If a T is molting and you don't know it...

Ok a person I know just got a white knee. He has never seen a spider molt and walked in to see it on its back. He thought it was dead and turned it upright. He called us and we told him it was molting. So he turned it back over. Will this accident cause any permanent damage??? I SO hope not!!

Possibly.. He needs o just leave it. Do not touch it. It will do its thing. If it dosent, he messed it up

I know this is mean...but does the retard not own a computer with internet connection? People should seriously stop getting animals that they have no knowledge of. It only takes 10-15min of surfing the web to get at least a little bit of information on the animals that you have.
I really hope his spider doesnt die because of his stupidity.

he may have avoided a calamity if the t hadn't popped the prosoma cap. just make sure there's plenty o water for it and keep your fingers crossed for him.

No he's not retarded, he has another T but has also never seen it molt. I know its a big mistake but he didn't know. NOW he does. I really hope his T makes it. And yes, he could have spent some time reading about it beforehand.

Thats pretty harsh. Not knowing about something is not stupidity, it's ignorance. He's not a retard he just learned the hard way. Hopefully he has learned and will research more in the future

I hope his T makes it!

And agreed. He isn't retarded. He WOULD however, be a retard if he knew what it looks like to molt prior to flipping the T.

This "friend" wouldn't happen to be you, would it?

SpiderMuffins said:

This "friend" wouldn't happen to be you, would it?

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hehe. I never thought of that

It doesnt matter who it is. Everyone is human and makes mistakes, well besides me. :liar: Hope it turns out ok. T's can be pretty hardy so ya never know.
Tay

When my first T molted for the very first time in our care (I was 16y @ time), my father thought she was dead, and started poking at her with a pencil eraser. My mother, spider lover that she is, realized what was going on and made him stop. Had that T for 16 years!!!!

So, sometimes they can survive our ignorance. (I like that word much better than the "R" word. Have a daughter with Down syndrome, I find the "R" word a bit upsetting.)

Lucara said:

People should seriously stop getting animals that they have no knowledge of. It only takes 10-15min of surfing the web to get at least a little bit of information on the animals that you have.

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Harsh words aside, I agree with Lucara. Not knowing what behaviors to expect in a new animal isn't a mistake. That's forgiveable cause nature can throw a wrench in the works ever so often (rosie). Not doing research into a complicated exotic pet before a purchase isn't a mistake either. For the sake of being PC, I'll just say it's a poor decision.

Dogs and cats generally can be picked up by any one and cared for reasonably with little to no research. They're plug and play pets. Anything beyond that should require a little reading just to be informed from boas and beardies all the way down to hamsters. People not doing the foot work are the reason some states can't sell ferrets, or why boas are released in places they shouldn't be, or why exotic animal shelters and rehousing programs exist. They don't realize what they actually need to do to maintain their animal in terms of health, hygiene, diet, or that some pets take a huge time commitment (like not realizing a rabbit is going to live 8yrs or so). It's not fair to the pets nor is it fair to the community it affects.

I question the motives of some one picking up exotics with no knowledge. Was it an impulse buy? Did they think it was cool? Was the "Scorpion vs. Tarantula" video enough to make them think they wanted one? If they didn't care enough to get information till something went wrong and they now have 2 tarantulas, how much do they really care when nothing bad is happening? Notice how the guy who flipped the T didn't even try to become a member and ask a question, his friend the OP had to ask for him? Now that's some one committed to their pets. Stellar job.

Sorry for the rant.... :8o

No, I completely agree. It angers me to no end to see people get animals, not do the research on them and then wonder why their pet died or is near dead. People who get T. blondi's and leave them in bone dry cages, and then post a thread asking why their blondi is dying, is a perfect example. People who purchase iguanas is another perfect example. I've talked to so many "ignorant" (I appologize for the "R" word), owners who feed their iguanas carrots and lettuce and are convinced that having them sitting near a window is sufficient heat and UVB intake for them. Its a shame that animals have to suffer for our laziness and "ignorance".
There are books and forums for a reason. Ask questions and do you research before you get something. O=) I'm done.

To original poster:

Many times I had to move or displace a T right in the process of molting (crumbling hide, stuck leg) and none had any ill effect from my action. I helped one molt by pulling two legs that looked stuck, I had to cut the exuvium open for another one and I had an avic litteraly molting in the palm of my hand. The key is to be extremely delicate, moving slooooooooooooooow. I noticed that Ts seem to be more annoyed by strong vibration of the soil onto which they lay, like if I bump in the cabinet.

My only molt related death was a P ornata sling with both fangs, both palps and two legs stuck. The poor thing just ripped apart, already dry in its exuvium; it was too late

SpiderMuffins said:

This "friend" wouldn't happen to be you, would it?

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ABSOLUTELY NOT. I have three healthy T's that I know about.

thanks for all the information folks. i am going to call and see if his T pulled through. and i too do not like the "r" word. i apologize if it offended anyone. thanks folks!

So he told us that the T is fine and dandy, no damge and a successful molt thankfully.

Good, glad to hear it. I knew it would. A T in molt is delicate yes, but not as delicate as people think. They can take a lot more abuse (not that they should) than we think. As long as they have as close to optimum environmental conditions as possible they are tough as heck. It is when the humidity in a T. blondis cage is down that it has problems normally. in fact i have found that a lot of molting problems come from low humidity. even in the dryer spp. water, mother nature's lubricant. I am sure that temp can have a lot to do with it too, considering humidity and heat are very closely related. and also if the T is to cold it will move through molt to slow possibly. dark and quiet are important but how often do you think some animal happens across a molting T, say in the amazon, and is curious and starts nudging it around. then it gets bored and walks off. It may stress the T out but in most cases it probably won't kill it.