How to tell your tarantula is in premolt for noobs

[Moakmeister]

Herro,
As we all know (or hopefully know), tarantulas periodically molt their exoskeletons to get larger or regrow lost limbs, etc. A lot of new tarantula owners often ask on Arachnoboards if their tarantula is about to molt, unaware of the signs. Here is how to tell your spider is about to change clothes:

1. Abdomen becomes black. Normally, tarantula "skin" is a peach/tan color. If your tarantula has a bald spot on its abdomen, it'll be that color. However, during premolt, a tarantula's abdomen will darken in color, becoming gray and then almost purplish black when the molt is close http://68.media.tumblr.com/75bbdfa3877dc13031ab9457288c1bcb/tumblr_inline_mso04gCyN11qz4rgp.jpg This is the easiest way to tell that a tarantula is about to molt. However, this only works if there's a bald spot to even be able to see that. If your tarantula is a super docile fluff bunny who never kicks hairs, this won't work. So,

2. Not eating. Tarantulas generally don't eat during premolt. They're trying to conserve as much energy as they can for the exhausting act ahead. So if you throw food in and this happens:

Then your tarantula is probably in premolt. However, there's a chance, of course, that it's just not hungry. Which leads to our next method:

3. Being increasingly reclusive, webbing more than usual, or blocking the entrance to the burrow with substrate. For new owners, this may be a little hard to differentiate from normal tarantula behavior. It's also the most shaky method, since tarantulas tend to act differently from day to day, just because.

These are the most common ways to discern whether your tarantula is in premolt or not. Remember to never disturb a molting tarantula or put any prey items in the enclosure with it. Just provide them with water. Be safe and happy collecting!

 

[PidderPeets]

Looooooove the pictures!

 

[darkness975]

Herro,
As we all know (or hopefully know), tarantulas periodically molt their exoskeletons to get larger or regrow lost limbs, etc. A lot of new tarantula owners often ask on Arachnoboards if their tarantula is about to molt, unaware of the signs. Here is how to tell your spider is about to change clothes:
1. Abdomen becomes black. Normally, tarantula "skin" is a peach/tan color. If your tarantula has a bald spot on its abdomen, it'll be that color. However, during premolt, a tarantula's abdomen will darken in color, becoming gray and then almost purplish black when the molt is close. This is the easiest way to tell that a tarantula is about to molt. However, this only works if there's a bald spot to even be able to see that. If your tarantula is a super docile fluff bunny who never kicks hairs, this won't work. So,

2. Not eating. Tarantulas generally don't eat during premolt. They're trying to conserve as much energy as they can for the exhausting act ahead. So if you throw food in and this happens:
View attachment 244705 View attachment 244706 View attachment 244707
Then your tarantula is probably in premolt. However, there's a chance, of course, that it's just not hungry. Which leads to our next method:

3. Being increasingly reclusive, webbing more than usual, or blocking the entrance to the burrow with substrate. For new owners, this may be a little hard to differentiate from normal tarantula behavior. It's also the most shaky method, since tarantulas tend to act differently from day to day, just because.

These are the most common ways to discern whether your tarantula is in premolt or not. Remember to never disturb a molting tarantula or put any prey items in the enclosure with it. Just provide them with water. Be safe and happy collecting!

Maybe try and get a picture of the abdomen of a heavily pre-molt Tarantula. I realize you explained it but a picture is always nice (and worth a thousand words, if I recall correctly!)

 

[Moakmeister]

Maybe try and get a picture of the abdomen of a heavily pre-molt Tarantula. I realize you explained it but a picture is always nice (and worth a thousand words, if I recall correctly!)

Maybe I should add that. Gimme a sec...

 

[Venom1080]

Nice.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

1. Abdomen becomes black. Normally, tarantula "skin" is a peach/tan color. If your tarantula has a bald spot on its abdomen, it'll be that color. However, during premolt, a tarantula's abdomen will darken in color, becoming gray and then almost purplish black when the molt is close

The abdomen will also swell up massively at around the same time it turns darker as the Tarantula secretes fluids to separate the old exoskeleton from the new one that has formed underneath.

However, this only works if there's a bald spot to even be able to see that. If your tarantula is a super docile fluff bunny who never kicks hairs, this won't work.

Ah! But it will work(admittedly not always), in some specimens the urticating setae will just fall out of its own accord when they are in premoult meaning it's possible to tell how close they are to moulting. Little miss evil (pictured below) never kicks hairs, it just started falling out a few weeks prior, my GBB and A. variegata also developed small bald patches prior to moulting.

 

[Ungoliant]

These are the most common ways to discern whether your tarantula is in premolt or not. Remember to never disturb a molting tarantula or put any prey items in the enclosure with it. Just provide them with water. Be safe and happy collecting!

I've also noticed that my two Avicularia avicularia seemed less graceful during pre-molt. They seem less able to grip smooth surfaces (possibly because the old exoskeleton is in the process of separating from the new one, and the sense of touch is not as good).

 

[The Grym Reaper]

I've also noticed that my two Avicularia avicularia seemed less graceful during pre-molt. They seem less able to grip smooth surfaces (possibly because the old exoskeleton is in the process of separating from the new one, and the sense of touch is not as good).

