First Molt Questions!

[kormath]

Not a reply as such just wanted to say that your profile pic is similar to the GBB that I have posted in the gallery (ie doing acrobatics on front legs). Just thought I would mention as I like your pic.... and yes, the book is one of the best. Not sure how I manged it but for some reason I have 2 copies????

a T room copy and a travel copy to study up on when you're away

 

[Phil]

a T room copy and a travel copy to study up on when you're away

Good idea. Like that ....lol I do keep one by my bedside in all honesty....he he

 

[ArvadaLanee]

Thank you everyone! I haven't been on here in a while because I got super sick. Now that I am starting to get better, I can get back to learning! I just ordered that book today, so I look forward to some good reading! I am really loving that I chose such a great forum, with so many friendly, caring, people. I'm sure Blanche is glad as well.

 

[RedCapTrio]

Thank you everyone! I haven't been on here in a while because I got super sick. Now that I am starting to get better, I can get back to learning! I just ordered that book today, so I look forward to some good reading! I am really loving that I chose such a great forum, with so many friendly, caring, people. I'm sure Blanche is glad as well.

Was getting a little worried as to where you've gone. Glad that you're back. To good heath then, CHEERS!

 

[Kymura]

Glad your back and hoping your feeling 100% ^*^

 

[RedCapTrio]

Glad your back and hoping your feeling 100% ^*^

You too Kymura, hoping that you're feeling better as well.

 

[Nicolas C]

I wish you the best for future, both for you and your T! Glad you are feeling better.

 

[kormath]

agreed with the others. Glad your feeling better and back to entertain us with pictures and stories That cold going around this part of the states is horrible, i was down for 4 days and my son for 3.

 

[ArvadaLanee]

I am starting to wonder if Blanche is actually about to molt. She did eat that cricket, and wax worm that I gave her. She has also been pretty active. For a few days she was even climbing up to the tops of her plants. She has stopped climbing around now, but she still moves around her enclosure quite a bit. Do they get really thirsty before they molt? I have heard that rose hairs are not usually fans of wet substrate, and prefer more dry conditions, but several times a day I find Blanche standing in her water dish. The other day, her water had gotten really low, and it looked like Blanche was trying to put her belly down to the water. I waited for her to move, and then filled it, and sure enough she was in there yesterday, and she's partially in there again today. I want to change her cage up, remove the sponge from her dish, give her different/more substrate, but I have been waiting because I haven't wanted to disturb her at all if she's about to molt. Should I just keep waiting?

 

[ArvadaLanee]

Hmmmm...Do tarantulas get really thirsty before they molt? I want to change up her enclosure, get rid of the sponge in her water dish, use different/more substrate, maybe add some decorations, and for sure give it a good cleaning, but I have been patiently waiting for her to molt. I am just wondering how soon that will actually be. She hasn't become inactive, that's for sure. She wanders around, and even climbs up her plants from time to time. Also, she did eat that cricket and wax worm I gave her, so I don't think she was actually fasting. She has been spending a lot of time in around her water dish. At least once I day, I see her with at least a few of her legs in there. Is that another sign that she might molt soon, or is she just an odd girl, who loves water?

 

[RedCapTrio]

A photo would be a big help.

 

[ArvadaLanee]

A photo would be a big help.

Here is one I just took of her. I do see the spot on her back end, there. Is that always a good indicator? She is still roaming around a lot, and even climbs her plants once in a while. She visits her water dish a few times a day. Is she a bit skinny, or is that normal? I'm just trying to get a good idea of when I should do tank maintenance, when I should do the full substrate change, and when I should offer food again.

 

[RedCapTrio]

What do you suppose is her size currently? Maybe it is dehydrated or something. I don't think it is in premolt. Let us wait what the others got to say about your T though. Thanks for the photo.

 

[ArvadaLanee]

What do you suppose is her size currently? Maybe it is dehydrated or something. I don't think it is in premolt. Let us wait what the others got to say about your T though. Thanks for the photo.

Thanks. I will see what some others say before I go poking around in there. I'm not sure how to describe her size. I would estimate her body to be around 2 inches long. I just see that her abdomen looks more skinny than her...prosoma? (Is that the correct term for her front part of her body?) Before she came to us, she had gone a long time without being offered food and water. That's why I worry. I did give her a medium cricket, and a wax worm when she first got here, which she must have eaten that night, because I couldn't find them at all the next day. With her sucking up water the way she has been, I'm concerned that she may have been dehydrated, and I'm wondering if I should offer more food. I guess I'm just not sure if that's how she's supposed to look. Also, she is sure loving her water dish, for a tarantula that is supposed to love dry conditions. Sometimes she gets completely in there.

 

[Nicolas C]

Yes, she looks skinny in the picture. This could very well be because of the two months+ starving before finding home at your place. The abdomen is a little bit too skinny for a captive tarantula. And the fact that she needs water so badly is puzzling too.

These are some ideas you could explore.

- Are you 100% sure it's not a mature male? On the picture, the pedipalps don't look like this, but maybe a closer photo of them taken front or under could help us be certain that she's a lady. If a male, it would explain the constant roaming and the skinny abdomen...

- The bald spot looks dark on the photo, and the colors of the prosoma are rather grey. It could indicate a coming molt. But it's not always easy to tell from a picture. I'm not 100% sure she's in premolt, but your photo makes me think she is.

- If she's in premolt, it is unlikely she has eaten the two preys. As you cannot find them, you could try to put a new cricket inside the enclosure and look closely to what happens. If she takes the cricket rather fast, it'll indicate she's very hungry (and not in heavy premolt). If the cricket takes a walk around her and she does nothing (or just a threat pause), then it's not about lack of food.

