Pink Toe molt.... i need reassurance or advice

[Verity86]

Ok so, I've had my pink toe just under a year, she is my first.

She was 17 months when I took her home so she is just over 2 years old now and this will be her second molt since I've had her.

Her fist molt was only around 2 months after I got her and it was while I was away for a couple of days on a course with work so I didn't have all the stress

Over the past month she has been off her food, moving around less, getting a little bald spot , usual signs of getting ready to molt... and then just like the last time she has webbed up a decent sized corner or her tank to hide in (exactly what she did last time)

But last time I wasn't around to whitness the molt so I'm stressing. She appeared to be starting this morning ... at an angle, almost on her side though not on her back. With her right legs slowly moving and stretching out. So I left her to it and went to work. Its now 15 hours later, still hasn't molted and shes in pretty much the same position except no movement but 2 of her legs are kind of up in the air.

Am I stressing out for no reason?
I think because last time I wasnt around so don't know how long it took her, as I was gone for 4 nights.
Think I just need reasurance or something... helpm

 

[Arachnoclown]

Spiders have been molting for millions of years. They know exactly what they are doing and when they want to do it. No reason to stress.

 

[Verity86]

Spiders have been molting for millions of years. They know exactly what they are doing and when they want to do it. No reason to stress.

Ok but now it's been 36 hours and she hasn't moved in the last 18

 

[Arachnoclown]

Ok but now it's been 36 hours and she hasn't moved in the last 18

No worries...my pinktoe doesn't move for weeks.

 

[SpiderMike]

If you're saying 18 hours and still on her side and sort of half way through a molt, make sure to mist the enclosure (even with warm water rather than cold - but obviously not hot) so the atmosphere is moist because it does sound like the molt process maybe faltering. If its 18 hours after she ditched the old exuvia and she's just sitting still subsequently, that's just fine and later expect to see her stretching all her legs as she maximizes growth before hardening.

 

[Arachnoclown]

If you're saying 18 hours and still on her side and sort of half way through a molt, make sure to mist the enclosure (even with warm water rather than cold - but obviously not hot) so the atmosphere is moist because it does sound like the molt process maybe faltering. If its 18 hours after she ditched the old exuvia and she's just sitting still subsequently, that's just fine and later expect to see her stretching all her legs as she maximizes growth before hardening.

Air humidity does nothing for a molting spider. It's the water within the spider that is pumped between the new and old exo skeleton that is crucial. Stuffy over humid enclosure is bad advise to give for a avicularia.

 

[SpiderMike]

Only suggesting it because an 18 hour pause (stated no movement) in actual shed position is unusual and implies the spider is already in trouble so throw away the rule book because its Paramedic time.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Only suggesting it because an 18 hour pause (stated no movement) in actual shed position is unusual and implies the spider is already in trouble so throw away the rule book because its Paramedic time.

At that point spraying water still isn't going to solve anything. Tarantulas are water proof...so unless your going to add dish soap to the water to break the surface tension its worthless. Disclaimer...dont ever do this.

 

[octanejunkie]

Good luck OP
Please report back

 

[Verity86]

She died I'm absolutely gutted but there would of been nothing I could have done to help her anyway because she was half way through he molt.
I have been going over everything thinking if I had done anything wrong over the last few months but honestly her set up was fine, all her food was always gut loaded well because I have had other animals I have to d othis for anyway.
So I'm guessing it's just one of the crap things that happens from time to tim . Either way I'm gutted, my son is absolutely devastated but he has had a funeral for her and cleaned out her set up because he would like a new one, so at least it's not put him off

 

[Soulman]

She died I'm absolutely gutted but there would of been nothing I could have done to help her anyway because she was half way through he molt.
I have been going over everything thinking if I had done anything wrong over the last few months but honestly her set up was fine, all her food was always gut loaded well because I have had other animals I have to d othis for anyway.
So I'm guessing it's just one of the crap things that happens from time to tim . Either way I'm gutted, my son is absolutely devastated but he has had a funeral for her and cleaned out her set up because he would like a new one, so at least it's not put him off

not a bad thing for him,he understands,sorry to hear.let's hope you can find one.

 

[Arachnoclown]

She died I'm absolutely gutted but there would of been nothing I could have done to help her anyway because she was half way through he molt.
I have been going over everything thinking if I had done anything wrong over the last few months but honestly her set up was fine, all her food was always gut loaded well because I have had other animals I have to d othis for anyway.
So I'm guessing it's just one of the crap things that happens from time to tim . Either way I'm gutted, my son is absolutely devastated but he has had a funeral for her and cleaned out her set up because he would like a new one, so at least it's not put him off

Tarantulas do die while molting. Ive lost many over the years. I'm sure it wasn't something you did. More then likely it was something internal. Do you have any recent photos of her? Mature male often get stuck due to their pedipalps...maybe she was a he?

 

[becca_p13]

No worries...my pinktoe doesn't move for weeks.

My pink toe has been upside down on her back with her legs drawn up for about a week without any movement. Should I still let get be? I'm starting to freak out a little

 

[SpiderMike]

Not to be bearer of bad tidings but if upside down and legs drawn in for a full week motionless I think you have to envisage the worst because it sounds like an inverted death pose where something has failed during a molt. I hope I'm wrong but sorry should it turn out to be that way.

 

[So0nToBe Tarantula addict]

Sorry for your loss! I have lost Ts in moults as well. Had a B. Hamorii molted and never flipped back over. I waited over a day to intervene but it was too late. She was all but gone! Doubt if I could have saved her anyway. If you get deep in this hobby you will have bad moults, lost slings for no apparent reason, etc. Like everything in this life T keeping is filled with ups and downs! Try your hand with a couple more and keep the faith. God bless.