How do you tell if a tarantula is about to molt?

[Tarantuloid]

So I bought this "Wooly" Guyana Pinktoe (scientific name not yet specified) and the owner mentioned that she is about to molt so do not disturb her when she is molting. I've never had a tarantula molt on me before, so I've been monitoring her behavior and can't really tell.

She does move around slowly, but she's been for the most part sitting in one place with her legs kinda condensed, she is not upside down, but just kinda stands there. I don't really know what to expect, as I don't want to touch her if she actually is molting, but from what I can see she isn't molting. Any signs I should be aware of?

 

[le-thomas]

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/sho...e-molt-looks-like&highlight=pre-molt+examples

 

[Tarantuloid]

Interesting topic, the only problem is mine is a naturally dark colored spider?

 

[le-thomas]

There should be a mirror patch on the abdomen since this is a NW spider. Also, if it refuses food and looks a bit more drab colored and/or acts differently it may very well be in premolt.

 

[Storm76]

With Avic that stuff is kinda hard to see. My adult A. avic is quite dark, too. But if they start to refuse food for a prolonged period of time, can't really climb that well on smooth surfaces (glass etc.) and act overall a little "clumsy" - I'd check if the colors are fading out and assume it's premolt. With dark-colored species it's not that easy to see - on my P. irminias the only visible indication was that their colors looked washed-out...that's it.

 

[grayzone]

if im right, the "wooly pink toe" is whats sold as A. huriana
just wanted to point out the supposed scientific name... everybody else is giving you solid pointers.

 

[Storm76]

if im right, the "wooly pink toe" is whats sold as A. huriana
just wanted to point out the supposed scientific name... everybody else is giving you solid pointers.

"what's sold AS" - right because of that I didn't want to judge - you know how stupid petshops can be, Steve. Hopefully, the OP got the scientific name from them, too...

 

[grayzone]

as far as i know, huriana is the "Wooly pinktoe" and is unmistakeable. looks like a typical avic for the most part, but has the hairs of an albopilosum :biggrin: i say "whats sold as" because we all know how Avicularia as a genara is screwed up. Im pretty sure that this is one that stands out though, so the commonl/scientific name could be true.

---------- Post added 07-04-2012 at 09:02 AM ----------

Tarantuloid, can you post pics of your t?

 

[Tarantuloid]

Thank you, unlike my G. Rosea, I bought this one from someone who works for the humane society and was showing me a bunch of his exotic pets "albino cobra, goliath bird eater, rattlesnakes, camel spiders, etc.) and he mentioned he was selling a few of his tarantulas. I decided to take a look and he was selling his goliath bird eater and his "Wooly" guyana pinktoe, I almost went with the birder eater, but I don't think I had the proper enclosure for such an enormous and aggressive spider. The Pinktoe kinda caught my eye because it's actually a dark blue color, he told me it was a subspecies of pinktoe that you won't find in any petstores unlike the metallic which is very common. Wow thank you for the scientific name, I'm fairly sure that's what she is, I've been trying to find out for weeks now with no luck!

Here's a front view of her, I have more I will be sizing down soon.



Her abdomen hair looks kind of like an orange color compared to the rest of her body.

 

[grayzone]

the shoe fits lol... looks like an Avic who stuck its toes in a light socket to me :biggrin:
There is a thread in the pic section called genus Avicularia.. if i were you i would cross reference with images from there to see if they resemble eachother.
Google SHOULD work too, but i always have problems with mixed images on google .. I could probably google images of A. huriana and see a P. metallica or somethin:sarcasm:

---------- Post added 07-04-2012 at 11:53 AM ----------

does it look like the huriana in post 12 here http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?44285-Avicularia-huriana... ?

 

[Tarantuloid]

lol I looked up videos of people's tarantulas on youtube using the name "A. huriana" and the tarantulas they have under that name looks pretty much exactly like mine!

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

There should be a mirror patch on the abdomen since this is a NW spider. Also, if it refuses food and looks a bit more drab colored and/or acts differently it may very well be in premolt.

Not all NW have mirror patches....

 

[Tarantuloid]

At least I know what species she is now haha, if pinktoes are as active as people have been telling me, she might be acting kinda weird. She acts pretty much just like my G. Rosea, always on the ground and her legs are kinda huddled in. She's not upside down, but her legs aren't spread out most of the time.

I thought these might be symptoms of molting since the guy told me she was preparing to sometime soon, but I don't know for sure to be honest.

 

[Storm76]

At least I know what species she is now haha, if pinktoes are as active as people have been telling me, she might be acting kinda weird. She acts pretty much just like my G. Rosea, always on the ground and her legs are kinda huddled in. She's not upside down, but her legs aren't spread out most of the time.

I thought these might be symptoms of molting since the guy told me she was preparing to sometime soon, but I don't know for sure to be honest.

Sounds more like dehydration actually...keeping parameters? Pictures of enclosure maybe? Just throwing it out there...