- About the water: I've had a tarantula who drank a lot and spinned also a lot (and moved in a clumsy way). Unfortunately, she was sick and died rapidly. If your Grammostola is always drinking, it's a bad sign in my book. You can do nothing else than keep the waterdish clean and full. But don't panic: she could very well only be dehydrated because of the two months of bad husbandry. But if that's the case, she should stop drinking soon. You can try to add some water in a corner of the enclosure (not too much, but enough to make it moist) and see what happens. If your Grammostola goes there and stays there, it gives you a clue that she needs this moisture. If she needs it, you can give it to her, until she gets better.

- She could have been hurt and have lost hemolymph/blood (which could be why she needs water). But I can't see any wound on the photo. Then probably not...

That's all I can think of right now. Keep caring for her as you do, you do good and that's important! Try to give food, try to moisten a little part of the substrate, look at her behavior, it'll tell you what she needs and likes. For the rest, it's difficult to know what's happening...

 

[ArvadaLanee]

Yes, she looks skinny in the picture. This could very well be because of the two months+ starving before finding home at your place. The abdomen is a little bit too skinny for a captive tarantula. And the fact that she needs water so badly is puzzling too.

These are some ideas you could explore.

- Are you 100% sure it's not a mature male? On the picture, the pedipalps don't look like this, but maybe a closer photo of them taken front or under could help us be certain that she's a lady. If a male, it would explain the constant roaming and the skinny abdomen...

- The bald spot looks dark on the photo, and the colors of the prosoma are rather grey. It could indicate a coming molt. But it's not always easy to tell from a picture. I'm not 100% sure she's in premolt, but your photo makes me think she is.

- If she's in premolt, it is unlikely she has eaten the two preys. As you cannot find them, you could try to put a new cricket inside the enclosure and look closely to what happens. If she takes the cricket rather fast, it'll indicate she's very hungry (and not in heavy premolt). If the cricket takes a walk around her and she does nothing (or just a threat pause), then it's not about lack of food.

- About the water: I've had a tarantula who drank a lot and spinned also a lot (and moved in a clumsy way). Unfortunately, she was sick and died rapidly. If your Grammostola is always drinking, it's a bad sign in my book. You can do nothing else than keep the waterdish clean and full. But don't panic: she could very well only be dehydrated because of the two months of bad husbandry. But if that's the case, she should stop drinking soon. You can try to add some water in a corner of the enclosure (not too much, but enough to make it moist) and see what happens. If your Grammostola goes there and stays there, it gives you a clue that she needs this moisture. If she needs it, you can give it to her, until she gets better.

- She could have been hurt and have lost hemolymph/blood (which could be why she needs water). But I can't see any wound on the photo. Then probably not...

That's all I can think of right now. Keep caring for her as you do, you do good and that's important! Try to give food, try to moisten a little part of the substrate, look at her behavior, it'll tell you what she needs and likes. For the rest, it's difficult to know what's happening...

Does this picture help? It doesn't look like her pedipalps (hopefully I'm spelling that right) are bigger at the ends to me. I thought that was how you can tell if it's a male or female. If this picture doesn't help at all I can try to get a better one, but it's hard with just this crappy phone camera.

I was kind of hoping it was normal for her to be wandering quite a bit, because she's been moved to a new home. Or that it was normal premolt behavior.

I do think I will try the idea of a little water in her substrate. She is currently in dragon sand, and here in WI, our winters can be brutally dry. Even us humans have been getting some dry skin, and chapped lips because of it. (It's been driving me nuts, quite honestly.) I know she is supposed to prefer dry conditions, but I keep thinking it may be a bit dry in here, even for her taste. Plus, she did go so long without food and water, poor thing.

I would like to think she ate those prey items, just because I used a pen light, and searched all over for them, and never did see a sign of them, but with this being our first time with an animal that eats this type of prey, I suppose I could have missed them somehow. I can try getting another cricket for her to see if she goes for it, but with the first ones I never did actually see her eat them. She did come out of her hide after we put them in there, so maybe she knew they were there, and we just missed it. I should have watched her more carefully.

As for that spot on her being dark, it is a dark rusty brown color, and I do think she looks a bit more grey in that photo than she does in person. Perhaps she is in premolt, but in the beginning stages? I'm not sure how that works, but I've read it can take a while.

Thanks again, for the help. I will just keep an eye on her, and keep trying to get her in good health. I think she will be fine if I at least remove the sponge from her water dish, and maybe wash it out for her. I'll keep ever one informed on how she's doing.

 

[kormath]

Doesn't look like a mature male, no boxing gloves on the palps. I'd do what @Nicolas C suggested and see how she goes. Do you have access to other food types? maybe she'd take to a roach over crickets and worms.

 

[ArvadaLanee]

Doesn't look like a mature male, no boxing gloves on the palps. I'd do what @Nicolas C suggested and see how she goes. Do you have access to other food types? maybe she'd take to a roach over crickets and worms.

Unfortunately, we only have a Petco locally, and they don't carry roaches. I could order some, but I'm not sure how quickly I could get them delivered. If both of our cars weren't currently broken down I would call around the shops in surrounding cities, but for the next week or so, we are stuff with no vehicle.

 

[kormath]

you can order them for overnight delivery from various websites, or even like 3rd day depending on the site. I'd try the lateralis roaches, they are very active and draw attention to themselves quickly. I got to watch my little 1/2" rosea eat a pinhead lateralis last night. First time I've actually seen her eat. She's a mean beast for being so small lol.

 

[ArvadaLanee]

you can order them for overnight delivery from various websites, or even like 3rd day depending on the site. I'd try the lateralis roaches, they are very active and draw attention to themselves quickly. I got to watch my little 1/2" rosea eat a pinhead lateralis last night. First time I've actually seen her eat. She's a mean beast for being so small lol.