B. smithi premolt noob questions

XBabysinX

Arachnopeon
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Jun 30, 2014
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So I check my Ts quite often through out the day, so naturally I checked them last night and they both looked pretty much the same as always, well this morning I awoke to my b.smithi`s bald spot black instead of its usual orange, its not dark black but pretty black considering it was only in a nights time. My question is in your opinion how long do you think before he does molt, no web mat made, etc. but he has been staying close to his burrow and seems to be maybe flicking more hairs around it also. Just your best guesses I'm pretty excited! unnamed.jpg
 

skippydude

Arachnobaron
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Feb 3, 2013
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"How Long" is a Chinaman :sarcasm:

And patience is a virtue :D

Could be a week or could be a month, who knows? As your B smithi gets older, pre-molt times will get longer and longer.
 

cold blood

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smithi

Bury that hide 3/4 of the way, the t will appreciate it....with all that open air under it, its not really providing the t with security...they like their hides to be fairly tight....if they want it opened, best to let the t do the work. If its always forced to be basically in the open, it may become more defensive and prone to flicking more often.

Having a bald spot is in no way an indicator of pre-molt, it only means hair was flicked off of that spot. The skin beneath is what you need to look at, and the bald spot gives a much better look, that's why you hear to look at bald spots. Once that skin goes black, its a pre-molt sign. After that, it will get nice and shiny, IME this means a molt is eminent. Yours does not appear to be pre-molt, maybe just irritable.

Great species, good eaters and burrowers with an often calm demeanor. Mine has a tight hide with a basement it built beneath it. While its out most of the time, its clearly a security blanket, and will bolt for the hide if startled. In the pic my t's rump is by the entrance with nearly 4" of substrate beneath it. Mine's about 3.25"
 

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Neoza

Arachnobaron
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Bury that hide 3/4 of the way, the t will appreciate it....with all that open air under it, its not really providing the t with security...they like their hides to be fairly tight....if they want it opened, best to let the t do the work. If its always forced to be basically in the open, it may become more defensive and prone to flicking more often.

Having a bald spot is in no way an indicator of pre-molt, it only means hair was flicked off of that spot. The skin beneath is what you need to look at, and the bald spot gives a much better look, that's why you hear to look at bald spots. Once that skin goes black, its a pre-molt sign. After that, it will get nice and shiny, IME this means a molt is eminent. Yours does not appear to be pre-molt, maybe just irritable.

Great species, good eaters and burrowers with an often calm demeanor. Mine has a tight hide with a basement it built beneath it. While its out most of the time, its clearly a security blanket, and will bolt for the hide if startled. In the pic my t's rump is by the entrance with nearly 4" of substrate beneath it. Mine's about 3.25"
you said that babysin's T isnt in premolt because her bald spot isnt black? It looks black to me? Am i right or am i getting blind :eek:? Its just i know that cold blood is not a newbie or something and he always is right so..!
 

XBabysinX

Arachnopeon
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Yea im aware the bald spot is just from.hair flicking but mine is as stated above black in color. Hes refused food for two weeks now also.
 

Neoza

Arachnobaron
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Thats what i also thought! I think cold blood just didnt looked so good, on pictures things can look very different :) anyways it was although very kind of cool blood for the good explenation!!
 

cold blood

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Maybe its the pic, but no, it does not look black to me....the surrounding areas where there is hair, that looks black.
 

XBabysinX

Arachnopeon
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Its more a dark dark grey, no doubt it needs to get darker I was just so stunned to see how over night it went from bright orange to that dark so quickly. I'll try to get some better pictures. I did know when my husband did his burrow that he left to much room but he started webbing around it and I didn't want to disturb it again after he just seemed to settle in.
 

Rodantula

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The bald spot is getting darker, it's in pre molt. I usually found with that species, it was usually a week or so for it to molt after that discoloration, however I've only had two specimens. Both were adults. I had a B Vagans that would molt about a week after the same darkening.
 

skippydude

Arachnobaron
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You can tell from the first picture that this T is in pre-molt. Cold blood is just getting old and senile, pay him no never mind :biggrin:
 

cold blood

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You can tell from the first picture that this T is in pre-molt. Cold blood is just getting old and senile, pay him no never mind :biggrin:
With the comparison pics, I stand corrected...lol...drrrrr:)

I'm still not tttthhhaaaaattt old.;)
 

Neoza

Arachnobaron
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Hahaha :) i knew it! :)

---------- Post added 08-20-2014 at 10:37 AM ----------

 

XBabysinX

Arachnopeon
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With the comparison pics, I stand corrected...lol...drrrrr:)

I'm still not tttthhhaaaaattt old.;)
Haha lmao. I already have some favorite ppl on this board but sadly I think I joined a group bc they seem favorites of many.

Its okay cold blood, I have a daughter that just started middle school, the old feeling is simply sad =)
His spots a whole other shade of darker black. Soooo excited. Also fixed his burrow =)
 

ManlyMan7

Arachnosquire
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Feb 17, 2011
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68
To answer your original post, my experience from charting a couple hundred molts in the last 4 years has revealed a general pattern: each pre molt period (I.e. dark bald spot) is one day longer than the previous pre molt period. Exceptions do happen, but that rule has been very accurate some 85% of the time.

So for my one smithi at that size, she was dark 12 days before molting. My other smithi was the same: 12 days.

Hope this answers your question. :)
 

XBabysinX

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 30, 2014
Messages
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To answer your original post, my experience from charting a couple hundred molts in the last 4 years has revealed a general pattern: each pre molt period (I.e. dark bald spot) is one day longer than the previous pre molt period. Exceptions do happen, but that rule has been very accurate some 85% of the time.

So for my one smithi at that size, she was dark 12 days before molting. My other smithi was the same: 12 days.

Hope this answers your question. :)
THANK YOU!! That is exactly the kind of answer I was looking for just a general approximation, being my first molt I DO NOT want to miss it so I was just trying to figure out when he would be closer so I knew when to check him a lot more frequently. He hasn't made a mat or closed his burrow yet, if he even does, previous owner said his last molt he did under the plant but I'm sure that was only because she didn't have the burrow in properly for what he.likes.
 

ManlyMan7

Arachnosquire
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Feb 17, 2011
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Happy to help.

I have noticed also that as my Ts get bigger, it takes them longer to lay down a molt web. My 8.5" Lp girl and my 7.5" geniculata girl take about 2 days each to lay down a web before flipping. Yours will likely do it within a day.

And, yours will likely be on his back for around 6 hours before molting (give or take a few hours). Then again, he might not even flip, but may molt upright. No worries if it does, I have had a dozen or more molt upright, and no complications yet.

Hope you get to see it! It is fascinating to watch, and I never tire of it. I have now seen maybe close to 200 molts (maybe more!) between this current collection (3.5 years now), and my previous collection (of 5 years). My first ever molt was my B. smithi girl.
 
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