Loosing a lot of hair before a moult?

[NatashaG]

Today I've managed to get a good look at my B.Smithi Juvenile, and for the first time I have noticed a large bald patch on his abdomen, which I've never seen before now. He's never kicked any hair that I have witnessed (unless this could have been when he has took his food back into his hide) but it seems pretty big to have missed until today.
I've had him for a little more than a month now, and he has now gotten himself into a pretty good eating routine of having a cricket every Friday night. He's not recently refused food, so I hadn't thought he was in pre-moult or anything, but is this a sign that he could be about to? Do T's loose a lot of their hair before a moult?

Also a little side question is that is it still normal for him to be hiding away a lot? He does seem to have settled in quite well, but still seems a little jumpy (if we open his viv to feed or change water, he scoots back to the end of his hide at lightening speed and still seems a little skittish.)
Thanks in advance

 

[Tomoran]

My B. smithi was quite skittish until she reached about 4" or so. When she was smaller, she would immediately hide when disturbed and was prone to mad dashes around her enclosure if spooked.I would say that the behavior you're seeing is quite normal.

As for the hairs, Ts will often throw down some hairs around their enclosures whether you see them kicking or not. Many will take to doing this right after being rehoused as well. It's why I'll always put gloves on when working with their substrate or doing a rehousing. I've noticed many of my species will also lay more hairs down when they are getting ready to molt, so if yours has also stopped eating, it could be part of premolt. Hope this helps!

 

[NatashaG]

My B. smithi was quite skittish until she reached about 4" or so. When she was smaller, she would immediately hide when disturbed and was prone to mad dashes around her enclosure if spooked.I would say that the behavior you're seeing is quite normal.

As for the hairs, Ts will often throw down some hairs around their enclosures whether you see them kicking or not. Many will take to doing this right after being rehoused as well. It's why I'll always put gloves on when working with their substrate or doing a rehousing. I've noticed many of my species will also lay more hairs down when they are getting ready to molt, so if yours has also stopped eating, it could be part of premolt. Hope this helps!

thank for the advice!! He is still only 2", so I'm hoping as he gets bigger he feels more comfortable. Other than the odd disruption of feedin or anything like that, he seems calm.
I did change his hide a few weeks back, because he was digging underneath the one I had purchased, and it was toppling over. So that could be a reason for him to lay down hairs, I'd never even thought of that. He is due a feed on Friday again, so it will be interesting to see if he eats.
Thanks again.

 

[Tomoran]

thank for the advice!! He is still only 2", so I'm hoping as he gets bigger he feels more comfortable. Other than the odd disruption of feedin or anything like that, he seems calm.
I did change his hide a few weeks back, because he was digging underneath the one I had purchased, and it was toppling over. So that could be a reason for him to lay down hairs, I'd never even thought of that. He is due a feed on Friday again, so it will be interesting to see if he eats.
Thanks again.

I have a couple Ts that I have never seen kick a hair, yet they end up bald by the time the molt. I rehoused a B. Boehmei young adult a couple months ago, and she is completely bald now even though she never kicks. She must have just laid some hair down in her enclosure.

Yeah, the B. smithi have a reputation for being really calm and docile, but many folks mention their slings and juvies being quite high-strung and skittish. Most outgrow it.

 

[VanessaS]

Yeah, the B. smithi have a reputation for being really calm and docile, but many folks mention their slings and juvies being quite high-strung and skittish. Most outgrow it.

I hope that is the case with my two, because they kick hairs if you just look at them. They are the two I am wanting to rehouse as well, so that isn't going to be much of a treat.

 

[NatashaG]

I have a couple Ts that I have never seen kick a hair, yet they end up bald by the time the molt. I rehoused a B. Boehmei young adult a couple months ago, and she is completely bald now even though she never kicks. She must have just laid some hair down in her enclosure.

Yeah, the B. smithi have a reputation for being really calm and docile, but many folks mention their slings and juvies being quite high-strung and skittish. Most outgrow it.

When I moved him out of his old hide, he was as calm as could be, slowly walking to the other side of the tank while I quickly set the other hide up. He then calmly made his way into his new hide and I've not seen him out of it since. I knew it would take a while for him to get used to the move (he was shipped here) and the new enclosure, just wondered how long it took for other young T's to adjust.
I don't plan on handling him, so he can take as long as he likes to mature. I just don't want him to be so terrified of us forever

 

[NatashaG]

I hope that is the case with my two, because they kick hairs if you just look at them. They are the two I am wanting to rehouse as well, so that isn't going to be much of a treat.

