Is my tarantula stuck in molt?

[dfrog219]

First post, definetly not last. But i acquired an A.avic about 4 weeks ago. Not long after I got it, it entered pre molt, it hasn't eaten for about two weeks and this morning(technically yesterday morning) around 10:AM, I found him/her on her back in a web it made across all 4 corners of the enclosure. I'm concerned because the space it chose is very tiny in the top corner of the enclosure. It's about 3:00 AM now and it appears to still be molting, almost like it's stuck. I might just be freaking out since I'm extremely new to this and it knows what it's doing, but I'm just afraid it's stuck and I can't lift the enclosure lid because The webbing is attached to the lid and it's still doing its thing then that would just disturb her and make it even worse, can't get any great pictures either but the attached ones are what I could get.

 

[Ungoliant]

The first photo shows new (white) fangs, so that is a good sign. (The most hopeless cases are the ones where the fangs/chelicerae are stuck.)

Are you sure it's not completely out of the old exuviae? Sometimes after molting, they look like they are cuddling with their exuviae, and it can be hard to make sense of all those legs, especially through silk.

 

[Venom1080]

Yeah, looks like it's already out. Even if a leg is stuck it's not a big deal.

 

[dfrog219]

Yeah it was out. False alarm! I just got freaked because I recently lost my first Tarantula because she got stuck while molting. And for any part of this one being stuck, (I wouldn't really call it that) the top of the abdomen looks like it's still hanging on by a thread on it. I think I scared it when I opened its enclosure to remove the molt though, lol.Thanks for the help!

 

[MetalMan2004]

Congrats on your first molt. Many more to come I'm sure. They get easier (on you anyways) but still can be plenty stressful.

 

[Andrea82]

Yeah it was out. False alarm! I just got freaked because I recently lost my first Tarantula because she got stuck while molting. And for any part of this one being stuck, (I wouldn't really call it that) the top of the abdomen looks like it's still hanging on by a thread on it. I think I scared it when I opened its enclosure to remove the molt though, lol.Thanks for the help!

Careful with getting the molt out if your spider just molted. You could do serious damage if you accidentally touch it while it is soft, especially when it is right beside the spider. No need to get the molt out right away

 

[mconnachan]

Thank goodness for that, congratulations on your first moulting experience, cracking sp. you'll have a lot more in the future believe me, cause it doesn't stop at 1, before the end of June I suspect you will have acquired more, it's so addictive for so many reasons. Post a picture in a few days once the spider has recovered from the moult, as @Andrea82 said there's no hurry to get the moult and disturb the spider.

 

[darkness975]

Yeah it was out. False alarm! I just got freaked because I recently lost my first Tarantula because she got stuck while molting. And for any part of this one being stuck, (I wouldn't really call it that) the top of the abdomen looks like it's still hanging on by a thread on it. I think I scared it when I opened its enclosure to remove the molt though, lol.Thanks for the help!

In the future, you should not try to get the molt out for a while. It will not rot or anything so no need to risk hurting the spider. Unless it gets thrown out of the web tube, don't bother for a couple weeks.

 

[JoshDM020]

This is really off topic, but it seems pretty much settled so i dont feel too bad. I just have to say how much i like the shiny multiple colors on the bottoms of the feet. I didnt notice them on mine until he molted. Now i look for it every chance i get. Dont know why. Just do. Anyways, congrats on the successful molt. I never get to see the process because they choose to do it while im gone or sleeping.

 

[Ellenantula]

Glad your avic had a successful moult.
I have never been able to retrieve an avic complete exo due to the extremely heavy webbing. Usually my avic rejects her exo after a while (usually pushing it further down towards bottom), and by the time it is accessible -- it is so dried and crunchy - it breaks upon removal.

Glad yours ended well though.

 

[Anoplogaster]

Oh, just wait until she comes out and displays herself! A. avics take on a really nice sort of navy blue color fresh out of a molt. It darkens to almost black after a couple months. Here's one of my Sasha after her last molt:

 

[Ungoliant]

I have never been able to retrieve an avic complete exo due to the extremely heavy webbing. Usually my avic rejects her exo after a while (usually pushing it further down towards bottom), and by the time it is accessible -- it is so dried and crunchy - it breaks upon removal.

They can't just let you take their twinkle toes.