GBB Moult, Do I Remove It?

[GBBT]

Hi all

My daughter's GBB, Zeus has had his first moult with us, this is our first experience ever. He seems to be a pro and has come out looking really healthy and happy. My question is this. We can see the moult buried in his webbed up lair under the substrate. He is not going in his lair very much now, is this because the moult is still in there, or just because he will be more active now he has moulted?

Do we need to remove the moult or will it just break down? We are wary about removing it because we don't want to destroy all the webbing he has created for his impressive home.

Any help would be really appreciated

 

[GBBT]

Hi all

My daughter's GBB, Zeus has had his first moult with us, this is our first experience ever. He seems to be a pro and has come out looking really healthy and happy. My question is this. We can see the moult buried in his webbed up lair under the substrate. He is not going in his lair very much now, is this because the moult is still in there, or just because he will be more active now he has moulted?

Do we need to remove the moult or will it just break down? We are wary about removing it because we don't want to destroy all the webbing he has created for his impressive home.

Any help would be really appreciated

 

[James Snow]

If you want to try and sex it you can remove it. If not I would just leave it. If they dont like it there they will move it. It doesnt really break down per say it just dries out. I have had one sitting on the bottom of my p metallicas enclosure for about two and a half months.

 

[GBBT]

Thank you so much James, I will ask my daughter what she would prefer to do and go from there, all advice is so helpful as we really are very new to all of this. I know we call him a he, but personally I think it is more likely a she as even after moulting, Zeus is not very colourful.

 

[x_raphael_xx]

I like to collect mine, if I can remove them without stressing the T. They are kinda fragile and some molts have lost legs etc, but I’m hoping to frame some of the bigger ones.

 

[GBBT]

I like to collect mine, if I can remove them without stressing the T. They are kinda fragile and some molts have lost legs etc, but I’m hoping to frame some of the bigger ones.
View attachment 60979

They are amazing

 

[GBBT]

OK, so would you say male or female, or too hard to tell? We can't work it out.

 

[James Snow]

OK, so would you say male or female, or too hard to tell? We can't work it out.

You cant tell just by looking at the molt like that. Youre going to have to soak it and look for a slit inside the abdomen part. I dont know all the technical terms. You should watch a youtube tutorial on how to sex tarantulas with molts.

 

[GBBT]

You cant tell just by looking at the molt like that. Youre going to have to soak it and look for a slit inside the abdomen part. I dont know all the technical terms. You should watch a youtube tutorial on how to sex tarantulas with molts.

Thank you again James. Will give it a go. If no luck this time, then hopefully the next moult we may get lucky.

 

[x_raphael_xx]

Thank you again James. Will give it a go. If no luck this time, then hopefully the next moult we may get lucky.

You need to focus on this part, between the booklungs (white bits).
If there is a flap, female. No flap, male.
My example is a male.
Although if they are still young and small it can still be difficult to tell.

 

[GBBT]

You need to focus on this part, between the booklungs (white bits).
If there is a flap, female. No flap, male.
My example is a male.
Although if they are still young and small it can still be difficult to tell.
View attachment 60994

Thank you so much, what an amazing moult. We are seem to be missing quite a chunk so don't think we will be lucky this time round to work it out. Zeus was purchased as a juvenile and my daughter has had him around two months, I can't get over how much he has grown already

 

[x_raphael_xx]

Thank you so much, what an amazing moult. We are seem to be missing quite a chunk so don't think we will be lucky this time round to work it out. Zeus was purchased as a juvenile and my daughter has had him around two months, I can't get over how much he has grown already

The molt does look a little chewed up.
But they can get a little twisted up, if you soak it in soapy water you may be able to tease it gently open.