My first T just had its first molt

Grunyon

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 20, 2013
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12
I wasn't even expecting it. I just woke up this morning and it looked like two Ts lol... I just got her maybe 5 days ago. She's a juvenile GBB at a good 2" probably more now. Anyway I was going to transfer her out of the deli cup and into a better enclosure this weekend. Should I wait? Could I place the cup into the enclosure and let her crawl out? If I crush a superworms head can she eat?
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
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Apr 8, 2016
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3,013
No. You need to wait until it has hardened and fangs are black before feeding then rehouse to larger enclosure.
 

Kayis

Arachnopeon
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Sep 26, 2016
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37
I'd allow a week for it to recover and harden up before doing anything.
 

mack1855

Arachnoangel
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Sep 5, 2016
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In the meantime,crack open a bottle of champagne!!! Congrats.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
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Dec 8, 2006
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All Ts molt, after they molt, they go through a hardening period, and they stretch themselves out, you'll see this. Once they are done stretching (could be days or more) and resume typical body postures, that's when I move them.

Make sure you have a water dish, a syringe w/a blunt needle for water too, or your T might die.
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
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Mar 7, 2012
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4,096
Anyway I was going to transfer her out of the deli cup and into a better enclosure this weekend. Should I wait? Could I place the cup into the enclosure and let her crawl out?
Congrats on your first molt!

When you are ready to rehouse your GBB (do not feed or rehouse until its fangs are black), try to prepare against any escapes beforehand. While GBBs aren't lightning-fast, they are faster than some of the other common starter terrestrials, and you might be surprised how fast they can be when they want to be.

I do my rehousing in a large bin so that if the tarantula bolts, there is another wall of security before it can actually escape. Keep a catch-cup on hand, and ideally, a second person for backup. Some people also work in bathtubs (with a shower curtain pulled closed and a towel under the door) for extra security when dealing with flighty species.

If your current deli cup is small enough to fit in the new enclosure, you can set it in there and open it, close the new enclosure, and then just reach in to remove the deli cup once the tarantula has moved out. This is one of the easiest and least stressful rehousing methods.

Otherwise, you can try the catch-cup method or the side-to-side method. (That just means putting the two enclosures right next to each other and trying to prod her out of the first and into the second.)

Googling arachnoboards.com with search terms should pull up some additional instructions or videos.
 
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