Need a little educating...

electra

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
19
I’m reading all these posts here trying to learn, and I don’t see any explanation of a “pre-moult”. How can you tell if a T is in this stage, how long does it last, what impact does it have on it and me (food, activity, environment, etc)? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought the moult was to grow, so adults do not moult. I also have read that if a T losses a partial leg, it grows back the next moult. An adult then can go it’s entire adult life that way? So how can you tell when they are full-grown?

There, that’s my question of the week. John.
 

ballpython2

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 28, 2007
Messages
1,670
I’m reading all these posts here trying to learn, and I don’t see any explanation of a “pre-moult”. How can you tell if a T is in this stage, how long does it last, what impact does it have on it and me (food, activity, environment, etc)? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought the moult was to grow, so adults do not moult. I also have read that if a T losses a partial leg, it grows back the next moult. An adult then can go it’s entire adult life that way? So how can you tell when they are full-grown?

There, that’s my question of the week. John.

Some signs of pre molt are:

- T that usually ate weekly doesnt want to eat at all.

-New world species tarantulas (the more docile ones) abdomens turn a blackish color and when it gets 100% black that is the new exoskeleton being completed underneath the old to replace the size of the T.

-Some Tarantulas block off their hide entrance and do not come out until AFTER they have molted.

- I think (correct me if I'm wrong) once a tarantula's abdomen gets about 3 sizes bigger than its top half it will probably stop eating and since its abdomen is so big it will have enough food sources within its body to fast until the next molt.

- Some tarantulas that are known to be docile (not counting the rose hair because this species seems to not have a "normal" personality of any kind) may get more defensive and/or skittish. And Vice versa for the more defensive Ts like ones from from asia / africa...Old worlds

-As i said before with the blocking of the entrances to the hides when they block them off in pre -molt you are going to see a big decline in activity.

-When they are about to molt some T's will make a molting mat (some won't) lay down on their backs and start the actual molting process

-GBBs molt (well mine did) litterally up right with their front legs facing the ceiling and their abdomen facing the floor. This kind of scared me until i realized it was molting.
 

Alice

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 29, 2006
Messages
976
as already said signs of premolt are: not eating, agressive and/or less active behaviour than before, hiding and sealing off the burrow, darker and duller coloration.

premolt can last from a few days (for example very young poecilotheria, pterinochilus or other fast growers) to about half a year (adult slow growers like for example grammostola species). the span in between refusing food and molting depends on the size, species, and individual disposition of the t. also nutrition, humidity, season etc. might play into it. there is no fixed starting point of the premolt phase, but you will most likely recognize it by the fact that the t is refusing food.

mature males normally won't molt again. a postultimate molt, if they attempt it, is likely to kill the t. they ususally get stuck becauseof the shape of their sexual organs and die. they may suvive and live a while longer but only if they cast off the palps that are stuck.

females, however, will continue molting their whole lives. they gain only very little size with every molt once they are mature, but they continue molting and slowly regenerating lost limbs. an adult brachypelma or grammostola may go two years between molts, but still does it. the females also live much longer than the males, thus needing the molts even when mature.
 

ShadowBlade

Planeswalker
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Messages
2,591
Signs such as darkening of abdomen, legs, and otherwise are the best way to go. Fasting is used more as a re-assurance, rather then a rule by itself.

New worlder's that brush off urticating hairs leave bald spots. Looking for darkening there is the key.

Old Worlds are just as easy as NW'ers. Old world's 'fur' starts rubbing off their carapace and abdomen, and you can just sort of tell when a molt is coming.

-Sean
 
Last edited:

Hedorah99

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
May 2, 2005
Messages
1,863
You can read all the signs given ,and they are all great, but you also really need to get a feel for it. i have not been in the hobby for a long time, but after just several months you can start to differentiate between skipping a meal for hunger reasons and skipping one for pre-molt. You just kinda get a sixth sense about it if you pay close enough attention.
 
Top