mexican redleg pre molt?

andrewz17

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 19, 2011
Messages
16
hey, this is my first T and it never molted yet while i had it, it hasnt eaten in about a month now and i took this photo when it came out of the coconut hut where it has been mosin for days and days at a time, im guessing it came out for a drink. hard to tell in photo but the abdomen is a solid dark bluish color, and the legs are turning white, pre molt? what u guys think

 

andrewz17

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 19, 2011
Messages
16
ok thanks, since this is my first T / molt experience, ive based most of my T knowledge online research, i mostly just hear 2 weeks tops of the T not eating, but i guess all of them are different, i just thought one month was too long and for it being about 1-2"
and yet again just went back into the hut, and what is the easiest way to measure the temp inside the cage, cause at night it can get pretty chilly (i always keep top on and moist / full water) will temp affect it in a big way?
 

Londoner

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
846
There's a real danger of overthinking and micro-managing everything when it comes to your first T. The best way to get an accurate temperature reading is to invest in a good quality digital thermometer (not the crappy round, plastic dial type), but you really don't need to when it comes to your species of T. Unless your house gets icy cold for extended periods of time, it's not a problem. Lower temps will just slow the T's metabolism down and it will be less active. My thermo spends most of it's time in a drawer doing nothing.

I only have one adult female B. boehmei at the moment but like the others I've kept, her substrate is kept relatively dry with just a wide waterdish. They've all done well and molted fine in these conditions.

Good luck.
 

sjl197

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
240
Its abdomen is very big. I suggest it stopped eating because you were being slightly too enthusiastic with the amount of food, and it chose not to accept anymore. Yes, it could now be in premoult though. It would appreciate slightly more humidity when moulting, so you can overfill the waterdish for example.

Its difficult to tell if they are in premoult when there is not a bald patch on the abdomen. I never noticed legs changing colour. If it goes more quiet and hides, then best not disturb it. Especially if it seals itself in the coconut, best not disturb. It needs quiet and no feed insects around when moulting... it will be fine i suspect, looks heathy!

enjoy
 

phoenixxavierre

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 9, 2002
Messages
1,293
In pre-molt you'll notice on Brachys that their skin will turn a pencil lead color, and even looks kinda shiny like pencil lead. That's when you know the time is very near! (I've found that this almost always results in a molt within a week once it's abdomen gets that pencil lead look).
 

gmrpnk21

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
319
In pre-molt you'll notice on Brachys that their skin will turn a pencil lead color, and even looks kinda shiny like pencil lead. That's when you know the time is very near! (I've found that this almost always results in a molt within a week once it's abdomen gets that pencil lead look).
Nice analogy! I have called almost every molt i've had so far. The only one I don't know about is my A. avicularia because she webbed up weeks ago and I can't see her.
 
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