Im sure it's fine but....

[kooky]

Hello. I'm pretty new to keeping tarantula's and get quite nervous about everything that happens. My G.Pulchripes sling has been pretty much a pet hole since i got it, but i drop prekilled crickets around the hole and they usually disappear by the next day. Anyway as i was doing my usual morning check of my t's, i noticed it was not longer in the hole, but kinda wedged under the dirt wall it had made upside down.

Now i assume it is most likely molting as i doubt it fell, landed upside down and got buried. It just seems like a really cramped place to be moulting and im worried as its the first moult in my care. I have all pretty slow growing t's at the moment so in the few months i have had them i havnt had any moults.

Just looking for confirmation/advice to ease my mind.
The picture is hard to see as i didnt want to disturb the tub he was in at all, but basically you can see he is upside down with his two back legs kinda stretched out, as if he is moulting. Im just so worried

 

[TownesVanZandt]

Just leave it be, keep the water dish filled and wait until until the fangs hardens before feeding it again. And don´t worry, everything should go smooth

 

[kooky]

Just leave it be, keep the water dish filled and wait until until the fangs hardens before feeding it again. And don´t worry, everything should go smooth

He doesn't actually have a water dish, i just put drops on the moss for him to drink, but thank you for easing my mind. Im at work for the next 8 hours so ill see how he is when i get back.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

He doesn't actually have a water dish, i just put drops on the moss for him to drink, but thank you for easing my mind. Im at work for the next 8 hours so ill see how he is when i get back.

Good. But anyway, a little sized water dish wouldn't harm. Just in case.

 

[kooky]

Good. But anyway, a little sized water dish wouldn't harm. Just in case.

i'll see if i can find anything to put in then, i only have bottle caps, but they are too big for his enclosure at the moment. thanks for the help

 

[Trenor]

i'll see if i can find anything to put in then, i only have bottle caps, but they are too big for his enclosure at the moment. thanks for the help

You can moisten the sub where you normally do and then (if you have a dropper) add a drop or two to the cage wall in that area in case it needs more after molting. It should be fine. Congratulations.

 

[kooky]

Well i came home to see this, so im gonna say it was a successful moult! Wasn't able to retrieve it as i didint want to disturb the lil guy anymore, hopefully ill be able to take better pictures when he shows himself. dug a nice little mountain as well lol. Somehow he managed to use the moss i put in as a border to the den entrance xD

 

[Trenor]

Well i came home to see this, so im gonna say it was a successful moult! Wasn't able to retrieve it as i didint want to disturb the lil guy anymore, hopefully ill be able to take better pictures when he shows himself. dug a nice little mountain as well lol. Somehow he managed to use the moss i put in as a border to the den entrance xD

Nice, I'd wait till it comes out to go for the molt. Make sure it's hardened up all.

 

[kooky]

Nice, I'd wait till it comes out to go for the molt. Make sure it's hardened up all.

yeah, tbh i got no idea where the moult is, it seems to be buried so im gonna wait a bit before trying to dig around, dont want to stress a freshly moulted t. Im just so relieved that it moulted ok.

 

[viper69]

I'd put that T in a container that is less tall, and more long. And when/if you do that, give it a water dish. No reason not to have one, container too small, then get a new one.

 

[kooky]

I'd put that T in a container that is less tall, and more long. And when/if you do that, give it a water dish. No reason not to have one, container too small, then get a new one.

I thought putting a sling in a container that is too large will stress them out? I have 16oz deli cups that are larger, but this was sort of my step up container between using a vial and using a deli cup. i haven't recovered the moult yet, if there is even one left but i'd say he is just over 2cm now. I dont have an accurate measurement until he comes out of his hole though.

 

[petkokc]

I thought putting a sling in a container that is too large will stress them out?

No matter how big enclosure is, it will never "stress out" a tarantula, it is only harder to feed and maintain it ^^

 

[kooky]

No matter how big enclosure is, it will never "stress out" a tarantula, it is only harder to feed and maintain it ^^

ah thats fine then. I not sure where i heard that the larger enclosures can make them more skittish and scared so to speak but i guess it was dud info. thanks.

 

[ratluvr76]

yeah, tbh i got no idea where the moult is, it seems to be buried so im gonna wait a bit before trying to dig around, dont want to stress a freshly moulted t. Im just so relieved that it moulted ok.

so glad to hear "his" molt went well. most of us here remember the first molt. I was fortunate and had been on the boards and read enough to know what to expect so I was only a little bit nervous for my little one but a lot of people here had serious anxiety when their first T was molting. You are not alone.

I thought putting a sling in a container that is too large will stress them out? I have 16oz deli cups that are larger, but this was sort of my step up container between using a vial and using a deli cup. i haven't recovered the moult yet, if there is even one left but i'd say he is just over 2cm now. I dont have an accurate measurement until he comes out of his hole though.

in a few days, once it's time to harden a little bit, go ahead and rehouse. Then you will have room for a water cap in there so you never have to worry if it's dehydrated, as long as you keep it filled of course. As for the molt, why worry about digging it out? The T will bring it up if it ever decides it's in the way and you can just pick it up during regular maintenance. Most of mine that molt while in their burrows will toss the molt up in time. I have one T that I've never been able to recover a molt from except during re-housing. It webs it's molts into the walls of it's burrow like some kind of morbid wall art lol.

 

[kooky]

in a few days, once it's time to harden a little bit, go ahead and rehouse. Then you will have room for a water cap in there so you never have to worry if it's dehydrated, as long as you keep it filled of course. As for the molt, why worry about digging it out? The T will bring it up if it ever decides it's in the way and you can just pick it up during regular maintenance. Most of mine that molt while in their burrows will toss the molt up in time. I have one T that I've never been able to recover a molt from except during re-housing. It webs it's molts into the walls of it's burrow like some kind of morbid wall art lol.

i automatically call them 'he' if i don't know the gender, its really hard for me to remember to put 'it' at this stage xD. Oh gosh i can imagine the art galleries now of moults. "here is mine from when i was a small 2cm sling..."