Mexican Red Knee Trouble

[nominds]

ok i got a mexican red knee who is about 5 months old and she did something really wierd today hopefully maybe you guys can explain it ..
before she molts she usualy gets this bald spot on her back abdomain but she molted like last month and she's been doing fine well for the past couple of days now she's been sitting in the corner of her tank and she's always is in the same spot now she was doing the same thing again this morning and maybe 3 to 4 hours later she's flat on her back i don't know if she's going to molt cause she's really not showing signs of it so maybe you ppl can explain whats wrong ...any help will be appericated

 

[abstract]

unless it's legs are curled up underneath him - i'd say you have another molt in progress....

 

[atmosphere]

It's molting I wouldn't mess with it. I've read that spiders don't die like that if its legs where curled underneath you would have a problem.But just leave it and let it molt.

 

[hk4989]

no problem^^;;

i think there's no problem^^

 

[nominds]

ok it's now 1:15 EST and she has started to come out of her molt
abd i just find it wierd cause she really did'nt leave any signs that she was going to most

 

[atmosphere]

Thats great news !

 

[abstract]

Yes that is good news - You said that it sat in it's corner for a couple of days, then flipped upside down - those would seem like signs of an upcoming molt in my opinion

Did you notice the bald spot darkening any time over this period? Often my spiders bald spots will turn from light colored to near black prior to a molt....

 

[Palespider]

The balding of the abdomen comes from kicking urticating hairs.

On a approaching molt the abdomen darkens - this is the new exoskeleton growing underneath.

Jim B.

 

[Arachnopuppy]

I say that the tarantula is itching like crazy and is only trying to scratch its back.

 

[Godzilla2000]

Originally posted by nominds
ok i got a mexican red knee who is about 5 months old and she did something really wierd today hopefully maybe you guys can explain it ..
before she molts she usualy gets this bald spot on her back abdomain but she molted like last month and she's been doing fine well for the past couple of days now she's been sitting in the corner of her tank and she's always is in the same spot now she was doing the same thing again this morning and maybe 3 to 4 hours later she's flat on her back i don't know if she's going to molt cause she's really not showing signs of it so maybe you ppl can explain whats wrong ...any help will be appericated

I was just wondering, have you ever raised slings or molting Tarantulas before?

 

[nominds]

to anwser some of your questions

yes i had a mexican red leg for a few year who last year passed away from old age this mexican red knee is my second T i ever owned

now as for her adomen usualy she would have a bald spot before she molts but this time around she did'nt have a bald spot at all what seemed kinda wierd to me this is her 3 molt since i had her
but she's fully out of her skin now and is resting seems to be doing good and really did'nt have any diffaculties

 

[Bry]

Originally posted by lam
I say that the tarantula is itching like crazy and is only trying to scratch its back.

Hey, that's my line!

Are Brachys typically slow growers as far as T's go? Or is molting once a month pretty commonplace for a B. smithi that's only 5 months old?

Bry

 

[Palespider]

Originally posted by Bry
Hey, that's my line!

Are Brachys typically slow growers as far as T's go? Or is molting once a month pretty commonplace for a B. smithi that's only 5 months old?

Bry

One of the slowest growers out there. Once a month is actually as fast as a P. regalis or P ornata which molt more frequently than most other T's do. I'd expect your smithi's molting to slow down considerably in the next instar or two.
Some adults only molt once a year!

 

[Palespider]

And not all Brachypelma's are slow growers. B. vagans grows like a weed!

Jay on the tarantulas.com forum said he knew of a guy who got a B. smithi (not sure if male or female) to mature in 2 years by power feeding it

Jim B.

 

[Bry]

Which would you say is slower, a B. smithi or a G. pulchra of the same sex and similar feeding regimen?

Bry

 

[Mendi]

I'd have to say G.pulchra is the slower grower, at least in my collection. And one of my fastest growers are B.albopilosum, I've got a couple I bought about 14 months ago that should mature with the next molt. My B.smithi and B.emilia have been the slowest growers of all my Brachypelma's though, but they the females are supposed to be some of the longest lived too