Molting

T<KEEPER JT

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
2
Im new to the hobbie. Does anyone know the specific signs of a t molting specificly a rose hair.
 

xhexdx

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
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Jul 20, 2007
Messages
5,357
Welcome to the hobby.

Welcome to the boards.

Start with the stickies, located at the top of each subforum. This one in particular:

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=5292

Then learn how to operate the search function on this site - it will lead you to all the information you could ever ask for, and more. There's a link in my signature to a nifty tutorial on how to use it, created by yours truly.

--Joe
 

smallara98

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Mar 30, 2009
Messages
430
Well they will fast (not eat) for months ! Mine hasn't eaten in 6 months now , so its in premolt most likely . Second , they start getting dark on the abdomen , but it doesn't get bald that much since this species isnt a hair flicker . And welcome to the hobby :)
 

Sleazoid

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
242
Well they will fast (not eat) for months ! Mine hasn't eaten in 6 months now , so its in premolt most likely . Second , they start getting dark on the abdomen , but it doesn't get bald that much since this species isnt a hair flicker . And welcome to the hobby :)
I think all new worlds (Besides Psalmopoeus genus) have the ability to kick hair am I correct?
 

xhexdx

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
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Jul 20, 2007
Messages
5,357
I think all new worlds (Besides Psalmopoeus genus) have the ability to kick hair am I correct?
No, you're not. :}

H. incei is another.

Generally speaking though, yes, new world spiders have urticating hairs.
 

Stan Schultz

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 16, 2004
Messages
1,677
First, "Welcome to the hobby!

And, "Welcome to this forum!"


Im new to the hobbie. Does anyone know the specific signs of a t molting specificly a rose hair.
These may help you ...

http://people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/stansrant.html

http://people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/roses.html

Be sure to read all four books recommended in Stan's Rant. I recommend that you read them in the order they are listed. You need not read them all at once, but within the next few months (say by Christmas or New Years) you should. You can get most at your local, neighborhood, public library (use the Interlibrary Loan System if you need to). Or, you can find a lot of them at local pet shops. Or, you can order them through local book stores. Or, you can order them over the Internet from the 'Net based book sellers. Or, you can order many from the publishers themselves. Lots of options!

By reading these books you'll gain a good, solid foundation to your knowledge about tarantulas and their care. You'll learn what is already known about them. And, you'll be able to ask better focused questions, and be able to interpret the answers better.

[I am assuming here that you live somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere. If not, tell me ASAP!]

Specifically, tarantulas stop eating a few weeks before they molt. (But, they also stop eating for other reasons as well!) If the tarantula in question is a New World tarantula that sheds its urticating bristles from its rump, and if its rump is now bare, the tan or brown, bare spot will turn very dark brown or black ten days to about two weeks before molting. (But, no Old World tarantulas do this, and there are a few New World ones that lack urticating bristles on their rumps as well. Or, what do you do if the bristles haven't been kicked off and there's no bare spot? And, what are "urticating bristles," anyway? Read the books!)

Tarantulas tend to shed their exoskeletons during specific seasons of the year. Those from the Northern Hemisphere usually molt in spring, from March through May, those from the Southern Hemisphere six months later (or earlier, "Alles ist relativ!" [Albert Einstein]). Except that those Southern Hemisphere species that were either bred in captivity or that have made the "Hemisphere scheduling shift" usually molt pretty much like Northern Hemisphere species.

But, some long term, captive tarantulas lose track of the seasons entirely, and molt whenever they feel like it. And, Chilean rose tarantulas (Grammostola rosea) are notorious for not molting at all for up to three years after being brought into captivity while they are making the "Hemisphere shift."

Does this confuse you? Believe me when I say that arachnids in general and tarantulas in particular have been working towards that goal for many hundreds of millions of years. Your confusion is well founded. Reading those books will help a little.

Lastly, I need to draw your attention to the Search link in the gray bar at the top of all the pages in these forums. Until you read those books you can gain a lot of information by learning to use that utility. Be forewarned: Not all the answers you get will be correct. When in doubt, don't be afraid to ask us. "Stupid questions are a lot easier to deal with than stupid mistakes!"

Lastly, has anyone told you about the tarantula enthusiast's lament?

LIKE THOSE POTATO CHIPS, YOU CAN'T HAVE JUST ONE!

Enjoy your newfound little buddy!
 

briarpatch10

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Messages
67
xhexdx...lol knew you would say that!

welcome to the hobby!!! lots of fun lots to learn!
 

Sleazoid

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
242
No, you're not. :}

H. incei is another.

Generally speaking though, yes, new world spiders have urticating hairs.
Thanks, Joe you are like a snapple always giving out information. :cool:
 

SentinelPokie

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 2, 2010
Messages
43
Ec

Originally Posted by xhexdx
No, you're not.

H. incei is another.

Generally speaking though, yes, new world spiders have urticating hairs.
Also a Euphobopus Cyanognathus cant flick hairs through the abdomen
 

Mack&Cass

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Messages
1,574
Tapinauchenius and all new world genera of the subfamily Ischnocolinae (which includes H. incei, like Joe already pointed out) also don't have urticating hairs.

Also, it's not just the Ephebopus cyanognathus that have the urts on their palps, it's all members of Ephebopus.

Cass
 

Sleazoid

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
242
Okay, there are quite a few species that can not kick hairs, but I know G. rosea can. ;) Thanks everyone for the species list.
 
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