Lazy curly hair with large bald spot

[Grant Starkman]

Hi all.
I recently purchased a tarantula about two weeks ago. She came with a small bald spot but now the bald spot has become about 60% of her abdomen. About a week ago she started to become very lazy. What is going on with my tarantula? Thanks!

Grant.

 

[Ungoliant]

I recently purchased a tarantula about two weeks ago. She came with a small bald spot but now the bald spot has become about 60% of her abdomen.

Most New World tarantulas (such as Brachypelma albopilosum) have a patch of urticating hairs on the abdomen. They can flick these hairs as a defense mechanism. They may also shed them around their enclosure. (When molting is imminent, some individuals also shed these hairs into their silk molting mats.)

In short, a bald spot is nothing to worry about. It just means your tarantula is a hair-flicker. She will replace those hairs when she molts.

About a week ago she started to become very lazy.

Refusing food and lethargic behavior can be signs of pre-molt. Since your tarantula has a bald spot, you will see it turn dark in the days before she molts.

 

[boina]

As @Ungoliant said, what you are describing is typical premolt behaviour. I guess she will molt in the not so far future and you will have to leave her alone until then.

And for the love of your spider don't put it on a table to take a pic, please. The moment she gets startled and starts running (and that can always happen) she will fall off that table and that big abdomen will split open like an overripe berry. That spells dead tarantula. I've seen it once in person and believe me, it was not a pretty sight.

 

[spotropaicsav]

Agree with above postings. Side note- your title for your post made me wonder if we are talking about a person, or tarantula hahaha

 

[The Grym Reaper]

That is some serious ghetto bootay!

Judging by the size of her abdomen and the behaviour you described I'd say she's in premoult, just let her be and make sure she always has a full water dish.

 

[Trenor]

There is no darkening on the abdomen which should be there if it were in premolt so I don't think it is. I've seen them kick a bunch in transit if the have a rough time shipping or they are stressed out. I'd guess that to be that case here. If it keeps getting bigger over the next few weeks I'd look to see what's stressing it out and making it kick so much.

As stated earlier, you'll have an easy time tell when it does go into premolt since it's so bald. In premolt, the dark spot will start near the spinnerets and move up the back of the abdomen. When the entire abdomen is dark it'll molt.

My girl will go through periods of roaming then she'll go in for weeks where she will be sitting in the same area (almost the same spot). This is not an overly active species compared to a lot of others.

Good luck.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

There is no darkening on the abdomen which should be there if it were in premolt so I don't think it is.

The darkening/swelling of the abdomen doesn't happen until they are in heavy premoult though (which could be upwards of a few weeks away), she definitely looks like she's eaten enough to see her through to her next moult regardless.

 

[Trenor]

The darkening/swelling of the abdomen doesn't happen until they are in heavy premoult though (which could be upwards of a few weeks away), she definitely looks like she's eaten enough to see her through to her next moult regardless.

I guess that depends on what you consider premolt. From the time it hardens up and recovers from the last molt it kicks off the next molt preparations. So really, they are kinda in a stage premolt (well growing really) all the time.

TO me, though, I don't see them as premolt till they start showing a dark spot on the abdomen (which with dark colored hairs some Ts have makes it really hard to see until it gets bigger). Heavy premolt is when the whole abdomen is dark and the molt will happen soon. At smaller sizes a sling can go from premolt (tiny black spot) to heavy premolt (whole abdomen is black) in a day. In larger Ts, (my G.pulchripes for instance) the black spot showed up and then it was 3 more weeks till it had the whole abdomen covered. Then it took three more weeks to actually molt. So it was in premolt for a month and a half by my definition.

Given that this Ts abdomen is creamy at the spinnerets area to me shows it's not in what I consider premolt. A heavily fed T will show signs of lethargy and sluggishness (laziness) just like one that is in premolt. I'd guess that to be the likelier case here. That one does in fact have a big enough abdomen to carry it over to the next molt.

 

[Grant Starkman]

Most New World tarantulas (such as Brachypelma albopilosum) have a patch of urticating hairs on the abdomen. They can flick these hairs as a defense mechanism. They may also shed them around their enclosure. (When molting is imminent, some individuals also shed these hairs into their silk molting mats.)

In short, a bald spot is nothing to worry about. It just means your tarantula is a hair-flicker. She will replace those hairs when she molts.




Refusing food and lethargic behavior can be signs of pre-molt. Since your tarantula has a bald spot, you will see it turn dark in the days before she molts.

Thank you so much. Just noticed today that her bald spot is starting to darken so her first molt that I've had her as pet is coming soon!

 

[Grant Starkman]

As @Ungoliant said, what you are describing is typical premolt behaviour. I guess she will molt in the not so far future and you will have to leave her alone until then.

And for the love of your spider don't put it on a table to take a pic, please. The moment she gets startled and starts running (and that can always happen) she will fall off that table and that big abdomen will split open like an overripe berry. That spells dead tarantula. I've seen it once in person and believe me, it was not a pretty sight.

Thank you so much for the advice, she's really lazy so I wasn't expecting her to move too much. This picture was taken of her on the scale. She's 6 grams.

 

[Grant Starkman]

That is some serious ghetto bootay!

Judging by the size of her abdomen and the behaviour you described I'd say she's in premoult, just let her be and make sure she always has a full water dish.

Thank you!

 

[Grant Starkman]

There is no darkening on the abdomen which should be there if it were in premolt so I don't think it is. I've seen them kick a bunch in transit if the have a rough time shipping or they are stressed out. I'd guess that to be that case here. If it keeps getting bigger over the next few weeks I'd look to see what's stressing it out and making it kick so much.

As stated earlier, you'll have an easy time tell when it does go into premolt since it's so bald. In premolt, the dark spot will start near the spinnerets and move up the back of the abdomen. When the entire abdomen is dark it'll molt.

My girl will go through periods of roaming then she'll go in for weeks where she will be sitting in the same area (almost the same spot). This is not an overly active species compared to a lot of others.

Good luck.

Thank you so much her abdomen is starting to darken just a little...just noticed that today