

Not sure why you responded.

I wrote think, not that you know.

 

[Matt Man]

leave it alone, always the best choice. Hard for new keepers, hard for any keeper when you don't see you pet for weeks on end. Just keep watering, and waiting

 

[hardminder]

[/QUOTE]

Not sure why you responded.

I wrote think, not that you know.

I replied because that's exactly what I did and described. I thought that MAYBE it could have been molting. I'm not here to argue but since you want to play with words, "to think" doesn't imply a precise level of awareness. You should have said something like "if you have just a slight doubt that it is molting..." if you're really that picky about choice of words.

 

[viper69]

I replied because that's exactly what I did and described. I thought that MAYBE it could have been molting. I'm not here to argue but since you want to play with words, "to think" doesn't imply a precise level of awareness. You should have said something like "if you have just a slight doubt that it is molting..." if you're really that picky about choice of words.
[/QUOTE]

I know you thought MAYBE - that's why I wrote what I did. What I said is fine. If you want to debate my use of the word "think", feel free. I used it correctly.

Before you do- read up first.

Definition of THINK

to form or have in the mind; to have as an intention; to have as an opinion… See the full definition

www.merriam-webster.com

 

[VermillionFox]

Honestly, some spiders go into pre-molt weeks to months ahead and you won't see them again, only to dig them up and have a pissed off T.

Unfortunately molt issues, impaction, and similar which if they weren't alright are difficult to diagnose or treat until too late. So while seemingly callous sounding, do the old-fashioned smell test. Tarantulas rot fast, so if something is wrong you'll smell it quickly. If you don't sense necrosis, just keep the water filled and come back later. It will come out when ready.

Also if down the road you get into aphonopelmas or grammastolas this gets more and more an irritating necessity to do. Now excuse me while I yell profanity at my g. pulchra who spends more time buried than my fricken cobalt blue. A YEAR last molt.

 

[hardminder]

You're twisting things in all the wrong direction, to your advantage. Seems like you're only here to debate/pick a fight.

If you want to debate my use of the word "think", feel free. I used it correctly.

I never said I wanted to debate your use of the word or that you didn't use it correctly. Read my comment again. I said that if you wanted it to be unequivocal, there was a better way to formulate it, since you want to go semantical on me. As you can see in the link you attached, "think" can have a lot of different meaning, connotations and implications

I know you thought MAYBE - that's why I wrote what I did.

Thinking that she's molting and thinking about the fact that maybe she is molting are two different things my friend. The former is an established opinion and the later is a reflexion that may require more observations.

Not sure why you responded.

I wrote think, not that you know.

Seems like it's you who wanted to debate my understanding of the word "think". No i didn't "think" she was molting, I contemplated the possibility of her molting, if you want to be exact. I know you're not supposed to disturb a molting Tarantula, I never asked anything about that. I was trying to determine whether or not she was molting and made that pretty clear AND I also mentionned i did leave her alone so your initial comment is useless and that's why I replied. If someone tells you "if you're hungry, eat" you can leave it like that or you can answer "I'm not hungry". If to that you answer "I said IF YOU are hungry. I don't know why you replied" well then we enter that kind of pointless discussion.