Two questions...

Alboy84

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 27, 2007
Messages
29
Hi,

I've got two questions: the first being, can you house both grey and black crickets together without any negative effects? And is a black abdomen on a tarantula a sure sign of an up-coming molt? (my L. Parahybana did have bald spots which were pale in colour though soon turned very dark - I'm assuming, because of this and her lack of motivation for escaping recently, which is usually top of her agenda, that this is evidence of a pre-molt stage). Thanks for any help!

P.S. She's approx 4" at the moment, how long should I expect this pre-molt stage to last before her molt actually happens? It's been a week or so upto now....Thanks again!
 

T-chick

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
70
yes, missing hair and a spot that turns dark, shows the growth of new hair under the old skin.
Feed her one cricket a week,or so, and if with in 24 hours she has not eaten it, remove the cricket. You don't want one in with your T when it molts it can harm the T.
And each Premolt is different with each species.
 

P. Novak

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 12, 2005
Messages
6,218
Hi,

I've got two questions: the first being, can you house both grey and black crickets together without any negative effects? And is a black abdomen on a tarantula a sure sign of an up-coming molt? (my L. Parahybana did have bald spots which were pale in colour though soon turned very dark - I'm assuming, because of this and her lack of motivation for escaping recently, which is usually top of her agenda, that this is evidence of a pre-molt stage). Thanks for any help!

P.S. She's approx 4" at the moment, how long should I expect this pre-molt stage to last before her molt actually happens? It's been a week or so upto now....Thanks again!
I'd say no to your first question because it's a different species of cricket right? If so, they'll attack and eat each other, sometimes the same species of cricket attack and eat each other so I think it'll only be worse with different species.

@T-chick, missing hair does NOT mean premolt. It's only the darkening of the abdomen that means premolt.

So, Alboy84, if it is a dark black color and was a peach pale color before, then she is definately in premolt. At that size, I'd say around a week(give or take a day or two) because she is a L.parahybana, and they tend to grow fast and premolt is usually short for this species.
 

Alboy84

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 27, 2007
Messages
29
Thanks for the advice T-Chick and Novak. In reply about whether they are different species of cricket, yeah I think they are. At least now I know not to mix both kinds! My parahybana was definately pale coloured on her bald patches until about a week ago...now they are really dark. I had to ask because she doesn't normally flick hairs (so had no bald spot) until a couple of weeks back when I had to clean out her home due to mites - she didn't like being disturbed. So her patches were only there for a few days before they turned black.
 

P. Novak

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 12, 2005
Messages
6,218
Thanks for the advice T-Chick and Novak. In reply about whether they are different species of cricket, yeah I think they are. At least now I know not to mix both kinds! My parahybana was definately pale coloured on her bald patches until about a week ago...now they are really dark. I had to ask because she doesn't normally flick hairs (so had no bald spot) until a couple of weeks back when I had to clean out her home due to mites - she didn't like being disturbed. So her patches were only there for a few days before they turned black.
The bald patches probably came from being stressed by the mites. They only kick when disturbed or stressed. Anyways, good luck on a successful molting, and if you can get some pics.
 

ShadowBlade

Planeswalker
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Messages
2,591
1. No, there will be negative effects. But, I don't see by how much. Black and grey crix? As in, field crix and tophats?

2. Yes, the darkening skin is a sign of upcoming molt. But not the bald spots, (although sometimes a T nearing its molt will kick off lots of hairs).

-Sean
 

ShadowBlade

Planeswalker
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Messages
2,591
Yeah, so probably field crickets and tophats. In the end, you'll probably have the fields eating the tophats.

I'd just keep them seperate, or buy one kind at a time.

-Sean
 

Alboy84

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 27, 2007
Messages
29
Well, I woke up this morning and she was on her back...and she's almost fully shed her skin. So at least now I know. I'm going to post a pic of her shed skin - just to make sure that she is a 'she'!
 

P. Novak

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 12, 2005
Messages
6,218
Well, I woke up this morning and she was on her back...and she's almost fully shed her skin. So at least now I know. I'm going to post a pic of her shed skin - just to make sure that she is a 'she'!
Awesome, can't wait! You know what part to get a picture of right?
 
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