My first molt ever.

[Avicularia Man]

just went to check on my T's. Well when I picked up my A. Versicolor's cage, I saw what I thought was my spider laying on the ground. It looked dead, so I started getting nervous and opened the cage to check on him and realized it was a molt. At that time, it came running out the cage. I got more nervous because I know they should be left alone for a week or more. Well I managed to get it on my finger and straight back into it's cage I put it. I can't wait to hold it in a week and see the size difference. Here are a few photos i took before putting him away until I try to feed him/her on Jan. 5, 2010.

I have just wet the substrate down yesterday, so I put a new patch down in the corner, so if it wants, it can rest on a dry spot. This is all very cool to me. This is the first time I have ever seen a spider do this. I know the molted skin sure gave me a scare at first.

 

[arachnofiend]

thats a huge water dish for that T. Also the substrate is to wet in my opinion. but awsome looking T!

 

[fatich]

Gratz :clap:

but as l see this container is a little big for her/him

 

[Avicularia Man]

thats a huge water dish for that T. Also the substrate is to wet in my opinion. but awsome looking T!

The water dish is a pop cap. The T's is bigger than it looks, and I added a pile of dry substrate in the corner for it to get on if it wants it dryer. I did add a little to much water yesterday, but it will dry up. Plus the added humidity won't hurt anything.

@Fatish It was 1" before the molt and you are actually looking at most of the container in the photo.

 

[Steve Calceatum]

Congrats on the molt!!!! That's quite a stunning color!!!

I'm curious.....How big is your versi's enclosure? It looks pretty big compared to the spider....which may or may not be a bad thing, depending on your ventilation and humidity technique.

Personally though, I'd wait until your sling has a legspan the size of a 2-litre bottle cap before offering a waterdish. This is merely a suggestion, as not every sling will drown if it is kept with one. Though, it would be wise to prevent accidental drowning rather than risk losing such a beautiful specimen.

 

[Avicularia Man]

Congrats on the molt!!!! That's quite a stunning color!!!

I'm curious.....How big is your versi's enclosure? It looks pretty big compared to the spider....which may or may not be a bad thing, depending on your ventilation and humidity technique.

Personally though, I'd wait until your sling has a legspan the size of a 2-litre bottle cap before offering a waterdish. This is merely a suggestion, as not every sling will drown if it is kept with one. Though, it would be wise to prevent accidental drowning rather than risk losing such a beautiful specimen.

The container is 4"x4"x4". It does have a leg span of a bottle cap if it spreads out. It just looks a lot smaller because of how it is sitting. I do plan on getting smaller containers in the future when I get more slings, but this was the smallest I could find at the time. On the bright side, I don't have the change their containers for a long time. It actually spends most of it's time up in the branches.

 

[Abby]

Beautiful!!!

 

[gumby]

dont worry about sizes of things you are doing great as long as your T can find food and water and as long as she can escape from being to damp ;-)

 

[Avicularia Man]

dont worry about sizes of things you are doing great as long as your T can find food and water and as long as she can escape from being to damp ;-)

Thanks. I did think it was too wet, but I just know to put less water in next time it goes dry. he/she is sitting back up in the branches again. This also explains why it wouldn't eat.

 

[Avicularia Man]

Here is a photo of it before it molted, so you guys get a better idea of it's size.

 

[Avicularia Man]

He it is today with it's new blue.

Here it is with it's new web

 

[Teal]

Very pretty!

 

[TarantulaFanBoy]

Wow man that first Picture is awesome! It is a color i have never seen before. Like a Lightning blue or something. What a great spider. :clap:

 

[Draychen]

AMAZING coloration! It's a cutie! At those sizes, after a molt, if you have a sort of LED light nearby, you'll see what appears to be glitter under their skin. They sparkle so brightly, it's awe-inspiring! CONGRATS on your first molt!

 

[Jilly1337]

Great pics!! Love the colors!! I agree, don't worry so much about the size of this or that.....getting an avic through a molt with all it's limbs says you're doing something right. Keep the pics coming!!

 

[forrestpengra]

I'm sorry to restate the obvious but that substrate is WAYYYY too wet. You might also want a few leaves and lean a piece of cork bark against the side of the enclosure.

I too have an Avic versi about that size and have it in a small Michaels Craft Cube. They are $1 and are the perfect size.

Well done though. I would just dry out your substrate a bit. It's exciting being new the hobby. I can still remember my first molt way back in 1999 (Avic avic)!!!

Enjoy the addiction.

 

[Avicularia Man]

Yeah thanks everybody. I sure do like this little guy (or girl). I liked the color it was when it first molted before hardening into the darker blue it is now, but I still like it's final color as well. Also for those wondering, the substrate is a lot dryer now. Now to get my A. Metallica and B. Emilia to molt. As some of you know, I am also taking care of two more slings (G. Rosea and A. Hentzi) for my kids. Neither of them have molted, but with how the Hentzi hasn't ate, I am thinking it might also be in pre-molt. My Emilia is still got herself closed into her hideout with the substrate pulled up to cover the entrance (pre-molt behavior?). But this guy here is my favorite of them all. He/she sure is a lot more active now that the molt is over. Moves faster than before and jumps a lot more. I love watching them jump, it is so cute.

Again, thanks

 

[Totty]

I want one too.. :drool: Your's a beauty!