Molt Questions....help!

bradk

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 17, 2003
Messages
24
Hi, I have had my Chaco Giant Mustard T for about 3-4 years and it is begining its second molt now. Infact, I came into my office this morning and there was a wet spot underneath it and it was motionless for hours. I was just about to write her off for dead and i saw a slight movement after touching her. Now 3-4 hours later the flap has opened and the abdoman is about 40% exposed. Unfortunately I have crickets in there. Should i remove them or will anything in the tank in terms of movement be bad.

Also, if she gets into trouble on the molt is there anything i can do to help her get through it? I lost a Bird Eating T a few years ago in a molt.

Any suggestions?

brad@dva.com
 

speedreader

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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May 14, 2005
Messages
330
I think you must remove crickets lest they harm the spider.
I think you need to be either an expert or desperate to touch the T during molt.
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
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Feb 13, 2006
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Take the crickets out if you can, just incase. Sometimes hungery crickets will come up to a molting T and eat it right where it is and it cant defend itself.

As for what you can do if it ends up being a bad molt it really depends on how bad the molt is. For now things sound like they are moving along just fine so let her do her thing.
 

P. Novak

ArachnoGod
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Sep 12, 2005
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Remove the crickets ASAP! They can kill the T from stress or by attacking it when it is in it's most fragile state, during or after a molt.

Whatever you do don't touch the T. If she really gets in trouble, like being stuck then just take her whole cage into the bathroom and set her on the counter, run the hot water so it gets very humid and hopefully makes it easier for the T to molt by losening the exo.
 

138

Arachnoknight
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Oct 2, 2004
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like said previously, GENTLY remove the crickets ASAP. try not to rattle the enclosure too much or cause alot of comotion in there.
 

bradk

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 17, 2003
Messages
24
Thanks. They are kinda hard to get out of there. They are very small crickets compared to her. They are under her....looks like they are more interested in the exo and the bit of liquid that leaked from her.

Abodmen is about 75% out....now for the legs. She is a big one, about 6-7 inches across.
 

Boo

Arachnosquire
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Oct 18, 2006
Messages
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Hi, I have had my Chaco Giant Mustard T for about 3-4 years and it is begining its second molt now. Infact, I came into my office this morning and there was a wet spot underneath it and it was motionless for hours. I was just about to write her off for dead and i saw a slight movement after touching her. Now 3-4 hours later the flap has opened and the abdoman is about 40% exposed. Unfortunately I have crickets in there. Should i remove them or will anything in the tank in terms of movement be bad.

Also, if she gets into trouble on the molt is there anything i can do to help her get through it? I lost a Bird Eating T a few years ago in a molt.

Any suggestions?

brad@dva.com
I just did orthopedic surgery on my sling L. difficilis; unfortunately, it didn't make it. I waited too long to take action.
Do you have a cpoy of the Tarantula keepers Guide ? It explains everything in there.
 

Boo

Arachnosquire
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Oct 18, 2006
Messages
58
Remove the crickets ASAP! They can kill the T from stress or by attacking it when it is in it's most fragile state, during or after a molt.

Whatever you do don't touch the T. If she really gets in trouble, like being stuck then just take her whole cage into the bathroom and set her on the counter, run the hot water so it gets very humid and hopefully makes it easier for the T to molt by losening the exo.
If it is really stuck and the bathroom humidity doesn't work take a Q-tip with warm soapy water and dab it on the area that is stuck. Be exteremly careful not to drip any liquid into the booklungs.
 

bradk

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 17, 2003
Messages
24

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Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
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Feb 13, 2006
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Ya it looks like she passed. She have full access to water all the time?
Sometimes things happen, however next time you see a molt occuring dont touch her. Ts dont set out to die on their backs.
Sorry for the loss.
 

bradk

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 17, 2003
Messages
24
You know I just flipped her over and picked her up and her adobman moved and a leg moved...not sure if it is some life or just the settling of her exo. Any last ditch effort to attempt a dramtic save if she is alive?

Should I peak off the old exo? I guess it couldnt hurt, right?

