Stupid question about molting.

[jeryst]

Does a female T. stop molting once she matures, or does she still continue to molt occasionally for maintenance purposes for the rest of her life?

If they continue to molt, do they get bigger with each molt, or just stay the same size?

 

[EightLeggedFrea]

Does a female T. stop molting once she matures, or does she still continue to molt occasionally for maintenance purposes for the rest of her life?

If they continue to molt, do they get bigger with each molt, or just stay the same size?

It's my understanding Ts in general molt as long they live.

 

[Versi*JP*Color]

It's my understanding Ts in general molt as long they live.

+1

And grow too the size difference can be different everytime.

 

[Mack&Cass]

Well male tarantulas do go through an ultimate molt where they (normally) don't molt again afterwards. Some attempt a postultimate molt, but most fail. There have been males that have survived postultimate molts although it is rare and they usually lose a palp or both.

Female tarantulas will molt for the rest of their lives, although the time in between molts does increase. Our mature female G. rosea molts about once every two years. They normally don't gain much size with these molts, though.

Cass

 

[XzotticAnimal420]

Well male tarantulas do go through an ultimate molt where they (normally) don't molt again afterwards. Some attempt a postultimate molt, but most fail. There have been males that have survived postultimate molts although it is rare and they usually lose a palp or both.

Female tarantulas will molt for the rest of their lives, although the time in between molts does increase. Our mature female G. rosea molts about once every two years. They normally don't gain much size with these molts, though.

Cass

Thats correct to my understanding. Females molt their whole lives and the time in between as they get older is longer and longer..and I had a B. Smithi that lived to be 28 years old and actually died during a molt..so that is a fact. I am not sure the males stop molting, as every male T of any species that I have ever owned molted up until 6 months or so before they died, but that could just be me..who knows? Other than that, what Cass said is correct.