Is my G. Rosea pre molting?

Centipeder

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 27, 2013
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15
Hey guys, I wanted to get some of your opinions on what my G. Rosea is and has been doing. As 2-3 weeks ago, she's hidden inside her hide (as well as webbed up the front entrance and fixed dirt to the back of her hide). She hasn't left her hide which is unlike her because I will see her out and about every other day just walking around or drinking water. I haven't seen her leave and half of me is worried. The other half of me thinks she is in pre- molt but her butt isn't balding. I also dropped a meal worm in there (in front of her entrance) and she didn't attack or eat it, it ended up burrowing and I saw it drinking water out of her dish the other day. So I'm not sure if it's still in there or if she found it and ate it. Can you guys give me your opinions on what this behavior is? Hoping she's alright and all is well. Attatched are two pictures, on of her but and the other of her hide with the entrance webbed up. Also I got her while she was pretty small about 5 months ago and she has grown obviously. Thanks and hope to hear back. IMG_6515.jpg
 

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cold blood

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Hey guys, I wanted to get some of your opinions on what my G. Rosea is and has been doing. As 2-3 weeks ago, she's hidden inside her hide (as well as webbed up the front entrance and fixed dirt to the back of her hide). She hasn't left her hide which is unlike her because I will see her out and about every other day just walking around or drinking water. I haven't seen her leave and half of me is worried. The other half of me thinks she is in pre- molt but her butt isn't balding. I also dropped a meal worm in there (in front of her entrance) and she didn't attack or eat it, it ended up burrowing and I saw it drinking water out of her dish the other day. So I'm not sure if it's still in there or if she found it and ate it. Can you guys give me your opinions on what this behavior is? Hoping she's alright and all is well. Attatched are two pictures, on of her but and the other of her hide with the entrance webbed up. Also I got her while she was pretty small about 5 months ago and she has grown obviously.

I'm gonna start at the end here...you got her when she was small, only 5 months ago....and she's grown quite a bit since them? I'm tempted to not further my post because you seem to be claiming the impossible.....so I'm curios if this is a troll thread....Tarantulas ONLY grow when they molt, and at that size it could not have possibly molted more than once, and I doubt it did at all.

But I'll move forward anyhow.

Mealworms and superworms should always have their heads crushed prior to feeding unless you are willing to watch closely to make sure they don't burrow....like yours did. Both pupate into beetles capable of killing and feeding on your freshly molted t.

This species is known for fasting and refusing meals, so that in its self isn't an indicator of much. But much of the rest is. They don't use hides much, nor to they web often, both are good indicators of an impending molt, as is the big drink. Mine ALWAYS takes a big drink prior to molting. This species doesn't flick much, so you won't see bald spots on them very often...bald spots are NOT an indicator of pre-molt, just kicked hair. What a bald spot does, if its there, is to allow clear view of the skin....when it turns black and gets shiny its about to molt...but without a bald spot, its difficult to see, especially with a G. porteri.

This species can fast for up to a year or even more before molting, but if you've been feeding the begeezus out of her and keeping her warm, things can speed up a bit. As they have very slow metabolism, 2-4 crickets per month are more than enough, they are commonly over-fed in captivity. There's no issue, you just need to relax and wait, patience is critical with t keeping, and especially so with a rosea.

If you have a heating element on or under her, remove it promptly.
 
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Centipeder

Arachnopeon
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Hey, thanks for the reply and no this isn't a troll post. What I meant from her growing in 5 months is that her butt got a lot bigger than when I first got her. That's all. Anyway, I' guess I'll just keep playing it by ear and see wether or not she's on the way to molt or if she's just going through some behaviour for the time being.
 

cold blood

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Hey, thanks for the reply and no this isn't a troll post. What I meant from her growing in 5 months is that her butt got a lot bigger than when I first got her. That's all. Anyway, I' guess I'll just keep playing it by ear and see wether or not she's on the way to molt or if she's just going through some behaviour for the time being.
That makes a lot more sense. That's the natural cycle, eat, get fat, molt, become skinny and start over.

All you need to do is wait. Keep the dish full and don't even offer food till it emerges.
 

Slimdean

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Feb 5, 2011
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28
Get that mealworm out of there or you will be sorry :( let's make sure if it is a molting thing, she'll survive it
 

Centipeder

Arachnopeon
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Sep 27, 2013
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Get that mealworm out of there or you will be sorry :( let's make sure if it is a molting thing, she'll survive it
Hey, the last time I saw the mealworm was a couple of days ago when it was drinking out of the water dish...The thing is how do i find out if and where the meal worm is in her tank? without interupting my t from her hide?
 

PMMEYOURTs

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Aug 3, 2015
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Hey, the last time I saw the mealworm was a couple of days ago when it was drinking out of the water dish...The thing is how do i find out if and where the meal worm is in her tank? without interupting my t from her hide?
Tie oatmeal to a string and go mealworm fishing!
but in all seriousness, you can only hope for the best at this point, keep a close eye on it and hope it pops up
 

Ellenantula

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Unless she has actively flipped over to moult, I would remove her from enclosure. Then sift through and remove mealworm (dead or alive) and then replace T back in her enclosure. I don't like messing with 'missing' mealworms in a T's enclosure.
In the future I would behead any mealworms offered. Live mealworms are a danger to a moulting T. If you insist on offering live ones, use tongs and ensure the prey was actively taken and eaten.

I don't like to toss any food in a burrow where I can't see if it was consumed or if it might be rotting/molding (granted in a dry enclosure, it might only dessicate).
Feed outside of burrow, a hungry T will come out to grab prey. And if T is fasting, you can more easily retrieve uneaten prey outside of burrow.
 

Prle

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Aug 8, 2015
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Tnebrio molitor and Zophobas morio larvae represent a big treat to molting T. I have heard about several cases that both of these feeds bit Ts during molt causing their death. Even crickets used to do that.

That is one of the reasons why I don't use any of these feeds and why my Ts are on Blatta lateralis diet exclusively. Other reason is unbalanced amount of calories from protein and fat in Tenebrio molitor and Zophobas morio larvae (both of them have more fat that protein in their structure).
 

BobGrill

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Tnebrio molitor and Zophobas morio larvae represent a big treat to molting T. I have heard about several cases that both of these feeds bit Ts during molt causing their death. Even crickets used to do that.

That is one of the reasons why I don't use any of these feeds and why my Ts are on Blatta lateralis diet exclusively. Other reason is unbalanced amount of calories from protein and fat in Tenebrio molitor and Zophobas morio larvae (both of them have more fat that protein in their structure).
Not everyone has access to roaches remember.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk
 

Ellenantula

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I prefer to vary my T's diet anyway -- no one single food exclusively and no forbidden rules like "never a mealworm due to fat."

Mine get B lats, crix, waxies; and in the past -- mealworms too.
 

BobGrill

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People seem to forget that roaches are illegal in a lot of places. So therefore many of us have to either use crickets or superworms.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk
 

Prle

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I apologize for my ignorance, but I didn't know that roaches are banned in some areas. Also, the main point of my post lies in the first paragraph, but obviously I was not clear enough.

Also, I hadn't intention to offend anyone with my post - I just wanted to say that Zophobas morio and Tenebrio molitor larvae must be stopped in attempt to borrow them self and shouldn't be left buried in the enclosure with T possibly in pre-molt.
 
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