Molting?

[GreenKnight]

Got a G pulchra just two weeks ago. In a Tarantula Crib enclosure. Noticed that it made almost a web type carpet yesterday and today...and tonight we found it on it's back.

This sounds like a molt, but it's my first T, so need some feedback. From what I read, if it was dead, it would be on it's belly with its leg curling under its body.

Thank you in advance.

If it is molting...is this an 8 hour event. Its nightime here in LA.

 

[Enn49]

It's a moult.
Many Ts make a mat of web to moult on. As for how long it takes, that varies from minutes to hours
All looks good for your little one so sit back and enjoy the show.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Your spider is definitely molting. It looks completely fine. Fingers crossed for your friend.
A spider can die in any position and without the
Curling of the legs. The most common however is a death curl. I have found spiders dead in every imaginable position over the years.
Good luck

 

[octanejunkie]

Good luck and upgrade your water dish to something larger

Keep us posted!

 

[GreenKnight]

Thanks all for your words of encouragement. As expected...full on molt. That pic was at 2am. Now its back on its ventral side and the molt is in the clay pot area. Not planning on any feeding for a couple weeks, so maybe try week of May 24th. I have a naked juice cap that's about twice the size, if that works. Kids have been fascinated but had to give them a heads up before they went to bed to not panic with what they saw with the T on it's back. It really does look dead. Fascinating

 

[Oursapoil]

Congratulations on your first molt

 

[GreenKnight]

Thanks. I was attempting to remain calm...research ahead of time and comments here helped. Must take a real toll on the body.

 

[GreenKnight]

Heres a recent pic. My concern is the small abdomen. I obviously can't feed, but for their size, should I nudge up the time to just a week, as it's not an adult? So molted May 5th, so May 12th?

 

[ArachnoHorn]

Congrats! Make sure to keep the water dish full and avoid putting in feeders during molts.

 

[GreenKnight]

For sure! I'm not doing any feeding right now. I'm just not clear how long I wait...there's no tables I've seen that say exactly how long I should wait based on size of the newly molted tarantula. I know longer than several days and less than a month...but I don't do well with ambiguity.