My Avic Avic finally molted! She was halfway through last night and now is resting in her home. My question is, how long before I should the remove the molt? I know she takes about three days to harden, and her abdomen definitely looks like she will be hungry when she can bite again.
Molting
- Thread starter MissSary
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You don't *have* to remove the molt, I do though. If I can get to the molt without ripping into the web then I do as soon as it gets done so I can get it before the spider grabs it. The spider will push it out if it doesn't like it.
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Some Avics are tough to sex by molts I have two and they both chew up there molts. The book lung area is always all shredded up. Frustrating I was thinking only my Avics did that
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Soak it for several hours in several tablespoons of water with a drop of dish soap, then tease it open with a toothpick.
Unless it is a wee tiny sling, it will take longer than 3 days to harden up.
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At 3 inches she'll probably take about 3 weeks to fully harden.
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Try posting a picture in the sexing gallery. Unless there is blatant spermathacae/uterus externa I continue to call them 'its'.
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At 3", if you can get a good clear shot with your camera on macro setting, or even on zoom, others might be able to offer an educated guess as to sex. One thing that sometimes helps is back-lighting the molt with a flashlight. Put a paper towel over the flashlight lens so there isn't too much glare.
I keep a little kid's microscope at home. It's sufficient to sex most of my intact molts from spiders ~1.5" and up.
I keep a little kid's microscope at home. It's sufficient to sex most of my intact molts from spiders ~1.5" and up.
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I wish I still had mine from childhood...Good reason to be on the lookout for a cheap microscope, I'm going to be curious many times in the future.
skippydude
Arachnobaron
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It only takes a couple minutes to hydrate a molt, no need to soak for hours
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If it's a relatively fresh molt, you only need a drop or two of water. A molt that has dried all scrunched up could take several hours of soaking to make it pliable enough to straighten out without shredding it.
hairbug66
Arachnopeon
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I'm not an expert by no means, in fact I have very limited experience with Ts; however, I have survived three molts. Two with a gigantor B. smithi (6+"), and one with an Aphonopelma hentzi. One of the hardest things to do is to wait for the fangs to harden enough for a feeding. Both smithi molts were followed by an aggressive feeding response on the 9th day. The Hentzi, who is still quite young, fed on the 7th day post molt. I can't see 3 weeks as even an option before attempted feeding. I would probably eat a cricket myself before waiting that long.
Jterry
Arachnosquire
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I waited a full month before feeding my female P. platyomma after her last molt. Do what's best for your T, not what's entertaining/ exciting for you.
hairbug66
Arachnopeon
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I agree with what you say, however, I wonder, did you try a feeding prior to that monthlong wait? Or did it not show any interest in feeding; therefore, you had no choice?
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I also wonder about this. As most of you know, LP's are little piggies, and mine showed an interest in eating only about 5 days after molting out of ~2 inches. I didn't feed her until a week after the molt to be safe, but I'm curious if the T has a way of "knowing" that its fangs are hard enough to feed successfully.
hairbug66
Arachnopeon
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Of course they do. They have to. These creatures have existed for a very long time, and on their own in the wild they have no choice. I can't help but think my two wild caught Aphonopelmas have an easier existence in my care, but in the wild they would not have me constantly worrying about their safety and well being. Ultimately they would be on their own. We as caregivers must try to trust their instincts and only be there when they need us, however, sometimes their needs are not the same as ours. They know what to do. The hardest part is letting them do it.