tamra
Arachnopeon
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2021
- Messages
- 10
This morning I glanced over at Kuku's enclosure (T. Albopilosus, approx 2.5-3 yrs) and thought for a second she had died and I was heartbroken: she's splayed out completely limp on her back. I do know this is how T's molt, but when you see it for the first time, it's still bloody alarming. I had an idea she was ready to molt because yesterday she was out in front of her hide raising her legs one at a time like she was stretching them out and I inferred she might be loosening her exoskeleton, which I now assume to be correct.
I'd feel better if she was moving, but a quick scan through my camera feed shows she has twitched a bit and I see some loosening of her exoskeleton on the underside around the leg joins. I really appreciate that my camera feed lets me scrub through the footage and pick up really subtle movements because it's not detectable in real time.
Now for the really scary part: I have a camera on her at all times so when I add a cricket if she doesn't grab it immediately I can scan my footage and see if she got it. But my Google camera disconnected recently and would not reconnect, so I wasn't able to check the other day. Now I'm worried the cricket is still in there because I gave it to her three days ago and they don't eat this close to a molt, right? I've been looking for it for a few days and can't find it. I have the camera working now and I'm monitoring for any sign of it. I'm hopeful she got it or it died in the meantime because they don't much much of a lifespan.
It's amazing how you can become so attached to these weird little alien creatures. It's going to be a nervewracking day.
Still, really cool that she's comfortable enough to molt in the open. The first time she spent two weeks building up substrate around her hide entrance then collapsed the entrance. She was underground for a few weeks before she dug back out. The second time she left the entrance open, but stayed hidden underground about 2 weeks. Now she's right out on the ground. I assume she feels quite secure to do that.
I promised her a much larger enclosure after next molt so I guess I have some work to do ...
Whew, lots more movement now. I feel better. I'll see if I can post a timelapse video when she's done. In the meantime, here is a gratuitous fuzzy spider bum for those who think T's don't drink out of a water bowl.
I'd feel better if she was moving, but a quick scan through my camera feed shows she has twitched a bit and I see some loosening of her exoskeleton on the underside around the leg joins. I really appreciate that my camera feed lets me scrub through the footage and pick up really subtle movements because it's not detectable in real time.
Now for the really scary part: I have a camera on her at all times so when I add a cricket if she doesn't grab it immediately I can scan my footage and see if she got it. But my Google camera disconnected recently and would not reconnect, so I wasn't able to check the other day. Now I'm worried the cricket is still in there because I gave it to her three days ago and they don't eat this close to a molt, right? I've been looking for it for a few days and can't find it. I have the camera working now and I'm monitoring for any sign of it. I'm hopeful she got it or it died in the meantime because they don't much much of a lifespan.
It's amazing how you can become so attached to these weird little alien creatures. It's going to be a nervewracking day.
Still, really cool that she's comfortable enough to molt in the open. The first time she spent two weeks building up substrate around her hide entrance then collapsed the entrance. She was underground for a few weeks before she dug back out. The second time she left the entrance open, but stayed hidden underground about 2 weeks. Now she's right out on the ground. I assume she feels quite secure to do that.
I promised her a much larger enclosure after next molt so I guess I have some work to do ...
Whew, lots more movement now. I feel better. I'll see if I can post a timelapse video when she's done. In the meantime, here is a gratuitous fuzzy spider bum for those who think T's don't drink out of a water bowl.
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