Tarantula not moving after molt

[LeoArachnophile]

Hi everyone, We have a Mexican fire leg juvenile. It molted yesterday, and seemed to be fine. It did molt standing up (rather than upside down), but it came out perfectly and looks beautiful. This morning, we checked on the tarantula and it is not moving at all. Even if we gently move the tarantula (we did NOT poke it), it doesn't respond at all. It does feel soft and flexible and is in a resting/standing position. Does this level of unresponsiveness sound normal for the day after a molt?

 

[emartinm28]

Yes, leave it it alone. Could be days before it decides to move

 

[kingshockey]

just leave it alone no poking/moving messing with it in general its exo is still hardening back up right now thats why its not moving its still recovering from molting. it will probably stay that way for days, hours only stretching its legs out now and thendont try to feeed until its fangs are black again or a weeklater just make sure it has a full water dish

 

[Sterls]

Keep the water bowl full and leave it alone

 

[Poonjab]

Sing to it. Then leave it alone.

 

[thatdadlife619]

Hi everyone, We have a Mexican fire leg juvenile. It molted yesterday, and seemed to be fine. It did molt standing up (rather than upside down), but it came out perfectly and looks beautiful. This morning, we checked on the tarantula and it is not moving at all. Even if we gently move the tarantula (we did NOT poke it), it doesn't respond at all. It does feel soft and flexible and is in a resting/standing position. Does this level of unresponsiveness sound normal for the day after a molt?

Your spider just accomplished something super stressful for it to go through, just wait it out

 

[GhostOoOoOo]

Take a deep breath, kick back, and check on it again in a few days (but still don't move or touch it).

 

[LeoArachnophile]

Thanks, this is exactly what we are doing. (My 8 year old Leo, its owner, is practicing "patience"). I am a little concerned though because it is totally motionless; doesn't react to movement/air. I know they are "inactive" after a molt but I wasn't expecting it to be so completely motionless...

 

[Polenth]

When people say not to mess, they also mean picking up the enclosure, blowing air (which could also dislodge hairs and blow them into your eyes, so don't do this), or anything else you might think to try to get a response. Not just direct prodding. Hard though it may be, other than provide water, all you can do is wait.

 

[LeoArachnophile]

Thanks all. Our tarantula has not moved a single centimeter, nor twitched, nor responded in any way since its molt. I realize they are pretty "quiet" after a molt, but this just doesn't seem right. How long after a molt do they start moving around? Ours molted 4 days ago so it seems like it should at least be stretching its legs now and again.

 

[Scp682]

Thanks all. Our tarantula has not moved a single centimeter, nor twitched, nor responded in any way since its molt. I realize they are pretty "quiet" after a molt, but this just doesn't seem right. How long after a molt do they start moving around? Ours molted 4 days ago so it seems like it should at least be stretching its legs now and again.

Don't even think about messing with it for a week or so. I sometimes give them 2 and i only give them minimal attention anyway regardless of whether they're molting or not. They didn't survive the mass extinction cause that killed the dinosaurs because some humans saved the day.

 

[Kibosh]

Hi everyone, We have a Mexican fire leg juvenile. It molted yesterday, and seemed to be fine. It did molt standing up (rather than upside down), but it came out perfectly and looks beautiful. This morning, we checked on the tarantula and it is not moving at all. Even if we gently move the tarantula (we did NOT poke it), it doesn't respond at all. It does feel soft and flexible and is in a resting/standing position. Does this level of unresponsiveness sound normal for the day after a molt?

Lots of questions.

1. What's a Mexican Fire Leg? I am not being facetious, I just don't pay attention to common names so have no idea what that is. I assume a Brachypelma or Aphonopelma? They all have the fire and blood and leg in their names lol.

2. How large is it?

3. How moist is the enclosure?

4. Please post pics of the enclosure and the spider. Could be bad if it's legs are all curled up underneath it.

 

[Marlana]

That doesn’t sound normal to me. Yes leave it alone because there’s nothing you can do anyway and could potentially hurt it. But I agree that no movement or reaction at all for 4 days, seems odd. I’ve never experienced that.

 

[Andrea82]

Unless you have a camera installed you can't be sure if it has moved or not
Please post pictures if spider and enclosure, it will help us help you. Never try to move a recently moulted spider.

 

[Matt Man]

they can take days for them to stretch out, harden, be comfortable in their own skin. Monitor from a distance and be HIGHLY AWARE of slight changes in posture and position. "oh look, the 3rd left femur is now stretched out, where 2 hours ago it had a slight bend"
DO NOT DUSTRUB the T, because that stresses it and can kill it.