L. parahybana not flipping over

aphonopelmapaloma

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Dec 4, 2020
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Hi everyone, I’ve had a female LP for over a year now. Currently, she is a bit over 5” in dls. She stopped eating about a month or so ago. I knew she was going into premolt. In the past couple of weeks, she’s been darkening up and moving sluggishly. She finally laid down a jolt mat yesterday, but didn’t go immediately on it. Last night I observed her going on it, around midnight. It is now 10:03pm and she’s been in the same position. Upright, with her legs covering her face (eyes, carapace area). She has not flipped over and I’m very worried. I do not notice her carapace lifted yet. I’ve tried to look up how long a tarantula will turn after laying a molt mat, but there doesn’t seem to be much info on this. This is her 3rd time molting with me. Live in Los Angeles and it’s been cold lately so I use a space heater to keep my room warm. That’s where I keep them. The lowest the temps go in my room is 64 f and highest between 76-80f. Since I’ve noticed this, I just leave her alone in my room with the lights off. I just check in here and there with a small table light I have in my room. I leave her greasy clean water in her bowl every week and spray the sides because I’ve observed her sucking the water from the sides more so than use the water bowl. I’m just really worried about her attempting to molt upright or get stuck in a molt. Is this a bad sign? Should I give her more time? Are there any other signs I should observe that this is going to be an unsuccessful molt? Thank you everyone for your help.
 

aphonopelmapaloma

Arachnopeon
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Sorry dumb autocorrect, I have no idea why the word “greasy” is in there. And I mean molt not jolt.
 

Poonjab

Arachnoking
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She’s too greasy to flip over. Once the grease dries up, she’ll flip over.
 

vicareux

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They should be flipping over right after webbing the molting mat.
(Here's a timelapse of my T.albo webbing a molting mat,flipping over and molting - just for reference):
Just leave her in that quiet, dark place and give her time :D Also adding a bit more moisture doesn't hurt, she's a decently sized girl.
 

aphonopelmapaloma

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Dec 4, 2020
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They should be flipping over right after webbing the molting mat.
(Here's a timelapse of my T.albo webbing a molting mat,flipping over and molting - just for reference):
Just leave her in that quiet, dark place and give her time :D Also adding a bit more moisture doesn't hurt, she's a decently sized girl.
Thank you! How should I add more moisture? I read not to spray cause their hydration comes from the inside.
 

Dorifto

He who moists xD
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How are you keeping her? If the substrate is dry, yes, add a bit of moisture pouring some water.

Internal hydration is the most important part, but external humidity also plays a role absorbing moisture faster or slower, so if for any reason she isn't well hydrated, that moisture in the substrate will help preventing molting issues.
 

Neonblizzard

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Just give them time. They won't strictly flip as soon as they make a matt, I've seen mine take its sweet time
 

aphonopelmapaloma

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Dec 4, 2020
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Thanks for your responses. She’s still in the same position but I caught her flicking hair as I put some more water in there. I thought she was dead. But is in stress posture.
 

aphonopelmapaloma

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Not necessarily, I've had more than a few specimens make moulting mats several hours or even days before actually attempting to moult.
Thanks for this. I typically see videos that are Timelapse videos so idk exactly how long it takes til the tarantula decides to flip over. I’ve wondered if this can take days after making a molt mat. I had a difficult time finding info on this specific thing. Thank you!
 

Smotzer

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Just be patient and wait, it will eventually flip over when it is ready. They can seek to take a while but they are on they’re schedule not ours. Even if it does molt upright that happens. Just make sure the moisture in the substrate is correct and that it had a full water dish, and then sit back and wait for it to do it’s thing!
 

Dorifto

He who moists xD
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Thanks for this. I typically see videos that are Timelapse videos so idk exactly how long it takes til the tarantula decides to flip over. I’ve wondered if this can take days after making a molt mat. I had a difficult time finding info on this specific thing. Thank you!
It can be from minutes to days. Recently my pulchra molted. She started lying the mat 2 days before molting. In other occasion she laid a mat the same day snd molted withing minutes, when usually she takes several hours.
 

The Grym Reaper

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Thanks for this. I typically see videos that are Timelapse videos so idk exactly how long it takes til the tarantula decides to flip over. I’ve wondered if this can take days after making a molt mat. I had a difficult time finding info on this specific thing. Thank you!
Yeah, those can be a bit misleading. Also, once they flip it can take several hours (or even up to a couple of days for slower growing species) for them to actually pop the carapace and crack on with it.
 
Last edited:

viper69

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I’m just really worried about her attempting to molt upright or get stuck in a molt. Is this a bad sign? Should I give her more time? Are there any other signs I should observe that this is going to be an unsuccessful molt?
You wrote a thesis hah.
Give her more time— WHAT OTHER CHOICE DO YOU HAVE??? :lol: :rolleyes:
There’s nothing you can do or predict. Enjoy
 

aphonopelmapaloma

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You wrote a thesis hah.
Give her more time— WHAT OTHER CHOICE DO YOU HAVE??? :lol: :rolleyes:
There’s nothing you can do or predict. Enjoy
Well, let’s see, I am a beginner and I haven’t seen any of my tarantulas lay on their molt mats for this long? I was genuinely worried. And typically on these posts all the “tarantula experts” tend to ask for as much info as possible so I was trying to do just that. Give as much info as possible to get answers to something I know next to nothing about. There really is no need to be condescending. And what you’ve just posted others have stated so why do you feel the need to repeat yourself? I’ve read the previous comments about having patience already so I’m doing just that.
 

QuinnStarr

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Well, let’s see, I am a beginner and I haven’t seen any of my tarantulas lay on their molt mats for this long? I was genuinely worried. And typically on these posts all the “tarantula experts” tend to ask for as much info as possible so I was trying to do just that. Give as much info as possible to get answers to something I know next to nothing about. There really is no need to be condescending. And what you’ve just posted others have stated so why do you feel the need to repeat yourself? I’ve read the previous comments about having patience already so I’m doing just that.
Love Viper for who he is - Our no BS, sometimes a little caps lock-y, tarantula loving friend. Better to repeat information than have it be glossed over, yeah?

Breathe - in through your nose and out through your mouth. Enjoy your tarantula and let us know when it completes its molt!


They should be flipping over right after webbing the molting mat.
(Here's a timelapse of my T.albo webbing a molting mat,flipping over and molting - just for reference):
Just leave her in that quiet, dark place and give her time :D Also adding a bit more moisture doesn't hurt, she's a decently sized girl.
I’ve yet to actively watch mine flip over so this was awesome. It rolled over like a puppy and now my heart is all melty 😭
 

QuinnStarr

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Thanks for this. I typically see videos that are Timelapse videos so idk exactly how long it takes til the tarantula decides to flip over. I’ve wondered if this can take days after making a molt mat. I had a difficult time finding info on this specific thing. Thank you!
My Brachy made a mat and then curled up on it like a dog bed for 2 days before I clicked the light on one night and - BOOM - it was flipped.
Tarantulas do tarantula things. We just have to trust them to do what they’re designed to do. I’ve never molted, so I just trust that mine are doing what they do best - being a tarantula.
 
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