I honestly had no idea my tarantula was molting. Is that weird? It didn't eat anything for over a month now, but I thought I'd at least see it on its back or something. Since I put it in the new enclosure, it found its happy corner and I had a really hard time peeking in at it, unless I wanted to move around the leaves, but I never did. I still checked on it through the glass as best as I could at least twice a day and this morning I went in and noticed a few more legs than usual, then saw the fangs of the molt, yet the body of the actual tarantula was huddled nearby but positioned in such a way that fang view should be impossible. I was a mixture of excited and scared because I thought 'IT MOLTED, NO WAY' but at the same time, since I'm brand new to the hobby, I was concerned. I peeked at it through the glass with a flashlight and its got beautiful colors. When I gently removed the molt, it moved a little (being as the molt was literally right next to it) and from what I saw, everything seems to be just fine. Is it common for tarantulas to suddenly molt out of sight in less than 24 hours, or was it happening for a while and I just didn't notice it thanks to my noob status? Thank god I didn't decide to move the enclosure or anything.
Molting Overnight
- Thread starter Azarath
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GG80
Arachnoknight
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I agree, it's so nice to wake up to a happy molted T than to come across the T beginning a molt and spend an hour or more worrying that everything will be ok.
I love coming home to a molted T. I get nervous once they make their mat.
To the OP, I wouldnt say it molted out of nowhere. When in premolt they refuse food, get super sluggish and swollen, and depending on their color, turn noticeably dark. I always look for them making or already made their molting mat. That's how I know that within a few hours they'll be molting. There have been times I was expecting a molt within a few days to a week and by the time I got home the mat was made and the 7.5 inch spider was successfully molted. I've also had a spider only refuse food for a few days and molt. It's just something you'd really have to be looking for or you'll probably miss it.
To the OP, I wouldnt say it molted out of nowhere. When in premolt they refuse food, get super sluggish and swollen, and depending on their color, turn noticeably dark. I always look for them making or already made their molting mat. That's how I know that within a few hours they'll be molting. There have been times I was expecting a molt within a few days to a week and by the time I got home the mat was made and the 7.5 inch spider was successfully molted. I've also had a spider only refuse food for a few days and molt. It's just something you'd really have to be looking for or you'll probably miss it.
truecreature
Arachnoknight
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Mine all like to molt overnight, so when I wake up in the morning it's like getting a visit from the exuvia fairy (distant cousin of the tooth fairy)
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Between my slings there have been seven molts among the three of them (i think) and i managed to cath them in the act four times. I think it is nice to see the difference after a molt. I am probably the opposite of those who like to come home to fresh molts, although i do like surprises, but i prefer keeping an eye on them in case one were to get stuck. Only one of my slings molts during the night, the other two during the day.
lalberts9310
Arachnoprince
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My P. Irminia molted once right under my nose.. and I didn't notice. I was to busy feeding and cleaning my other T's enclosure that I didn't see it molt. The one moment she was webbing and the next she was chowing down on her exuvium.. literally molted in 30 minutes (3" in legspan now), and she ate a large cricket 2 days prior to the molt, so I didn't see that one coming.
miss moxie
Arachnoprince
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Absolutely not weird at all. Honestly, there are a few factors at play. First of all, smaller tarantulas take less time to molt than larger ones. So they may be done within a few hours. Also how much you spend in the room with them. If you're only in there to occasionally observe, or just to care for them then it makes sense you won't be there when one flips over to molt. And the bigger your collection, the more surprise molts you're going to have. I've had the good fortune (and misfortune, like 14pokies said-- all I do is worry until it's over) to see three of my tarantulas on their back before they molt. I've had more than three tarantulas molt for me. Most I find still hardening up, next to their exo.
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I love how my a purpurea sling kicked her exuvium out of her tube web. 
miss moxie
Arachnoprince
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"Done with this. Take it away, peasant."I love how my a purpurea sling kicked her exuvium out of her tube web.
Poec54
Arachnoemperor
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Every time I feed and water I find new molts in cages. Sometimes during a couple rainy days in the middle of the dry season, I'll have 2 or 3 dozen adults/subadults molt.
You'd think big ones would take long. I had a mass molt over the summer. I came home to 3 adult tarantulas fully molted, one was 7.5 inches. Molting mat and molt was done over the period of like 5 hours. They must have cannoned out or something. Im surprised they didnt grow wings or something. Gotta love those weird exceptions.
Well, it did refuse food since the day I got it, but I figured it was because it hadn't settled yet. My second thought was it could have been nearing a molt, because I remember the pet store lady constantly muttering how small it was like she was surprised. She cared for it every day, so I'm not sure how she never noticed how small it was, but alright. Since she was so surprised it was small, I figured perhaps it's going to molt soon. Not sure how my brain came up with that logic, but there it was. Anyway, there was no mat or anything. It just hung out in the same corner as always and I'd get up in the morning and start my routine with taking a peek at it, then get ready and leave and I'd take another peek at it when I get home and/or before going to bed. There's hardly any webbing, let alone a mat. I have no idea how it molted with the cramped awkward conditions of that corner, but I'm just glad it seems to be okay. It is thrilling though. I was reading the previous posts about how exciting it is, and I have to say, I was almost as giddy as a school girl. When my friend stopped by to carpool us to school the next day, I was showing her the exuvia and was almost as excited as a kid on Christmas. She was pretty interested too though, so it wasn't a complete annoyance, I guess.
annanlove19
Arachnosquire
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I had a surprise molt yesterday! It was my first molt (I have six Ts but acquired them fairly quickly) and honestly I'm really glad I wasn't expecting it, I would've freaked. My a. genic sling Katie ate just find on feeding day, three days before her molt, and while she seemed a little darker to me, because she'd eaten and there wasn't a mat, I definitely wasn't expecting it. It took her maybe three or four hours? I came back in just in time to see her flip rightside up!
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GG80
Arachnoknight
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Wasn't there a video posted by a member here a while back of a sling molting on his hand? I think it was a P. metallica. That must have raised the blood pressure .
.Well, it did refuse food since the day I got it, but I figured it was because it hadn't settled yet. My second thought was it could have been nearing a molt, because I remember the pet store lady constantly muttering how small it was like she was surprised. She cared for it every day, so I'm not sure how she never noticed how small it was, but alright. Since she was so surprised it was small, I figured perhaps it's going to molt soon. Not sure how my brain came up with that logic, but there it was. Anyway, there was no mat or anything. It just hung out in the same corner as always and I'd get up in the morning and start my routine with taking a peek at it, then get ready and leave and I'd take another peek at it when I get home and/or before going to bed. There's hardly any webbing, let alone a mat. I have no idea how it molted with the cramped awkward conditions of that corner, but I'm just glad it seems to be okay. It is thrilling though. I was reading the previous posts about how exciting it is, and I have to say, I was almost as giddy as a school girl. When my friend stopped by to carpool us to school the next day, I was showing her the exuvia and was almost as excited as a kid on Christmas. She was pretty interested too though, so it wasn't a complete annoyance, I guess.
Hahahaha. Im picturing this lady walking around muttering. Maybe you didn't see the mat because the spider was so tiny. Idk. It's always exciting when you don the expect it. Oh god, if I showed my friends an exuvium they'd try to kill it.
annanlove19
Arachnosquire
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Oh good lord I'd have a heart attack.Wasn't there a video posted by a member here a while back of a sling molting on his hand? I think it was a P. metallica. That must have raised the blood pressure
Sana
Arachnoprince
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That sounds like something went wrong all the way around. Who would want a p. metallica on their hand, let alone molting?