P ornata troubles

Immortal_sin

Arachnotemptress
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 17, 2002
Messages
3,952
My P ornata sling molted yesterday, and I noticed some problems right off the bat, with my quick, traplike mind :)
Part of her molt was stuck to her, but WHICH part was difficult to discern. I left her alone till today, and she was still stuck. In trying to get a look at her, she zoomed around so much, she left most of it behind. I'm worried though about her mouth and fang area. She is way too small (and quick) to see that part of her well. I finally got her out and had her on my hand, poking and prodding..I was actually trying to get her to bite me to see if she actually could (stupid? yes!).
The upshot is that she either couldn't or wouldn't...and I am no wiser now than I was. She is dragging one of her palps underneath her, she doesn't seem to have any control over it. She seems able to get around fairly well, if a bit spastically.
I seem to recall others having P ornata problem molts as well?
Can you share what happened, and the outcome?
thanks!
 

invertepet

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 4, 2002
Messages
608
Best to just let the sling sort it out over time. Might want to up humidity for a few days just in case (not for more than a week tho - don't want a fungal infection or mold in addition to your current problems).

Bottom line, if the sling can eat and get around, no worries and it'll probably be fine on the next molt.

bill
 

Hamadryad

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 2, 2002
Messages
151
P.ornata molt problems..yes....

Well,
unfortunately I lost my P.ornata sling a couple of days ago to what appears to have been a rough molt.I have noticed this before with other spiders in that they will appear to have molted successfully only to die a day or two later...I kind of refer to it as "post molt weakness" I am sad that I lost the sling but I am realizing more these days that not all my spiders are going to thrive - some are going to die despite my best efforts.It sort of comes with the territory I suppose....

:? The Spider Hunter
 

LaRiz

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Messages
672
Holley,
I lost an adult female P. ornata during a molt. After, she was severely twisted and distorted. I never had humidity problems, temps. were good, nutrition...who knows? She wasn't old at all, and she had recently bred.
From time to time I have spiderlings of other species of Poecilotheria have bad molts. Questions arise in regards to the health of that particular spiderling that has a bad molt, as others of the same eggsac, kept exactly the same, and fed the same feeding regimen, will do fine during their molts. I chalk it up as "sh!t happens". That's not to say that environmental or nutritional deficiencies can be excluded as reasons why a spiderling may have a bad molt. 'Cause I think they could be factors.
Usually, most people assume that if a tarantula has a bad molt, it is due to lack of humidity. I don't think humidity is a great factor in molting.
The molting process starts under the exoskeleton, between the old and the new exoskeleton. Exuvial fluids are released and kinda eats away at the inside of the old "skin", making it easier to slip away and part with it. This is called apolysis.
So even a healthy tarantula can molt with no problems during low humid conditions. I've had Aphono. chalcodes molt in bone dry cages and yet the insides of their cast skins are nice and juicy.
I personally think it's more of a health issue than anything else. Perhaps dehydration, or even health problems related to inbreeding.
john
 

invertepet

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 4, 2002
Messages
608
I do think inbreeding issues are oft exaggerated in the invertebrate hobby, especially at this point. Back in 1991-ish, I bred two sibling P. fasciata together and the babies were healthy and as pretty and long-lived as their parents. ...It may not be a good idea overall, but it's not going to produce significant first generation defects or weaknesses, IMHO.

More than likely, this molt problem was caused by what I think causes most failed molts: A fungal or other infection in the fluidic layer & membrane during apolysis thus harming the new exoskeletal layer being formed under the old one. Whether this comes as a result of excess humidity is anyone's guess.

The other side of the coin is the possibility of mild to acute dehydration, preventing the proper accumulation of fluid to sclerotize (harden) the new exoskeleton or worse, the failure of a complete expulsion of the old exoskeleton due to lack of sufficient fluid pressure (cuticular fluid).

Heat can also play a role - as molting is hormonally triggered and metabolism is affected by temp.

It's a jigsaw, really. Some biochemist should look into it. :)

bill
 

Devildoll

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 19, 2002
Messages
267
i have a P. ornata that has a deformed leg right now... from her last molt. it was nothing serious... just another instance of a bad P. ornata molt.

she's still using it fine... it just curls in funny directions...
 

Immortal_sin

Arachnotemptress
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 17, 2002
Messages
3,952
thanks everyone. She is a new arrival, so I don't have a history on her. I don't even know if she is a she, she's only about 1.5" or so. the setup is the same for all my arboreals at that size, plenty of moistured verm, and lots of airflow. I will wait a few days and introduce prey. If she doesn't take it, then I will assume there is a problem with her fang area, and go from there.
 

ArachnoJoost

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 6, 2002
Messages
530
I just had my ornata sling a week when it died in an attempted molt, it 'popped the top' but never really got further than that. Conditions were good for molting, so don't know what happened there, could be a weak sling.
greetz,
Joost
 
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