Pink Zebra Molting?

[SpyderGirl]

Hi everyone. I've been lurking on here and the Scorp boards for awhile, but I guess you could say I'm new. A few weeks ago, i went to a reptile show in Hamburg,PA and picked up 2 female Pink Zebras(sorry i dont knwo scientific names,does anyone here know that?). I currently have both of them housed in their own 5 gallon tanks. Theyre on Bed a Beast(fine coco fiber, pretty damp) with a little sand for some texture, i use that cricket jelly stuff for their water(i have a surplus of it,i need ot use it some how and they drink it) and they each have their own caves. I held them when i first got them, but my smaller girl,Mae starting kicking hairs off of her abdomen onto me and so i put her back and dont wanna bother her,because im sure she was stressed out. ANyways, right now,my larger girl,Mary Jane, i think may be shedding. I just moved her to her new enclosure about a 4 days ago, and she hasnt moved much since i have. Has stayed in pretty much the same spot. Im pretty sure she has eaten though,unless the crix are hiding. Anyways,tonight i noticed she starting to scratch her whole body with her legs. Not just her abdomen, like when they kick off the hairs, but her sides, and the top of her, and her underside and everything. Is she preparing to moult? Is that whys shes been rather inactive? I keep the humidity pretty high on account of the substrate im using, but what else should i do to help her along? Any tips/tricks/things i need to change around? Thanks so much in advance,and it snice to be here.

~Sheryl

 

[nemesis6sic6]

Hi Sheryl, I advise you to get rid of the jelly water because I think a normal water dish will do. Also the sand, get rid of it, Your E. capestratus( pink zebra beauty) is doing the leg cleaning thing because of it, I am sure.

I love this species alot. I have a femme also. She is such a sweetheart. you will know if its going to molt if she gets really dark(thats the new skin coming up)

any ways have a nice day
and if you have more questions ask away

geo

 

[Inuleki]

yeah... i'd say that she isn't going to molt, just cleaning herrself, and as to being inactive i'd describe mine as a pet rock... not very active at all

but if she flips onto her back, then she's molting, not dead, so don't flip out the first time it happens
<-- the face i made the first time

 

[wsimms]

Other than going off feed, how can you tell a PZB is about to molt? My female is so docile that she hasn't so much as kicked a single hair...I'm not used to a T that doesn't have a bald spot to indicate an upcoming molt.

W:?

 

[sunnymarcie]

Hello and welcome

As was stated above, I would change the substrate.
I use peat for my PZB's, and are doing fine on it.
Cricket water isn't even good for crickets IMO it is a waste
of money. Use a water dish.
How big are these tarantulas?
Can you post a picture?

 

[SpyderGirl]

The cricket water is actually more of a convenience for me. I have so much of it laying around, its nice to be able to use it up on something. But if it is bad for them i will take it out right away. Abotu the sand, it came out wrong. The sand it mixed with the dirt, maybe a capful of it,hardly any just to give the dirt i put in there some texture. She was only cleaning herself? The dirt isnt loose enough to get stuck on them,i experimented with it before i set their tanks up.How odd!hmm. but you guys are the experts. tell me what i need to do! My biggest girl,MJ,is about 3.5 inches and Mae is about 3 inches. I dont have pics at the moment, put ill take some tonight when they come out. If MJ moves that is. Shes still being a rock.

 

[sunnymarcie]

Nice size T's, can't wait to see the pictures.

My PZB's are tiny right now. Are they your only T's?
I have 12 right now

 

[Venom]

If your pzb has a bald rear end, you will be able to see its rear end darken considerably right before it molts. It will also become less active, and will refuse to eat. Incidentally, my pzb is quite active, so when it's molt time, her lethargy is easy to notice.

 

[Immortal_sin]

I doubt that little sand is doing anything bad to them. I'd say your setup is fine, although I'd probably go with the water dish as well, instead of those jelly things.
I'm one of the few people on here that advocates a dryer environment, with a large water dish. You will find you have less problems with mold, fungus etc.
My 2 females are on dry peat moss with large water dishes. Sometimes when I refill the dish, I let water slop over the sides.
Sounds like the activity you describe would be cleaning..they almost look like cats while they are doing this. They will take each leg and run it along their fangs...pretty fascinating!
They are quite docile, so it's hard to tell when a molt is due unless you can actually see their abdomen darkening.
Neither of mine move much...they are pretty lazy!
Welcome to the boards, and feel free to ask anything