Is my sling in Pre-molt?

[snakesocks]

Hi guys. I'm new here.

I recently got my first sling; a Brachypelma Albiceps ~1".
Its behaviour changed a couple of days ago. I don't believe it's eating and it seems lethargic. I think it might be in pre-molt but I found it curled up by its water dish and it may just want more humidity and i'm not experienced enough to know which. I'd rather a few of you guys take a look and tell me what you think. I'll upload a photo taken a few days before this started. Any general care tips for this species would also be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[TriMac33]

Hi guys. I'm new here.

I recently got my first sling; a Brachypelma Albiceps ~1".
Its behaviour changed a couple of days ago. I don't believe it's eating and it seems lethargic. I think it might be in pre-molt but I found it curled up by its water dish and it may just want more humidity and i'm not experienced enough to know which. I'd rather a few of you guys take a look and tell me what you think. I'll upload a photo taken a few days before this started. Any general care tips for this species would also be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Are you able to take a picture of the whole enclosure and what the sling looks like now?

 

[snakesocks]

Are you able to take a picture of the whole enclosure and what the sling looks like now?

Yes. Here's a couple of pictures I took when changing the water. The enclosure is about 5 inches in diameter.

 

[Colorado Ts]

Premoult...the abdomen is going to get darker the closer that the sling gets to its moult; the abdomen is going to get shinier the closer that the sling gets to its molt. In some species, GBBs, for example, the slings will become noticeably lethargic and will stop eating. (All my GBB slings got lethargic, 3 of the 5 stopped eating as they got closer to moulting).

In your image the sling has a nice sizable patch of urticating hairs. I don't see the abdomen as being particularly dark, in fact that dark shadowy veiny looking area on the top of its abdomen, in the close-up image, looks like it could be the heart.

The sling is in the shade so its a bit hard to determine if the abdomen is shiny or not.

Nice pictures though.

 

[TriMac33]

View attachment 326234 View attachment 326235

Yes. Here's a couple of pictures I took when changing the water. The enclosure is about 5 inches in diameter.
View attachment 326234 View attachment 326235

I feel that your setup is appropriate. I will ask though, those white bits in the substrate, is that fertilizer from what ever soil you used? To me your sling looks very plump, which is at the very least an indication that its eating well. When you say it curls up, is it curling up on its front with its legs tucked under its abdomen?

 

[Thekla]

Looks like a completely normal and healthy NW terrestrial sling to me. I might be very well in premoult, but don't get worried if it won't moult in the next couple of weeks/months. These are extremely slow growers and it still might take a pretty long time to finally moult. As plump as it looks you don't need to worry about food, just keep the water dish full and parts of the substrate moist (not wet!). And remove those mealworm bits if it doesn't eat them or they might attract all kinds of nastiness.

My B. emilia sling hasn't eaten for 2 months now and it still doesn't look as if it would moult any time soon.

 

[snakesocks]

I feel that your setup is appropriate. I will ask though, those white bits in the substrate, is that fertilizer from what ever soil you used? To me your sling looks very plump, which is at the very least an indication that its eating well. When you say it curls up, is it curling up on its front with its legs tucked under its abdomen?

Thanks for the reply. The substrate is a mix of coconut fibre & vermiculite that my friend made up. There is no fertilizer present.
'Curled up' was perhaps a bad choice of words. It was in the protective posture when they stay very close to the ground and bunch their knees together on top. It wasn't dying.

 

[TriMac33]

Thanks for the reply. The substrate is a mix of coconut fibre & vermiculite that my friend made up. There is no fertilizer present.
'Curled up' was perhaps a bad choice of words. It was in the protective posture when they stay very close to the ground and bunch their knees together on top. It wasn't dying.

Oh, ok! Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Vanisher]

Yes B albiceps are so slowgrowing that you get more action out of seeing a oaktree grow! This species IME eats very seldom even as a sling! If your sling stops eating it does not automaticly means premoult. It could, but they are picky! A G rosea sling eats like an A geniculata in comparison, atleast in my experience!