Old World Tarantulas and Molting Question

Godzilla2000

Arachnoangel
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Mar 14, 2003
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I was just wondering if anyone could tell me a little info about the molting behavior of Old World spiders here. I have at least three spiders who are to my experience with the behaviors of pre-molt New World spiders, looking like they are winding up for a molting. Luci, my Cobalt, has even been getting a swollen, hairless rump as well. I know that it is said that Old Worlders tend to molt late Summer/Early Fall while New Worlders tend to do the major bulk of their molting Spring/Early Summer. How much of this is true and just what are your experiences with your Old World spiders? I'd really like to hear from you all about this.
 

MizM

Arachnoprincess
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Jan 13, 2003
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My Old World AND New World species all seem to molt around the same time. Not EXACTLY of course, but GENERALLY. It's been discussed here before, but I forgot which thread (sowwy) that we pretty much synchronize them with our controlled environments. They are all exposed to the same amount of daylight and darkness regardless of season.

The slings also molt within one week of each other. My huband has even started to tell the boys, "Be nice to mommy, it's molt week and she's worrying about her tarantulas!!"
 

Godzilla2000

Arachnoangel
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I've had both my A. versicolor (Who now has her adult coloration. I think I've posted pics of her somewhere in one of these threads.) and my P. murinus molt on me without my knowing it because they spent alot of time hidining in their burrow/funnel web where I can't see them. I've been noticing that Luci has been spending alot of time out of her burrow as of lately. She's even been sleeping on her substrate rather than her burrow alot too.
 

Palespider

Arachnodemon
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May 30, 2003
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Originally posted by Godzilla2000
I've had both my A. versicolor (Who now has her adult coloration. I think I've posted pics of her somewhere in one of these threads.) and my P. murinus molt on me without my knowing it because they spent alot of time hidining in their burrow/funnel web where I can't see them. I've been noticing that Luci has been spending alot of time out of her burrow as of lately. She's even been sleeping on her substrate rather than her burrow alot too.
This is a good sign that she's getting ready to molt. My H. lividum does this before fasting for a molt to find another place to make a home it seems, because she'll just wander and wander (late at night when you're not looking ;)) for sometimes weeks. Once she finds there's no way out she'll go and burry herself in for a good month to 2 months. My T. blondi and L. parahybana disply similar behavior before a molt, except they only wander for a few days. I think it's them being too lazy to excavate and make their homes bigger for the upcoming molt. Instead they rather just findor steal a larger one :)

Jim B.
 

defour

Arachnobaron
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May 17, 2003
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Originally posted by Godzilla2000
Luci, my Cobalt, has even been getting a swollen, hairless rump as well.
My experience with OW tarantulas isn't vast, but I've never had one with a hairless rump. How big is the spider? Maybe the hairless appearance is caused by the darkening of the exoskeleton?

Steve
 
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