Uropygid molt w/ pics

[c-land]

Hi everybody, I hadn't gotten around to posting this when it actually happened, but I'm only about a month late. My juvenile Mastigoproctus giganteus burrowed down to the bottom of his/her container and sealed all of its tunnels off about eight months ago; I could see it through the bottom of the container in a small excavated room. For about the next six months I would periodically check on the little guy and find it becoming increasingly bloated looking. Finally, I looked under the tank, and lo and behold, it molted! I waited a month for it to dig itself out, but it just hung out in that little dome. My impatience got the best of me . . . I had to get a better look. It molted perfectly, and grew a huge amount! I am happy to report now that it has redug itself a rather complicated burrow system and, after a seven-month fast, is happily feasting again on crickets. I haven't posted pics before, so hopefully this works.

The old molt:

http://photos-697.facebook.com/ip006/v36/102/26/412691/n412691_31076697_9088.jpg

and the larger and shinier (also note the red whips and leg tips!) uropygid:

http://photos-698.facebook.com/ip006/v36/102/26/412691/n412691_31076698_9527.jpg


Mike

[zinto]

AWESOME!! Congratulations! What happened to the little guy's tail?

[c-land]

Thanks!
It actually molted its tail out flawlessly, but it is pointing it almost directly at the camera and the tail is very out of focus.
Mike

[zinto]

I see it!! How much did you pay for this guy, and how big of an enclosure do you keep it in?

[c-land]

I paid $17.00, and it lives in a kritter keeper (I don't know the exact sizing, but its about 12" long and 7" high) with approximately 6" of substrate. It makes and remakes very cool burrow systems.
Mike