Smithi in pre-molt?

Transylvania

Gondorian
Old Timer
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Dec 26, 2006
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593
Last night my 3" B. smithi had a pale skin-colored abdomen as usual, but this morning she was all-black. I had no idea they got dark that quickly before a molt. :eek: Is that normal, because I thought the darkening was more subtle. Anyways, I moved the tank into an empty guest room so that she could have as little disturbance as possible during the molt. I put her in her shelter and she's been in there all day, but she hasn't webbed it up yet; she's just sitting in here. How long between the dark abdomen and the molt?
 

Mushroom Spore

Arachnoemperor
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Oct 14, 2005
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Wow I hate that. xD Should I refrain from handling her? Can I still offer her food?
I wouldn't advise handling, if only because most Ts seem to get irritable as they approach a molt. You can offer food until she refuses it (then you just stop and wait), but you need to make sure you recapture all the crickets that she doesn't eat. If there are crickets in there when she flips over, they'll eat her. :eek:

After the molt, leave her completely alone with plenty of water for 2-3 weeks, then see if she'll eat. If she doesn't eat right away, take 'em out, cause it means she's still soft and they could hurt her. (If you can get a look at her fangs and they're black again, she's definitely ready to go.)
 

Transylvania

Gondorian
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I wouldn't advise handling, if only because most Ts seem to get irritable as they approach a molt. You can offer food until she refuses it (then you just stop and wait), but you need to make sure you recapture all the crickets that she doesn't eat. If there are crickets in there when she flips over, they'll eat her. :eek:

After the molt, leave her completely alone with plenty of water for 2-3 weeks, then see if she'll eat. If she doesn't eat right away, take 'em out, cause it means she's still soft and they could hurt her. (If you can get a look at her fangs and they're black again, she's definitely ready to go.)
Okay thanks. :)
 

PINK1081

Arachnosquire
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Apr 3, 2005
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Just had a mature female B. annitha, turned black on 16 Jan and molted 6 Feb... 21 days. She last molted 2 years ago on the exact same date!!!

Jim
 

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Mina

Arachnoking
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Oct 4, 2005
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Yes, even thought it sounds as if your T is in premoult, that could last a while. Bracys aren't as slow as Grammostola, but they are close, particularly smithis.
 

mr_jacob7

Arachnoknight
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Jan 20, 2007
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222
kudos on your soon-to-molt spiddy. mine still hasn't molted yet, and i want to take the skin to school. :)
HURRY UP! :evil:
 

guitarlust

Arachnosquire
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Dec 14, 2005
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112
my b. smithi is in the same state. its abdomen turned black in a short amount of time. i'm just letting it alone and only providing some moisture. i fed it once and not two days after feeding the abdomen started blackening. i'm not planning to feed it again till after it molts. it abdomen is nice and healthy so i'm not worried at all. just keeping the humidity increased somewhat. here's to a good molt.
 

Transylvania

Gondorian
Old Timer
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Dec 26, 2006
Messages
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my b. smithi is in the same state. its abdomen turned black in a short amount of time. i'm just letting it alone and only providing some moisture. i fed it once and not two days after feeding the abdomen started blackening. i'm not planning to feed it again till after it molts. it abdomen is nice and healthy so i'm not worried at all. just keeping the humidity increased somewhat. here's to a good molt.
The exact same thing happened here. I fed her two crickets last week; it was the first time she ate since she's been here, and her abdomen darkened just a few days later. Hope all goes well for yours too! ^^
 

midnight_maiden

Arachnosquire
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Jan 19, 2007
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98
I have a 1" b. auratum that turned very dark, almost black two days ago. She hasn't eaten anything for about a week and a half now. I'm very anxious because this will be my first T's first molt :p
 
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