One last molting question

Bjorgly

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Ok, my 1.5 inch pulchra just finished molting and looks great - nice plumb abdomen full of jet black hairs and all but it molted in a very small crevace that it dug itself at the side of the small jar i am keeping it in. It molted on the glass bottom of the jar that it dug down to. Anyways, it seems quite cramped, as it has made the rest of its substrate a steep cliff that it can hardly walk on by choice. How will it stretch itself out in such a confined area?(the area is long enough, but not width wise) When should i remove the molt skin that is sitting RIGHT BESIDE the freshly molted spiderling?

any insight appreciated

Mark
 

MrT

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Originally posted by Bjorgly
Ok, my 1.5 inch pulchra just finished molting and looks great - nice plumb abdomen full of jet black hairs and all but it molted in a very small crevace that it dug itself at the side of the small jar i am keeping it in. It molted on the glass bottom of the jar that it dug down to. Anyways, it seems quite cramped, as it has made the rest of its substrate a steep cliff that it can hardly walk on by choice. How will it stretch itself out in such a confined area?(the area is long enough, but not width wise) When should i remove the molt skin that is sitting RIGHT BESIDE the freshly molted spiderling?

any insight appreciated

Mark
Mark,
I don't think T's do any growing by stretching, so the confined area its in wont be a problem. IMO..The molt really does'nt need to be removed unless you want too remove it. If its in the burrow the T will most likely remove it when its ready.
I've seen molts in burrows in the field while collecting. Maybe T's like keeping them around. They sure do hang around them after the molt.

Ernie
 

Tranz

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Originally posted by Bjorgly
Ok, my 1.5 inch pulchra just finished molting and looks great - nice plumb abdomen full of jet black hairs and all but it molted in a very small crevace that it dug itself at the side of the small jar i am keeping it in. It molted on the glass bottom of the jar that it dug down to. Anyways, it seems quite cramped, as it has made the rest of its substrate a steep cliff that it can hardly walk on by choice. How will it stretch itself out in such a confined area?(the area is long enough, but not width wise) When should i remove the molt skin that is sitting RIGHT BESIDE the freshly molted spiderling?

any insight appreciated

Mark
From my experience with a G. Pulchra sling, I believe they do stretch themselves for many days after molting. In any case, I'm convinced they know what they're doing - so don't worry about it.

I like to leave my spider alone for 5 to 7 days after it molts. After that, I carefully remove the molted skin and put it in a container for future reference.

I think you need to put your spider into a bigger container. Put it into the smallest "Critter Keeper" that you can find. I don't think that 4" or 6" dimensions are too big for a 1-3" G. Pulchra sling. If you have some kind of tubular hide within the keeper, then it can seek a safe narrow space there.
 

MrT

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Re: Re: One last molting question

Originally posted by Tranz
From my experience with a G. Pulchra sling, I believe they do stretch themselves for many days after molting. In any case, I'm convinced they know what they're doing - so don't worry about it.

I like to leave my spider alone for 5 to 7 days after it molts. After that, I carefully remove the molted skin and put it in a container for future reference.

I think you need to put your spider into a bigger container. Put it into the smallest "Critter Keeper" that you can find. I don't think that 4" or 6" dimensions are too big for a 1-3" G. Pulchra sling. If you have some kind of tubular hide within the keeper, then it can seek a safe narrow space there.
Tranz,
So are you saying that the stretching is part of the growing process? I've never heard of that. If so do you remember where you read it or who you heard it from? I'd like to know more about it. :)

Ernie
 

Tranz

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Re: Re: Re: One last molting question

Originally posted by MrT
Tranz,
So are you saying that the stretching is part of the growing process? I've never heard of that. If so do you remember where you read it or who you heard it from? I'd like to know more about it. :)

Ernie
From the "Tarantula Keeper's Guide", by Stanley and Marguerite Schultz:

Page 23:

"How does one produce a new, larger exoskeleton inside the older, smaller one?

