Where'd my molt go? (B. emilia sling)

[SugrSean]

My B. emilia had been refusing food for just over three weeks, and its abdomen was darkening, so I assumed it was pre-molt. A week ago, I looked in its cup and it seemed HUGE (in comparison to the day before, anyway). It seems to have much more color (maroonish), rather than the clear/whitish that slings have, the hairs are MUCH more visible, and I'd swear it's 50% larger. Then, today, I dropped in a pinhead (or slightly larger), and my sling took it like a champ (finally, whew).

Here's my question: would my sling have eaten its molt? I can't find it anywhere. I've examined the soil's surface carefully many times, and can't see it. I don't want to go comb through its soil because it has made a few hides, and I don't want to bother it so soon after a molt, but I suppose it could be buried in an old burrow (I'll check later).

I've linked two pics, first, cause I know I love when you guys post pics, second, I'm excited it's larger and eating again, and third, to make sure the difference isn't my imagination. Size-wise, I think it's tough to tell, as they've each different backgrounds, but I think the color difference is evident.

The first pic, the sling is so small and colorless, that I couldn't get the camera to focus on it instead of my hand. So it's tough to see. It's from 1 month ago.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/sugrsean/Spiderling.jpg

The second pic is today. He/She isn't spreading its legs as far as normal because it's eating a cricket during the pic (the body is raised more than normal).
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/sugrsean/SpiderlingPost-Molt.jpg

Edit***The water dish is a chapstick cap.

 

[P. Novak]

My B. emilia had been refusing food for just over three weeks, and its abdomen was darkening, so I assumed it was post-molt. A week ago, I looked in its cup and it seemed HUGE (in comparison to the day before, anyway). It seems to have much more color (maroonish), rather than the clear/whitish that slings have, the hairs are MUCH more visible, and I'd swear it's 50% larger. Then, today, I dropped in a pinhead (or slightly larger), and my sling took it like a champ (finally, whew).

Here's my question: would my sling have eaten its molt? I can't find it anywhere. I've examined the soil's surface carefully many times, and can't see it. I don't want to go comb through its soil because it has made a few hides, and I don't want to bother it so soon after a molt, but I suppose it could be buried in an old burrow (I'll check later).

I've linked two pics, first, cause I know I love when you guys post pics, second, I'm excited it's larger and eating again, and third, to make sure the difference isn't my imagination. Size-wise, I think it's tough to tell, as they've each different backgrounds, but I think the color difference is evident.

The first pic, the sling is so small and colorless, that I couldn't get the camera to focus on it instead of my hand. So it's tough to see. It's from 1 month ago.
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/sugrsean/Spiderling.jpg

The second pic is today. He/She isn't spreading its legs as far as normal because it's eating a cricket during the pic (the body is raised more than normal).
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h22/sugrsean/SpiderlingPost-Molt.jpg

Edit***The water dish is a chapstick cap.

First question: Are you sure it molted? Yeah the T looks different in both pics, but that could just be from the flash. I would put the T on your hand where it is in the first pic to get an actual size comparison pic.

If it did indeed molt, it certainly could have eaten the molt, but I've never hear of the whole thing being eaten.

 

[moose35]

are you sure it didn't molt in 1 of its hides?
some t's are really tidy and are really good at cleaning up and burying their trash....


moose

p.s. in my opinion it does look to have molted. don't worry you'll find 1 of the molts eventually.

 

[SugrSean]

First question: Are you sure it molted? Yeah the T looks different in both pics, but that could just be from the flash. I would put the T on your hand where it is in the first pic to get an actual size comparison pic.

If it did indeed molt, it certainly could have eaten the molt, but I've never hear of the whole thing being eaten.

The pics were both flashed, but you're right, it's tough to tell from the pics. In person, it's definitely got a larger span, thicker, hair is much more visible, etc.

are you sure it didn't molt in 1 of its hides?
some t's are really tidy and are really good at cleaning up and burying their trash....


moose

p.s. in my opinion it does look to have molted. don't worry you'll find 1 of the molts eventually.

I think that's the more likely. It had 3 hides, one that it uses most of the time, and the other 2, occasionally. Since the change, 1 of them has been filled up. If it did molt in a burrow and bury it, I think it's safe to say I've a female. They love cleaning:? (It's just a joke, ladies)

 

[lunixweb]

that Moose said has sense, maybe the T hide its molt, maybe ate some and the other part is hidden... but yeah look different in both pics