Brad
 

Mushroom Spore

Arachnoemperor
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Oct 14, 2005
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STOP TOUCHING HER

Carefully move the tank into the bathroom like others suggested, if you must, but stop touching, moving, flipping, and otherwise disrupting her. You're only going to make it worse, not better.
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
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Ahh well, shes really really stuck, I dont see how you are going to get her out the rest of the way without making a mess of it.

If you get an eye dropper and make a soapy warm water soultion you can drip that into the area of the leg openings of the molt.Avoid the book lungs! The idea would be to soften up the old skin to allow the new and proberly harded skin to be freed more easily.

But when they are that stuck I have never seen someone get one out alive. I am sure there might be one or two out there that had the resources to have "sugery" but most of us dont.
You can try the mentioned above. She very well may still be alive. As long as her old abdomen skin was released then her new book lungs are functioning but shes still trapped.
But if it gets messy and you think its to much you should freeze her. Shes not exactly comfortable right now.
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
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STOP TOUCHING HER

Carefully move the tank into the bathroom like others suggested, if you must, but stop touching, moving, flipping, and otherwise disrupting her. You're only going to make it worse, not better.
I get what you are saying but she popped her top yesterday and there has been zero progress since then. He should try and aid by softening up the molt or thats just the end of it. It might be the end ither way.

Your going to want to drip that warm soultion at the base of where the legs are coming out, in the area circled and on both sides. Then because you dont really have anything to hold and pull you might just have to see if she can get any farther out on her own, and if not, freeze her.

 
Last edited:

Nitibus

Arachnodemon
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Feb 7, 2007
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728
Brad

This is the second T you've lost to bad moults, and it looks like you have only had 2. The only time you post on these boards is AFTER it's too late. May I make a suggestion : Either do more research or DON'T get another T !

Your enclosure looked like a mess : is that egg carton I see in the pic ? When was the last time you spot cleaned the cage for prey remains ? Have you been cleaning and filling their water dish ? Why the hell are live crickets still in there during a moult ? I could continue but I think you get the point !

I don't mean to come across as a dink... I am sorry for your loss. Yet, we here on AB have had many T's and many moults with no problems. You have to ask yourself why you're different...
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
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This is the second T you've lost to bad moults, and it looks like you have only had 2. The only time you post on these boards is AFTER it's too late. May I make a suggestion : Either do more research or DON'T get another


Very good point. :clap:

Aside from bashing how he might be keeping them do keep in mind sometimes things just happened. Maybe its bad luck. Just about everyone that has kept Ts for a long period has had weird rashes of unexlained deaths.

But still a good point. If you dont keep them properly you can only expect problems.
 

bradk

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 17, 2003
Messages
24
I have had 2 successful molts and now two bad ones.

I couldn't get all the crickets without disturbing the T.

Yes, there is water. I mist the cage and the T everyday or two. I have had this T for almost 4 years. Probably not the most experienced T handler but I have know folks to loose alot more than 2 T's in 5 years total.

If you have any other suggestions I am all ears.
 

speedreader

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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May 14, 2005
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330
misting more than weekly is bad for most T-s.
Full waterdish is sufficient for adults. I reserve misting for small Ts that can't use waterdish.
I mist bigger Ts' enclosures monthly or so.
 

bradk

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 17, 2003
Messages
24
All that aside....at what point to I give up on this molt? It has been about 28-30 hours since the Exo first opened up.
 

IdahoBiteyThing

Arachnobaron
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Mar 2, 2007
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598
misting

Brad, says you're in Florida, I'm guessing that low humidity isn't really too much of a problem there?? I keep my Chaco (& other Grammostolas/Brachy's) very dry, but with water dishes always full. Dry substrate as well (coco or peat). Could this be an issue of too much humidity? I can't imagine what consequences too much humidity would cause in a molt situation, anyone have any ideas? What kind of substrate do you use? Any chance one of the crix killed her? You said there seemed to be a lot of fluid present; did any of it look like hemolymph, or can you see any injuries? Dunno, I'm kind of grasping at straws here, but maybe someone with more experience will have some thoughts about how to prevent in the future? Sorry you lost a big, cool T like that. Tony
 
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