Surprise molt?!

igotcrabs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 21, 2017
Messages
14
Directly before I left for work this morning, I spot cleaned my slings for uneaten cricket bits. When I fed them last night, my 1.5" Pamphobeteus sp. "platyomma" was completely disinterested so I assumed there would be waste to remove. after opening the lid I saw that the sling was on its back, partially propped on a piece of cork bark, and motionless.
My concern is that there has been no signs (at least that i could see) of pre-molt. It also fed Thursday (this is an assumption based on there being no remains Friday morning), but otherwise has not been very active. I am now at work until 9 pm so I'll know nothing for certain until then. I was curious though, if anyone has ever kept a sling that fed so close to molt, or if anyone else keeping this species has seen this behavior?
 

Belegnole

Tarantula Guy
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 30, 2005
Messages
171
Some tarantulas will feed right before molting, though most go through the classic signs. I have a C. Marshalli juvi that ate this last Friday and molted on Saturday.
 
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igotcrabs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 21, 2017
Messages
14
Some tarantulas will feed right before molting, though most to through the classic signs. I have a C. Marshalli juvi that ate this last Friday and molted on Saturday.
I guess I'll know when I get home tonight.
 

The Grym Reaper

Arachnoreaper
Joined
Jul 19, 2016
Messages
4,835
I've left a pre-killed mealie in with my E. cyanognathus sling before and checked back the next morning to find it nonchalantly sat next to its exuvia eating the mealie, had a G. pulchripes moult the day after eating before as well.
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
4,096
I was curious though, if anyone has ever kept a sling that fed so close to molt, or if anyone else keeping this species has seen this behavior?
My baby geniculata has done the same thing. She even buried the evidence.
 

igotcrabs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 21, 2017
Messages
14
Well, I came home to a molted sling. Molt is a bit beat up, but it's all there. Definitely took me by surprise.
 
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