Noob molt

Riannasaurus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
10
hey, i think my B. smithi is molting. shes in her den and shes upside down and shes laid web on the inside. her den is a wicker-type gourd-shaped bird nest so i cant get a decent look at her.
the only reason i find her molting odd is that i didnt think T's molted inside their dens. i found a few strands of web around her tank and she hasnt eaten in weeks so i assumed she was close to a molt.
when i went to check on her today she was flip-side.

im probably worrying over nothing but she's my first T, only had her a few months, any advice for a noob? greatly appreciated guys

Ri
 

Joanie

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 4, 2002
Messages
205
They molt wherever they please. ;)

Leave her alone and she should be fine!
 

Riannasaurus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
10
i know she'll be fine but im a born worrier!
also thought it was odd that she had begunto molt and there were still crickets in the tank...

obviously removed now but from reading up etc i thought they wouldnt if there were other creatures in there with them

anyhoo, i'll see how shes doing tomorrow
 

CAK

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 17, 2009
Messages
298
when you say still molting, you have to give us some details on what you are seeing. if it shed and is just sitting there upside down, it's totally normal.
 

Riannasaurus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
10
i dont know, i can barely see her, shes in her den which is inaccessible to me. but when i do look all i can see is legs at odd angles and shes not moving...
im so worried ive failed :'(

---------- Post added at 11:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:29 PM ----------

ive tried dabbing her with water, but she's not moving, i think ive lost her :(
 

Mez

Arachnoknight
Joined
Nov 17, 2010
Messages
214
How much of her hide can you see?
Are you sure shes not in a corner, and the legs at odd angles arent the moult?
 

EndlessForms

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Messages
224
don't mess with her. she's probably fine. just let her molt in peace. when my rosea molted, it took a good few hours to do it so it's not a 5 minute process just relax and be patient.

p.s. i was also scared something would go wrong when my first T molted...perfectly normal.
 

KoriTamashii

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 21, 2009
Messages
419
i dont know, i can barely see her, shes in her den which is inaccessible to me. but when i do look all i can see is legs at odd angles and shes not moving...
im so worried ive failed :'(

---------- Post added at 11:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:29 PM ----------

ive tried dabbing her with water, but she's not moving, i think ive lost her :(
Honestly, by disturbing her, you're likely doing more harm than good.

Just relax, and wait. She knows what she's doing.
 

Riannasaurus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
10
i think i see a problem, shes hard to see but one or more of her legs have definitely come out 'deformed' thin and weak-looking. unfortunately, on closer inspection with a torch and re-arranging her den i think she got caught mid-molt and her abdomen is half-way out her old one. from what ive learnt this is a bad sign. ive seen her move [which was a brief relief] but it looks like she's trying to push off her old skin. im fairly certain its been too long and its hardened.
i thought she'd be fine if i just left her to molt in peace. i wish i'd been more nosey, maybe i could have seen her in trouble and done something.
 

Mez

Arachnoknight
Joined
Nov 17, 2010
Messages
214
How long has it been since she first started moulting, and how big is she?
 

Mez

Arachnoknight
Joined
Nov 17, 2010
Messages
214
OK, im going to say that yeah, thats too long unless she's 'pumping' herself (cant really describe that...you have to see it to know what i mean), do the legs look more inflated now? Can you get any photos? Over 48 hours, i'd say theres a problem and you need to have a proper look, however try to keep vibrations/movement to a limit...is she right way up?
 

Riannasaurus

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
10
her legs arent looking any better and shes sort of 'propped up' against the side of her den. i'v just left her alone for now because i dont want to cause any more damage.
had a look at the pics and i fear the worst, she's clearly trapped in her old skin...





sorry theyre the best quality i can get with my phone...
 

Mez

Arachnoknight
Joined
Nov 17, 2010
Messages
214
Yeah, looking at that, id leave her alone until someone comes along who has had experience in such matters offers advice...hope she comes right.
 

Robert Jordan

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 1, 2008
Messages
126
Really sorry about your troubles!

Don't get too down on yourself. Unfortunately, these things happen. Bad molts are one of the most common problems in the hobby, and can be brought about for many, many different reasons--not all of them due to poor husbandry. B. Smithi is a really hardy species and you've only had it a couple months, so I doubt you did anything wrong.

...Did you get this T from a pet-store? I have a feeling this T was not properly cared for prior to your acquiring it.

Also, how large is it? Are you sure it's female?

Regardless, don't let this ruin the hobby for you! Use it as a learning experience and get yourself another T!
 
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