The solution requires the production of a new, slightly wrinkled, soft exoskeleton just inside the old, shedding the old one, expanding the new one while it is still pliable, then causing it to harden."

Page 25:

"In the next phase, postmolt, the new exoskeleton swells, possibly as a result of swallowed air, possible because hemolymph (the tarantula's equivalent of blood) is pumped forward under pressure from the opisthosoma into the prosoma. This may be possible because the exoskeleton on the opisthosoma never hardens, but remains very pliable, only becoming tougher. The new exoskeleton, which was slightly wrinkled inside the old one, expands to a size somewhat larger than the old one as it stretches and the wrinkles smooth out."

This is not a scientific observation, but I look at my T a few days after molt and it is one size, then a week later it is a lot bigger.
 

Bjorgly

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That's where i heard about t's stretching also, the tarantula keeper's guide. When my other spiders molt they lay flat on the ground totally stretched out, similar to a pokie's regular stance and stay that way for a while. They are gaining as much size as possible before their exoskelition completly hardens.

Also to clarify, it does not have a burrow, it just dug away the soil and sits on the glass at the bottom of the jar in it's little "canyon". Also as soon as it hardens up, I already have the smallest kritter keeper lined up and full of substrate for the little guy to go in to =). Before it molted, the jar i had it in was plenty big. It grew ALOT, it is much longer and especially more bulky. Thanks for all the help guys!

Mark
 
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Re: Re: One last molting question



Tranz,
So are you saying that the stretching is part of the growing process? I've never heard of that. If so do you remember where you read it or who you heard it from? I'd like to know more about it. :)

Ernie
Hello I have about a 2 inch Gbb and it is currently molting inside of a cocoon like web how long should I wait to remove the molt itself and should i be worried about complications and is it bad if it got its legs out and kind of curled them up?
 

dangerforceidle

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Hello I have about a 2 inch Gbb and it is currently molting inside of a cocoon like web how long should I wait to remove the molt itself and should i be worried about complications and is it bad if it got its legs out and kind of curled them up?
There's really no hurry to remove the discarded exuvia. Wait a few days until the tarantula moves away so you aren't stressing it while it's hardening.
 

Ellenantula

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Hello I have about a 2 inch Gbb and it is currently molting inside of a cocoon like web how long should I wait to remove the molt itself and should i be worried about complications and is it bad if it got its legs out and kind of curled them up?
Wow -- now this is an old thread! 2003! :astonished::astonished:

I can honestly say I have never been able to retrieve a GBB moult.
They're always buried deep in some webbed underground lair... in a dozen pieces.

Good luck!
 

Swede Baboon

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Wow -- now this is an old thread! 2003! :astonished::astonished:

I can honestly say I have never been able to retrieve a GBB moult.
They're always buried deep in some webbed underground lair... in a dozen pieces.

Good luck!
Only a dozen ??? You are indeed lucky o_O
 

darkness975

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Hello I have about a 2 inch Gbb and it is currently molting inside of a cocoon like web how long should I wait to remove the molt itself and should i be worried about complications and is it bad if it got its legs out and kind of curled them up?
You may never get the molt out. Not a big deal if you can't.

They sit in all kinds of positions and do all kinds of stretching post molt. Leave it alone to harden up in peace. Make sure the Water dish is always full.
 

cold blood

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If I see a freshly molted t still on or touching the molt, I generally go right in and pull it out. Seems counter-intuitive, but there's a good reason. If a molt happens to be stuck anywhere, that earliest moment will be by far the easiest and most effective time to be able to get it off cleanly and quickly. I can tell you its helped on multiple occasions. Now admittedly, most of these probably would have come off on their own, but if I can save just one the trouble, its worth it to me. If something is stuck and I wait till the next morning, its going to be a battle getting it free...both battling the spider and the stuck molt.

Its never proven to be an issue with the freshly molted t.
 
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