 

[jayefbe]

It actually sounds to me like the T is just getting used to its new surroundings. As long as you're keeping it correctly, I'd just leave it alone in a quiet spot. Some tarantulas will take a while to behave "normally" after a move. Also, while Avics may be more active than a G. rosea, they're still a tarantula. No species is going to be very active from our warm-blooded perspective.

Edit - an Avic on the ground isn't a great sign, actually. How are you keeping it?

 

[Tarantuloid]

I actually think Storm76 might've been right, after I read his reply I went straight to my tarantula to find out because I was kinda worried.

I gently took her out of the cage along with the water bowl and after she got close enough, she almost immediately started drinking for an extended period of time. I can't really think of anything else, I mist her once every week or two and I keep in the same terrarium the guy kept her in as he gave me the entire set up with everything in it. It's a ventilated plastic tub wrapped in duct tape with that coconut husk bedding along with quite a few branches and fake plants for her to climb on.

I took a picture of her drinking as it was very hard to get a good picture of the enclosure due to how dark it is on the inside. I don't want to kill her, he just told me she was going to molt so weird behavior would be normal if she was at the bottom of the enclosure, but as far as I can see, I just don't think she was able to find the water bowl for some reason.

 

[grayzone]

misting the enclosure only provides momentary humidity. In fact, i would start overflowing that waterdish pretty good about once (allow to dry out before soaking again) a week PLUS mist once weekly seeing how its a juvie/adult. For slings i usually mist a couple times weekly.
Also, DITCH THE TAPE.. i have heard a bunch of bad stuff about it on enclosures, as well as seen pics of what tape can potentially do (inside OR outside)
Avics require good ventilation, so i dont know why you would/previous owner would want to restrict it. Can you post pics of the entire setup from the outside?

glad its drinking. Storm could have just saved your t.. good thing you said something

 

[Tarantuloid]

He originally told me to keep the tape on the enclosure because these tarantulas prefer the dark and it helps keep it that way, which I guess sounded reasonable. You really think I should remove the tape?

I called him this afternoon telling him about this tarantula hanging around on the ground, he told me she was about to molt and should not be disturbed during the process. I guess I kinda messed up that part by introducing her to the water bowl previously, but she drank very readily so I thought she really was dehydrated. I'll try to get a good picture of the entire enclosure tomorrow, getting this picture was extremely hard due to how dark it is o nthe inside because of all the tape blocking light. Even taking off the lid and taking a picture from the top was a challenge.

 

[grayzone]

Ts are photosensitive...some more so than others... If you want to block light, try affixing cardboard or black paper around 3sides of the tank.
If the t has ANY POSSIBLE WAY of coming into contact with the tape, then YES move it.. remember that legs can come out of drilled holes, and tarsul claws can come out of vents too.. You wouldnt want to wake to find your t stuck to tape like a fly on fly paper.

I cant say for sure that you should, because of the limited visuals of the tank.

if your t is/was dehydrated it could likely have died during the molt anyways. Moisture levels (internal) plays a big part of molting. It can go bad if its too dry or too wet for any given sp. of tarantula. If your t drank like a camel, it was definitely needing SOMETHING. Tons of users and t owners likely rarely ever get to see their ts drink firsthand and consider it a rarity/big deal when they DO catch them.

Either way, hope all is well and i will check back tomorrow for pics. Im sure alot of people can help further if we saw more.

 

[Storm76]

I am judging only base on what you said here, at the OP: I'm actually surprised the guy you got this setup from was able to raise that T to the point it is now.

Now, back to subject. I'm glad your T seems to be better now after drinking. Arboreal T's of that size usually (exceptions are always possible) don't hang around on the ground anymore. If they do, there's usually something wrong. Glad my first thought seems to have been right.

Either way, my personal suggestion would be to actually get a new enclosure for her (yeah, I know, money...) if you can afford that. Regarding the darkness thing, daylight is perfectly fine, as they will just build their webbing or hide behind a piece of corkbark if provided with one. (hence why Steve already asked for pictures of the whole enclosure - would actually help to judge better, yes). My assumption at this point would be simply that she is a) really in premolt and hence somewhat clumsily, but also b) doesn't feel well in her current enclosure. If done carefully, you can rehouse a T in premolt without any problems (some get a little more defensive during that time though) which is why I suggested a better enclosure.

Clear plastic / acrylic / glass enclosure works best (that way you can see from the outside without having to disturb your T really if everything is alright for example). Put a layer of substrate in there, place a slab of corbark leaned against one side of the glass, decorate some with live or plastic plants so the T can achor its webbing to something, add waterdish, done. One thing to make sure with such an enclosure is, like Steve said, ventilation. They die easily if the air gets stagnant in their enclosures. Brett can probably give you some sound advice, as he's one of the Avic breeders here "on board"

Lastly, I don't know how knowledgeable that person is you got that T from, but from what it sounds, I guess he's basing some stuff on myths and overcare. A T will plain simply hide during the day usually (some are out in the open nevertheless but that's their own preference then) and come out in the evening, night to hunt and roam about a bit. Keeping their tank in total darkness might even mess up their internal clock from what I read, it's certainly not necessary. Just don't put a bright light onto the tank and you'll be fine!

Keep us updated, please.