Should I Risk Removing The Exuvia From A Sling's Burrow?

[Tenevanica]

I have a 1/4 inch G. pulchripes sling that has recently molted. Normally, after a tarantula molts I will remove its exuvia from its burrow to prevent it from molding. This particular sling has constructed a burrow in an odd three dimensional U shape, and has decided to molt in the very back of the burrow. (I can see him/her because he/she has burrowed up against the side of the container.) It would be impossible for me to pull the molt without collapsing the burrow. I'd be fine with leaving it, but I don't want it to mold and prove hazardous to the T. It would also be bad if the burrow collapsed. The substrate is dry coconut fiber, so I don't think the potential for mold is too high. What do you guys think I should do?

 

[sdsnybny]

There exo wont mold. My B. vagans has buried his for months down in the far recess of his burrow only to shred it, toss it out when renovating.

 

[ErinM31]

I agree, based on the responses of more experienced T keepers than me to similar questions -- even when the species in question had more moist substrate such as Ephebopus murinus. With dry coco fiber, I agree that the risk of mold is low indeed and I would leave the molt in there rather than stress the sling.

 

[Sana]

Don't worry about the exo. Many of mine (especially my burrowers) use their molts to reinforce walls in the burrow. If they pitch it out I pick it up. Otherwise I just leave them alone. They don't mold or cause health problems to the best of my knowledge.

 

[Tenevanica]

I agree, based on the responses of more experienced T keepers than me to similar questions -- even when the species in question had more moist substrate such as Ephebopus murinus. With dry coco fiber, I agree that the risk of mold is low indeed and I would leave the molt in there rather than stress the sling.

That's what I thought people would say. Thanks!

There exo wont mold. My B. vagans has buried his for months down in the far recess of his burrow only to shred it, toss it out when renovating.

It actually makes sense that it wouldn't mold now that I think about it. Exoskeletons are made of chitin. The cell walls of fungi are also made of chitin. If a fungus created an enzyme to break down chitin, it would destroy itself.

 

[8Legs8Eyes]

I have at least 3 slings that are a couple weeks post-molt and still haven't tossed their molts out. I have others that throw it out as soon as they are hardened. If they don't want it down there they will remove it. I wouldn't worry about mold. Especially right after molting you don't want to go around poking at their burrows. Don't worry about the mold, just be happy with the successful molt!

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I have reasons for suspect that i have a nice collection of exuvia God only knows where, at which depth etc lol on certain burrows. I remove those only where/when i can.

 

[Sana]

I have reasons for suspect that i have a nice collection of exuvia God only knows where, at which depth etc lol on certain burrows. I remove those only where/when i can.

I just rehoused a group of C. marshalli and unearthed molts, water dishes, bark, plastic plants, and unidentifiable blobs in the burrows. That's the charm of burrowing species. It's fun to give them things to see how they incorporate them into a house.

 

[8Legs8Eyes]

I just rehoused a group of C. marshalli and unearthed molts, water dishes, bark, plastic plants, and unidentifiable blobs in the burrows. That's the charm of burrowing species. It's fun to give them things to see how they incorporate them into a house.

It's funny how quickly they can decide they want something too. "Oh, you just gave me a new water dish? It will make a lovely side wall over here..."

I hate to tell them no. I had a spider with three bottle caps in her enclosure before she got large enough to rehouse because she insisted she needed them for reinforcement.

 

[Sana]

Oh heck I just give them an extra bottle cap automatically when I rehouse since they seem to be a preferred building item. I had an A. ezendami sling that lived inside a bottle cap for months before expanding it's home to include more burrowing and webbing.

 

[bryverine]

I had a spider with three bottle caps in her enclosure before she got large enough to rehouse because she insisted she needed them for reinforcement.

That's quite a collection of caps, glad the burrowers I have just use their dishes as a dumping ground for substrate... on the other hand, they use their molts for reinforcement instead...

 

[Poec54]

What do you think happens in the wild? Why stress out an exhausted and vulnerable spider to remove a shed, that won't mold? I keep most of my spiders on moist (bagged) top soil and never have any sheds mold. They'll toss away the shed when they have the strength to houseclean.

 

[cold blood]

Keep part of the sub damp until its over 1", they're quite vulnerable to dehydration at small sizes.

 

[Tenevanica]

What do you think happens in the wild? Why stress out an exhausted and vulnerable spider to remove a shed, that won't mold? I keep most of my spiders on moist (bagged) top soil and never have any sheds mold. They'll toss away the shed when they have the strength to houseclean.

Ah, it's the old "what happens in nature?" argument. My response to that is: very few tarantula slings survive to adulthood in the wild. The reproductive strategy of tarantulas is to produce as many offspring as possible. 98% won't make it. I suspected the correct thing to do was to not remove the exuvia, but I wanted to make sure here.

Keep part of the sub damp until its over 1", they're quite vulnerable to dehydration at small sizes.

They are more vulnerable dehydration, but a lot of these new world species are actually quite tolerant of dryness. (Or so I've been told) I have a golf tee that I use as a water dish in the deli cup that this particular spider is in. I overflow this "water dish" when I fill it back up to give add some more humidity to the enclosure.

 

[cold blood]

They are more vulnerable dehydration, but a lot of these new world species are actually quite tolerant of dryness.

Not as small slings.

 

[Haksilence]

When it gets around to cleaning it will remove the exuv itself. When they bring it to the surface for you you can remove it

 

[Tenevanica]

Not as small slings.

Comparative to other tarantula slings they are. They don't need 80% humidity all of the time like the slings of some other species. What do tarantulas do to escape unfavorable conditions? They burrow. It's the same thing they do in the wild, and it's being done in captivity. The conditions inside a tarantula burrow are much different than those outside. In reality we have no idea what the ideal humidity is for the majority of these species. They've been around for millions of years, and evolution has selected for burrowing behavior. There's my golf tee water dish. The sling has never shown signs of desiccation in the months I've had him. It's being fed frequently. I think it'll be ok under these conditions.

 

[cold blood]