How long is to long on a fasting premolt sling?

[TJ Frost]

I have a T. Stermi sling about 1" he was great eater when I got him he stufted himself and got the premolt booty and started showing no interest in food after that but its been over 20 days of this and I'm starting to question like a noob and wonder how long can it be before I should worry his abdomen is still healthy looking, and I dont want to bug him with food if hes molting soon but should I still be dropping in any live crickets or cut up power worms hes hanging in his little din just hassent moved from that spot for over 20 days now. I dont like his setup his hide(Dixie cup) is to big once he molts I'll make it way better but he's just hiding in that dixie cup.

 

[KeGathings17]

I don't believe there is a "too long" for a premolt. Sometimes it's pretty quick, sometimes they take their sweet time. My B. Albiceps took about 3 weeks in a pre molt, while my Psalmopoeus takes about a week or less. My Avicularia also had a rather long pre molt period as well, something like 3 weeks, or a little more. Just keep a filled water dish, and leave them to it. Patience takes on a whole new meaning when caring for these guys.

 

[TJ Frost]

So should I be still trying to feed him anything or leave him alone for lets say 4weaks if need be?

 

[KeGathings17]

So should I be still trying to feed him anything or leave him alone for lets say 4weaks if need be?

I would leave him alone, they won't show interest in feeding until after they molt, and stray feeders can potentially harm a molting T. So long as the abdomen is nice and plump, like it is in the picture, he will be a-okay for awhile. Nice T btw. Haven't got a Theraphosa sp. yet due to the hair issues, but they are awesome T's.

 

[TJ Frost]

Thanks alot for putting me at ease this little guy has been more intertaining with his huge appetite more than all my other slings and the hair is nasty weaks of scratching but a must in the collection.

 

[Iamconstantlyhappy]

my 1/2 inch -.75 inch G pulchra sling has been in pre molt for at least 2 months

 

[BoyFromLA]

My 3/4” Aphonopelma mooreae molted on 7/14/19, then on 5/19/20. Quite the wait it was.

 

[Jess S]

I'm pretty sure my T stirmi stopped eating for about a month before having its first moult with me, when it was the same size.

Your enclosure looks quite tall for a 1". I'd probably add more substrate, that'll also help with retaining moisture.

 

[Smotzer]

This is for a terrestrial Theraphosa stirmi?....

 

[TJ Frost]

I'm pretty sure my T stirmi stopped eating for about a month before having its first moult with me, when it was the same size.

Your enclosure looks quite tall for a 1". I'd probably add more substrate, that'll also help with retaining moisture.

That's a good idea on adding more substrate to keep the moisture in more its getting a little swampy but should I wait tell he moults? he just today made a bed of webbing under him i thot I heard that's a sign that they will moult on the webbing but I dont know I'm new never had a T. Moult yet and I already got 7.

 

[TJ Frost]

This is for a terrestrial Theraphosa stirmi?....

Yes

 

[Thekla]

I'm sorry, but you have your terrestrial T in an arboreal setup. You need a completely different enclosure. More floor space, more substrate, less height!

Please read this thread:

Tarantula Information for Beginners (and More)

Below are some helpful resources. (Rather than having half a dozen or more pinned threads, which clutter the top of the board, we are pinning this index.) While the focus is on beginners, there are other threads on health and more advanced species that may be useful to more experienced keepers...

arachnoboards.com

And 20 days in premoult is absolutely nothing, I had smaller slings in premoult for almost a year.

 

[viper69]

I have a T. Stermi sling about 1" he was great eater when I got him he stufted himself and got the premolt booty and started showing no interest in food after that but its been over 20 days of this and I'm starting to question like a noob and wonder how long can it be before I should worry his abdomen is still healthy looking, and I dont want to bug him with food if hes molting soon but should I still be dropping in any live crickets or cut up power worms hes hanging in his little din just hassent moved from that spot for over 20 days now. I dont like his setup his hide(Dixie cup) is to big once he molts I'll make it way better but he's just hiding in that dixie cup. View attachment 373498

WAIT

Power worms???????

