How do temperatures affect a tarantula molting?

[Wolfden]

So I am curious to know how temperatures affect the time it takes for a tarantula to molt. I have had my B. Smithi 2 months. When I got her, her abdomen was pinking up telling me she was getting ready to molt. It stayed that way and never showed any sign of getting darker. When I first got her I was staying at a friends house. The bedrooms are actually half below ground and a lot cooler then the upper level. I used a space heater to keep the room between 70F and 75F, which is comfortable for me. On June 1st I moved into my new apartment and the Temps here don't drop below 70F and get up to 85F. I was checking on her this morning and noticed that her abdomen has completely darkened up. Could this be caused because of the warmer Temps or did the move bring on the need to molt?

I would like to know if others have experienced this with their T's?

 

[Flexzone]

Temp. plays a vital role in the frequency/duration of pre-molt as-well in the actual molt, If kept cool during the molt it takes specimen's longer and make's it much harder for them to get free as them being cold blooded(ectotherm's) they're metabolic output is dependent on the external temp of the environment. My friend and I buy T's from a similar source as slings, ex. E. campestratus we bought together from the same egg-sack as slings a couple months back, he keeps his in the basement where it's relatively cool and I tend to keep mine where is hovers around 26-27c during the day, his is only pushing ~1.5'' while my female is 4.5'' already.

 

[Wolfden]

that's good to know. It explains why her abdomen darkened up in 3 days may also explain why my A. Avic female is eating more regularly as well.

 

[awiec]

This is also why when you buy an immature "pair" from sellers, you need to keep the male cool and fed sparingly and the female warm and fed a lot in order to get them to mature at the same time. Otherwise even with less food, the male will probably mature faster than the female at the same temps.

 

[viper69]

how temperatures affect the time it takes for a tarantula to molt.

Increased temps, increase their metabolic rate etc

 

[MrsHaas]

On a side note, I would be worried too high a heat could dry the T out and possibly cause it to loose lubrication and get stuck in its molt.
Maybe I'm just paranoid - but it seems like it makes sense....

 

[KezyGLA]

On a side note, I would be worried too high a heat could dry the T out and possibly cause it to loose lubrication and get stuck in its molt.
Maybe I'm just paranoid - but it seems like it makes sense....

As long as you arent cooking the T and the enclosure has decent humidity and fresh water bowl for afterwards it should be all good

 

[Storm76]

During hot summers, my appartment experiences quite the raise in temperature from June - September usually and during that time, my T's are usually extremely active, very hungry and also molt often. It's one of the reasons why I always go check on climate diagrams before I get a species - that way I know what they're usually used to and I aim to keep them accordingly (granted, you can never fully simulate their natural habitats climate usually).

Good example is E. murinus - while many keep them bonedry, you seriously shouldn't. That the T survives enduring that, doesn't mean it thrives. They're used to high humidity and damp soil. So I keep them that way.

 

[Wolfden]

Thanks, when I lived at my other apartment I had to deal with extreme highs especially in summer. With the vaulted ceiling and two large bay windows that let in the afternoon sun the main room would often reach 95F, of course then I didn't have ts I had snakes and a bearded dragon and geckos. When I first got my Ts I was staying with a friend, she hated having the heat on so I had to use a space heater to even keep the room at 75F. Since moving into my new place the temps hit 85-87F and the Ts have definitely been more active. I also noticed that my B. Smithi seems to have jumped in her pre-molt and should be molting any day now.

On a side note, I would be worried too high a heat could dry the T out and possibly cause it to loose lubrication and get stuck in its molt.
Maybe I'm just paranoid - but it seems like it makes sense....

What would you consider too high heat, 90F and higher or 95 and higher?

 

[Sana]

At our worst last summer the room the houses the tarantulas hit 101F. We didn't have any issues or losses though we have to refill water bowls almost daily here during the summer.

 

[Wolfden]

At our worst last summer the room the houses the tarantulas hit 101F. We didn't have any issues or losses though we have to refill water bowls almost daily here during the summer.

that's good to know. Are you further south or east Sana. I am close enough to the mountains that 90s is usually the highest we hit though we have had a few high 90s.

 

[MrsHaas]

[QUOTE\] What would you consider too high heat, 90F and higher or 95 and higher?[/QUOTE]

I'm not quite sure, but know thes gotta be someone on her that does... Sorry

 

[MrsHaas]

Also, depends on the species

 

[Sana]

that's good to know. Are you further south or east Sana. I am close enough to the mountains that 90s is usually the highest we hit though we have had a few high 90s.

I live in Fort Collins which is in northern Colorado right up against the foothills. We only hit 100+ a few days a year at worst but it's so miserable. Right now we're averaging low 90s which makes me think that July is going to be a real bear this year. What part of Colorado are you in?

 

[Wolfden]

I live in Fort Collins which is in northern Colorado right up against the foothills. We only hit 100+ a few days a year at worst but it's so miserable. Right now we're averaging low 90s which makes me think that July is going to be a real bear this year. What part of Colorado are you in?

I live in colorado springs south east side of the city. Yeah its been in the low 90s as well here.

 

[Sana]

I live in colorado springs south east side of the city. Yeah its been in the low 90s as well here.

We just moved to a different house in the same town that we've been in so I'm trying to adjust to how to control the temps at the new place. So far it's going pretty well but our temps are going up this week so we'll see how it holds.