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How often do they molt?
- Thread starter Allison
- Start date
- Messages
- 125
I'm assuming they are adults, right? G. rosea, or more likely a G. porteri, will take longer in between molts as they age. My old lady porteri reached 3 years between molts until old age caught up. I don't know much about avics, except for my own fuzzy pet rock. She's just like my porteri, and the molts slow down once maturity set in. Slings, juvies, and sub-adults have comparatively shorter times between sheds.
- Messages
- 540
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
How often you feed them and the temperature plays a role in moulting. Keep them cooler and feed them less results in moulting less. Age is also a big factor - the older they get, the less they moult.
If your rosie is an adult, that is not an unusual amount of time.
If your rosie is an adult, that is not an unusual amount of time.
I don't feed them as often as I probably should. I live in a remote area and have to travel to purchase food. I usually try to purchase enough crickets to last several weeks. But it sometimes stretches into another couple weeks before I can get more. And I keep them in my bedroom which stays dark. I use regular lamp light to provide them about 6 hrs of light. But I wonder if that is sufficient? And my bedroom stays cool. I keep a ceiling fan on 90% of the time. Probably just below 70 degrees. Hmmm, now I'm reconsidering my entire set up..... I have no clue if my rosie is an adult, I've had her two years and she was purchased at a PetSmart. They can't tell you anything about them there. Not age or species. She's pretty good size.
- Messages
- 800
- Location
- Connecticut
Yup, temperatures and feeding schedules play a big part in how fast they will grow. T's kept in the 80s and fed weekly will generally grow faster than those kept high 60s and fed bi-weekly. Also, growth rate can differ between genera of tarantulas. For example, in a year's time, my T. stirmi went from about 1.25" to 5". In that same amount of time, my G. pulchripes went from about .5" to 1.25".
The amount of light they get should not impact the growth rates at all. In fact, many species are light sensitive and only come out at night anyway.
I've had my G. porteri for 20 years now, and it was a full 7 years between her last two molts. This is a slow growing species, and as adults, they can go several years without a molt. My Avicularia versicolor went about 10 months between its last molts. I would say that your guys are doing just fine.
The amount of light they get should not impact the growth rates at all. In fact, many species are light sensitive and only come out at night anyway.
I've had my G. porteri for 20 years now, and it was a full 7 years between her last two molts. This is a slow growing species, and as adults, they can go several years without a molt. My Avicularia versicolor went about 10 months between its last molts. I would say that your guys are doing just fine.
- Messages
- 800
- Location
- Connecticut
Ha! Yeah, I honestly thought she was done molting when about 5 years went by. I figured she was a likely just living out the rest of her life at this point. Nope. She stopped eating for the first time I can remember last year (she has never fasted for me) and molted about two months later. I was SO relieved that she went through it okay, as I know that some "elderly" Ts eventually during a bad molt.
Yeah, it gets scary when they are older. I haven't had my rosea or porteri all that long, but the rosea has molted once for me. The porteri hasn't yet but they were both WC adults, so who knows. I expected 2-3 year gaps, but 7? That's a new one for me.
Consider getting a tub of meal worms.for those long stretches when your out of crickets. They can literally be kept on the fridge door. Or keep them out where it's warmer to make more meal worms
Super easy keepers, I go old school. Good old quaker oats in a square glad tub with a few air holes baby carrot for moisture. Quick tip! Leave the carrot in there unless it begins to mold. The beetles lay eggs on them from time to time as they dry up.
- Messages
- 800
- Location
- Connecticut
I got her back in 1996 at about 4.5" inches as a wild caught young adult. She molted in 1997, 2003, 2008, and 2015. Granted, she used to be kept at room temperature, and I would feed her twice a month or so for years, so that likely had a lot to do with it.