 

[Jess S]

That's a good idea on adding more substrate to keep the moisture in more its getting a little swampy but should I wait tell he moults? he just today made a bed of webbing under him i thot I heard that's a sign that they will moult on the webbing but I dont know I'm new never had a T. Moult yet and I already got 7.

You may as well wait for it to moult, as it is probably in premoult now.

After its moulted and hardened up, I'd just switch to a less tall enclosure. I think it will be easier. You'd have to add so much substrate to make that one safe, your probably going to end up with mould unless you add a ton of ventilation, which is self defeating.

You can use that one for an arboreal, I'm sure you will get one at some point. Looks like you got the collecting bug!

 

[TJ Frost]

I'm sorry, but you have your terrestrial T in an arboreal setup. You need a completely different enclosure. More floor space, more substrate, less height!

Please read this thread:

Tarantula Information for Beginners (and More)

Below are some helpful resources. (Rather than having half a dozen or more pinned threads, which clutter the top of the board, we are pinning this index.) While the focus is on beginners, there are other threads on health and more advanced species that may be useful to more experienced keepers...

arachnoboards.com

And 20 days in premoult is absolutely nothing, I had smaller slings in premoult for almost a year.

Great news he just moulted and I made a new enclosure
1 is this one better?
2 when should I move him?
3 should I add a drainage layer in the new emclosure like I did in the bigger enclosure? Or more subsrate?

 

[Frogdaddy]

Great news he just moulted and I made a new enclosure
1 is this one better?
2 when should I move him?
3 should I add a drainage layer in the new emclosure like I did in the bigger enclosure? Or more subsrate?
View attachment 373526 View attachment 373527

Why do you need a drainage layer?
If you need a drainage layer you are probably keeping the sub too wet.
Or you are attempting a bioactive enclosure. Don't.

 

[Thekla]

Great news he just moulted and I made a new enclosure
1 is this one better?
2 when should I move him?
3 should I add a drainage layer in the new emclosure like I did in the bigger enclosure? Or more subsrate?
View attachment 373526 View attachment 373527

You don't need a drainage layer, just moist (not wet!) substrate.

Basically, the new enclosure is better but could still use more floor space. I can't really see how big your T is right now but I'd say about twice the size of the water dish in leg span, that's nearly half the floor space of the enclosure.
With a fast-growing species like yours I would go for an enclosure that is about 4, maybe even 5 times the DLS of your T, otherwise, you'll have to rehouse her once again after the next moult.
I would also provide even more substrate.
Here's a good thread for their care:

Theraphosa care and info

We have had so many threads lately on Theraphosa, and I find myself repeating the same thing time and time again. This thread will cover most of the common questions, hopefully it should be useful to some of the newer keepers, and may even save a few spiders from neglect. I'll start by going...

arachnoboards.com

And wait until she's fully hardened up before you rehouse her, at least a week or more.

 

[TJ Frost]

I just thot with a drainage layer it would hold in moisture better I'm still not sure what "to wet" looks like I researched alot on bioactive with T. Stermi but as a new keeper i heard bioactive should not be attempted so when you say "dont" is that because I'm new or cause you think bioactive is bad idea all together for a sling?

 

[TJ Frost]

You don't need a drainage layer, just moist (not wet!) substrate.

Basically, the new enclosure is better but could still use more floor space. I can't really see how big your T is right now but I'd say about twice the size of the water dish in leg span, that's nearly half the floor space of the enclosure.
With a fast-growing species like yours I would go for an enclosure that is about 4, maybe even 5 times the DLS of your T, otherwise, you'll have to rehouse her once again after the next moult.
I would also provide even more substrate.
Here's a good thread for their care:

Theraphosa care and info

We have had so many threads lately on Theraphosa, and I find myself repeating the same thing time and time again. This thread will cover most of the common questions, hopefully it should be useful to some of the newer keepers, and may even save a few spiders from neglect. I'll start by going...

arachnoboards.com

And wait until she's fully hardened up before you rehouse her, at least a week or more.

Thanks I'm going to read up on that thread when I get off work