Are yours both B.Smithi's? Zoltan (my T) is around 18 months-2 years now, and he hasn't ever actually kicked hairs at us, or been aggressive in any way/shape/form. He just seems rather jumpy. Good luck with your re-housing, I'm not too keen on that when the time comes around for me too

 

[VanessaS]

Are yours both B.Smithi's? Zoltan (my T) is around 18 months-2 years now, and he hasn't ever actually kicked hairs at us, or been aggressive in any way/shape/form. He just seems rather jumpy. Good luck with your re-housing, I'm not too keen on that when the time comes around for me too

Juveniles are always more skittish and seem to bolt around a lot more. Having only had adults in the past - it was an eye opener for me to see the way that the juveniles move about. My 3" male G. pulchripes is a bit of a hair kicker - even when all I'm doing is adding a bit of water to his dish. My 3" B. verdezi has kicked hairs a couple of times, but she is a bit evil overall. She has also attacked my tongs.
The two 3" B. smithi are brand new to me - I picked them up Monday night. To be fair - I did take their enclosures out to get photos of them last night and they didn't kick hair. I think that the Brachypelma are just maybe a bit more generous with the hair kicking overall and are not really being that much more defensive.
I wouldn't ignore it, though. Ignoring the hair kicking is not a good idea.
I think that they will often calm down a bit with age, and that seems to be the consensus with people who have them, but that is never a guarantee. I will be very surprised if my B. verdezi ever calms down, but I might be mistaken.

 

[NatashaG]

Zoltan seems completely fine with our hands being in the tank, and he has never ever been aggressive, I've never seen him kick hairs! when he was shipped he had a full abdomen of hair, so I know it's only very recently that he must have flicked them somewhere. He runs back into his hide with food, so it could have been in the struggle of him eating the crickets or he is getting ready to moult, but will keep an eye on the amount of hair coming off him, thanks for the advice.
I was told when I wanted to buy him that first time keepers are better off with a young T. I'm really looking forward to seeing him grow and getting to know him, and since it is our first Tarantula, it's been an amazing learning curve.
Good luck with all your T's, do you handle them at all?

Juveniles are always more skittish and seem to bolt around a lot more. Having only had adults in the past - it was an eye opener for me to see the way that the juveniles move about. My 3" male G. pulchripes is a bit of a hair kicker - even when all I'm doing is adding a bit of water to his dish. My 3" B. verdezi has kicked hairs a couple of times, but she is a bit evil overall. She has also attacked my tongs.
The two 3" B. smithi are brand new to me - I picked them up Monday night. To be fair - I did take their enclosures out to get photos of them last night and they didn't kick hair. I think that the Brachypelma are just maybe a bit more generous with the hair kicking overall and are not really being that much more defensive.
I wouldn't ignore it, though. Ignoring the hair kicking is not a good idea.
I think that they will often calm down a bit with age, and that seems to be the consensus with people who have them, but that is never a guarantee. I will be very surprised if my B. verdezi ever calms down, but I might be mistaken.

 

[RedCapTrio]

Today I've managed to get a good look at my B.Smithi Juvenile, and for the first time I have noticed a large bald patch on his abdomen, which I've never seen before now. He's never kicked any hair that I have witnessed (unless this could have been when he has took his food back into his hide) but it seems pretty big to have missed until today.
I've had him for a little more than a month now, and he has now gotten himself into a pretty good eating routine of having a cricket every Friday night. He's not recently refused food, so I hadn't thought he was in pre-moult or anything, but is this a sign that he could be about to? Do T's loose a lot of their hair before a moult?

Also a little side question is that is it still normal for him to be hiding away a lot? He does seem to have settled in quite well, but still seems a little jumpy (if we open his viv to feed or change water, he scoots back to the end of his hide at lightening speed and still seems a little skittish.)
Thanks in advance

My B. boehmei is currently in premolt, and before that it has a full rump of hair. Now, it has a bald spot that is getting bigger. And I have not observed hair kicking also. Hope it will molt anytime now.

 

[NatashaG]

My B. boehmei is currently in premolt, and before that it has a full rump of hair. Now, it has a bald spot that is getting bigger. And I have not observed hair kicking also. Hope it will molt anytime now.

I hope your T will moult very soon! I bet it is an exciting time!
I am unsure if my B.Smithi is in pre-moult, as on Friday he readily took a cricket and seems pretty active. But the bald spot is pretty big for never seein him kick any hair.

 

[RedCapTrio]

It really is easy to tell if it is in premolt, the abdomen will be shiny blackish instead of the brownish/tan beneath the hairs.

 

[LegacyCode]

My B. Smithi molted about 2 weeks ago, She already had a bit of a bald patch when i first got her but it became a lot more noticeable a week or two before molting.

 

[NatashaG]

My B. Smithi molted about 2 weeks ago, She already had a bit of a bald patch when i first got her but it became a lot more noticeable a week or two before molting.

I am hoping that his bald patch is a sign of a moult, although he did have his meal on Friday, which is the only thing that keeps niggling me, because I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be as hungry as he seems to be, when I feed him, if he was in pre-moult.

 

[NatashaG]

It really is easy to tell if it is in premolt, the abdomen will be shiny blackish instead of the brownish/tan beneath the hairs.

It does seem to be very dark, but it has been ever since he arrived about 5 weeks ago. That's why I am a bit confused, but he seems pretty happy and eats well enough.

 

[RedCapTrio]

I hope your T will moult very soon! I bet it is an exciting time!
I am unsure if my B.Smithi is in pre-moult, as on Friday he readily took a cricket and seems pretty active. But the bald spot is pretty big for never seein him kick any hair.

It is exciting, but today, I did not disturb Trani. I only took photos when the molt is well and done.

Well, except for this first photo of course.