What's the longest you have had to wait for a tarantula to molt in premolt?

[Poec54]

"Almost" doesn't count very much. I've been fooled by them as well. It's gotta be jet black. Many of those that we've had over the years would darken appreciably and not molt seemingly forever. I'd eventually give up worrying about them, and they'd molt the next day!

+1. I sincerely doubt it's been 6 months as jet black, I don't think the spider could be alive with that turmoil going on internally for such an extended period. She certainly wouldn't be very mobile, if at all.

 

[Keith B]

+1. I sincerely doubt it's been 6 months as jet black, I don't think the spider could be alive with thatturmoil going on internally for such an extended period. She certainly wouldn't be very mobile, if at all.

I agree with this. I have a WC female G. rosea that went through the hemispheric crisis. After 3 years, I started offering her seasonal hints to try and get her clock back on track. She finally molted after the 4 year mark (yes, over 4 years, I'm serious). Even after 4 years of not molting, and a pretty long fast, her rump was only that dark, really obvious "ready to molt" color, for less than 2 weeks.

 

[JadeWilliamson]

I don't know if the darkening is due to the exoskeleton on the rump merely darkening with age, or if a new exoskeleton begins to form then halts, or if something completely different and unexpected is happening.

I've always assumed it was the new cuticle making the current exoskeleton look black. I'm surprised we don't know for sure! Then again, I'm not.

 

[Stan Schultz]

I've always assumed it was the new cuticle making the current exoskeleton look black. I'm surprised we don't know for sure! Then again, I'm not.

No, no, no! Normally, the darkening bald spot IS due to the darkening exoskeleton underneath. Well, actually, the bristles developing their normal color. But, at the end of the day the bristles are actually merely an extension of the exoskeleton (not separate organs as true hair in mammals).

My comment was specifically aimed at Chilean roses that were NOT preparing to molt but were darkening anyway.


I always begin to think I'm finally becoming a man. Then I walk into a spider web...
-- Anonymous