Worried About My Tarantula

[CC_123409]

Hey, so I'm a new owner of a Chaco Golden Knee, Goldie, who I've had for about a month now. Since I'm new to tarantula keeping, I may say some wrong things and I apologize. The problem I have is that we have a small piece of bark, maybe about 3x4 inches, with a small hole on top. About 2 weeks ago, my tarantula went under this bark and proceeded to fill up any and all openings with holes, except for the small hole on top. She is a sling, maybe .75 to 1 inch leg span, so I know molting is a common thing at the age, and we think it might be that she is just in pre molt, but I don't know how long this specific species stays in that phase. We can see a small amount of webbing around it, but we don't see her. We know she is in there, she just doesn't come out. Another thing is that I'm not sure how big of a space they needs to molt, and the log has about an inch of space up and 2 inches across either way for movement, but I have seen her in the roof. I was just worried if she was ok, or if i should be worried about this strange behavior. I'm hoping it's pre molt, but I don't know specific details about it. Any and all advice would be very helpful. Thanks.

 

[Dave Jay]

Hey, so I'm a new owner of a Chaco Golden Knee, Goldie, who I've had for about a month now. Since I'm new to tarantula keeping, I may say some wrong things and I apologize. The problem I have is that we have a small piece of bark, maybe about 3x4 inches, with a small hole on top. About 2 weeks ago, my tarantula went under this bark and proceeded to fill up any and all openings with holes, except for the small hole on top. She is a sling, maybe .75 to 1 inch leg span, so I know molting is a common thing at the age, and we think it might be that she is just in pre molt, but I don't know how long this specific species stays in that phase. We can see a small amount of webbing around it, but we don't see her. We know she is in there, she just doesn't come out. Another thing is that I'm not sure how big of a space they needs to molt, and the log has about an inch of space up and 2 inches across either way for movement, but I have seen her in the roof. I was just worried if she was ok, or if i should be worried about this strange behavior. I'm hoping it's pre molt, but I don't know specific details about it. Any and all advice would be very helpful. Thanks.

Hi, I'm no expert but almost identical questions are posted at least once most days. The recurring answer is that it is perfectly normal in 99% of cases and nothing to worry about, just keep the water dish full and offer food occasionally, removing live food if not eaten in an hour or so. Freshly killed live food can also be offered which is safer for the sling, but may not elicit a feeding response. Unless the abdomen looks very thin there's nothing to worry about, of course most times you can't see it anyway but if it was plump when last you saw it the spider has enough reserves to last possibly months without food.
Slings will eat until sated then they have to wait for the new exoskeleton to be ready, so feeding them as often as they will take food often leads to a long period of dormancy while they wait.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Spiders are experts at molting in tight spaces.

 

[Whitelightning777]

It does sound like premolt. Several of my slings have done the same thing. While I don't own that species, this type of behavior is extremely common for a lot of them. I'm fairly sure it'll be just fine.

 

[RonC]

Same thing mine did. Ate once and bye. That was mid October. It did open up for a day back the first of December.Feeders can get in its burrow and it appears a bit larger than it did from what I can see through it's window it left. Others of mine haven't eaten in a month. I'm getting over worrying.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Once the most occurs, wait for a week. Make sure the water bowl stays full. It'll be quite hungry once the fangs turn black and harden up.