Yeah, their pads stop working as well as they normally would so they rely mostly on their tarsal claws for grip, OK when climbing wood but not so good for glass.

 

[Leila]

I've also noticed that my two Avicularia avicularia seemed less graceful during pre-molt. They seem less able to grip smooth surfaces (possibly because the old exoskeleton is in the process of separating from the new one, and the sense of touch is not as good).

I have noticed the same with mine

 

[Andrea82]

The abdomen will also swell up massively at around the same time it turns darker as the Tarantula secretes fluids to separate the old exoskeleton from the new one that has formed underneath.



Ah! But it will work(admittedly not always), in some specimens the urticating setae will just fall out of its own accord when they are in premoult meaning it's possible to tell how close they are to moulting. Little miss evil (pictured below) never kicks hairs, it just started falling out a few weeks prior, my GBB and A. variegata also developed small bald patches prior to moulting.

View attachment 244735

Are you sure they just fall off? My B.hamorii never has a bald patch even though she kicks a lot, until premolt. Then she kicks them off like crazy to lay urticating-boobytraps in her entire enclosure...

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Are you sure they just fall off? My B.hamorii never has a bald patch even though she kicks a lot, until premolt. Then she kicks them off like crazy to lay urticating-boobytraps in her entire enclosure...

Fairly sure (obviously I can't watch them 24hrs a day), for some of my non-kickers this tends to happen several weeks prior to a moult, I thought they did the setae trap thing just days prior to flipping if not on the same day.

 

[sasker]

It is good to point out that the premolt period takes place in phases. The aforementioned symptoms may take place in succession or simultaneously, but the darkening of the skin is really the last stage of premolt. Just to avoid that new owners mistakenly assume that their tarantula is not in premolt when their Ts stop eating without turning dark.

By the way, even if your New World tarantula is not a kicker the overall skin tone becomes darker. My B. hamorii does not kick hair (luckily! Fingers crossed until after the next molt), but the patch of urticating setae is visible as a black area on an dark grey background (same as with my Lasiodora parahybana). This dark grey background colour becomes just as black as the area with the urticating hairs.

 

[Moakmeister]

It is good to point out that the premolt period takes place in phases. The aforementioned symptoms may take place in succession or simultaneously, but the darkening of the skin is really the last stage of premolt. Just to avoid that new owners mistakenly assume that their tarantula is not in premolt when their Ts stop eating without turning dark.

By the way, even if your New World tarantula is not a kicker the overall skin tone becomes darker. My B. hamorii does not kick hair (luckily! Fingers crossed until after the next molt), but the patch of urticating setae is visible as a black area on an dark grey background (same as with my Lasiodora parahybana). This dark grey background colour becomes just as black as the area with the urticating hairs.

You know, I did notice that on my G. pulchripes a few weeks ago. His abdomen is gray with the black spot on top. I always called that a "sling abdomen" since on slings it's almost as clear as night-and-day, with the abdomen being an extremely pale color and the urticating setae being jet-black. On adults, you don't see that. But do they really have it too?

 

[sasker]

On adults, you don't see that. But do they really have it too?

Mine is not mature yet, but I suppose so. Especially if you shine a light on them. When very close to a molt, the entire spider should be a tad darker. But I agree with you that it is much easier to spot a darker bald spot than 'a darker shade of grey'. Inexperienced keepers will probably not see the difference so this may not count as a reliable way for noobs to spot if their tarantulas are in premolt.

 

[volcanopele]

Only my boehmei really flings hairs with any regularity and only my chromatus gets a bald spot that is noticeable, so I mostly rely on the other two methods. But regardless of what's going on, trust the spider when it isn't wanting to eat and is hiding away. Leave it alone.

 

[re81]

how about premolt periods of P. Metallica?

 

[vounti]

I saw this picture on the forum. Very nice exemples

how about premolt periods of P. Metallica?

From my experience, my metallica just becomes less active. She keeps eating even in premolt, she sometimes eats a week before a molt.
With experience you'll learn to recognize a fat abdomen for a Poecilotheria. IME they stay pretty thin compared to terrestrials or even Psalmopoeus

edit: my Poecilotheria also become a bit dull when in premolt

Check this thread:

How to know if poecilotheria species is in premolt?

Do poecilotheria sps abdomen lose hair and get darker like any other T when in premolt? My p.metallica refuses food for almost 2weeks. I tried tong feeding it, it attacks the feeder but doesnt bite. Just kinda swat it away. What signs to look for when poecilotheria sps are in premolt?

arachnoboards.com

 

[re81]

I saw this picture on the forum. Very nice exemples





From my experience, my metallica just becomes less active. She keeps eating even in premolt, she sometimes eats a week before a molt.
With experience you'll learn to recognize a fat abdomen for a Poecilotheria. IME they stay pretty thin compared to terrestrials or even Psalmopoeus

edit: my Poecilotheria also become a bit dull when in premolt

Check this thread:

How to know if poecilotheria species is in premolt?

Do poecilotheria sps abdomen lose hair and get darker like any other T when in premolt? My p.metallica refuses food for almost 2weeks. I tried tong feeding it, it attacks the feeder but doesnt bite. Just kinda swat it away. What signs to look for when poecilotheria sps are in premolt?

arachnoboards.com

okay..thank you