The moment I've been dreading--Blondie is molting and it's NOT GOOD!

IguanaMama · Sep 25, 2006

I noticed my 7" female T. blondi, Blondie has been acting lethargic lately. I only got her a couple of months ago, on a whim, and I didn't ask if she was CB or WC, I assume WC. I never should have gotten her, but I really wanted a big blondi and the price was right. STUPID ME, you get what you pay for. She came with a really skinny abdomin, I fattened her up with some dubias and orange heads, not too fat.

Anyway, she came out of her hide and was just sitting in the same spot all day, I didn't expect a molt for some reason, so I picked her up to look her over, didn't see anything odd, just that she was not moving much, and then placed her down over her water dish so she could have a good drink, just in case.

I just came home to see her in the same spot, over the water dish, her carapace is popped off, the skin on the top of her abdomin is nearly off, the legs are just there, limp. In other words, she is molting, upright, not upsidedown or sideways, and it seems as though her legs are not molting at all.

HELP HELP!!! What do I do!!!

becca81 · Sep 25, 2006

Really, Jodi, at this point all you can do is wait. It doesn't sound like she's been molting for too long, so hopefully she'll get out of it okay.

I'm assuming she's been well-hydrated up until this point?

-_Psalmopoeus_- · Sep 25, 2006

T's can molt upright. Though I've never heard of a T that size do it.
How deep is the water dish? As long as her legs aren't like 'hanging' in it, I don't think the dish would be a problem at all.

bloodred1889 · Sep 25, 2006

hmm i know this isnt helping.. but i just wanted to say i hope all goes well... its horrible when somthing goes wrong.. when youve only had it a while...

my h.minax died from scuttle fly and i was so anoyed i felt it was such a waste..

ive heard ppl helping T,s through molting by damping some tissue etc and making the spider dam so its easyer for them to molt... i dont know ive never had this problem.. though whenever a T molts i get fear that somthing will go wrong.

i really want a blondi but im worried this sort of thing will happen...

i wish you all the luck..

IguanaMama · Sep 25, 2006

I became attached to this T quickly so I'm suddenly not thinking all too well. Although I've seen dozens of Ts molt, I never saw one do it upright. If all was going right, would the legs molt first or last? OK, I'm thinking better now, they go last, don't they? I think I'm panicing for nothing. Don't mind me.....:8o

Ungweliante · Sep 25, 2006

Yeah, best wishes from me as well.

Doesn't TTKG say that you can try using glycerine to soften the legs and making molting easier?

I've certainly never done anything like that, but glycerine should be available from a local pharmacy without prescription. In the laboratory I worked for we used a ~10% water solution of glycerine - one part glycerine, nine parts water. You might try that applied directly to the legs with a pasteur-pipette, spoon, paintbrush, anything you can come up with?

Really hope it goes well!
Regards, Rosa.

Lorgakor · Sep 25, 2006

Last is the only way they can go.

It can take quite some time for her to actually start pulling her legs out, so she might not be in any trouble at all. Keep us posted, and I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Cheers,
Laura

MindUtopia · Sep 25, 2006

Hey Jodi,

Hope all is going well. The best advice I can offer is just to give her time and some quiet. They can molt upright just fine. If you think it will help, try the shower thing to increase humidity but I would wait for several hours to see if she is progressing normally. I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya. Hope all turns out okay.

IguanaMama · Sep 25, 2006

Lorgakor said:
Last is the only way they can go.

It can take quite some time for her to actually start pulling her legs out, so she might not be in any trouble at all. Keep us posted, and I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Cheers,
Laura

Yes, of course the legs have to go last. Breath, breath. OK. I am just having a public nervous breakdown. She has been VERY well cared for. I have her in a ten gallon tank with a wet side and a dry side, two large shallow water dishes and a nice hide. When I got her, she was skinny, so I started her off on crickets, then I gave her dubias and orange heads. My roaches are well cared for and fed heathly and organic. I fattened her up very slowly, and she is not big at all. I do not believe in power feeding or having my Ts carry around large rumps. The molt is actually progressing now and the legs are coming out. I just wish she had flipped herself over. Thanks for the support, everyone.

Cirith Ungol · Sep 25, 2006

IguanaMama said:
I became attached to this T quickly so I'm suddenly not thinking all too well. Although I've seen dozens of Ts molt, I never saw one do it upright. If all was going right, would the legs molt first or last? OK, I'm thinking better now, they go last, don't they? I think I'm panicing for nothing. Don't mind me.....:8o

Upright moults look a bit odd, they do. I've actually had my emilia moult upright 2 days ago and I too thought at first it was stuck, but then it just went all well.

Best of luck to you both!

Elytra and Antenna · Sep 25, 2006

I had a big female boehmei start to molt on her feet -upright- and I immediately, carefully turned her over and she molted out perfect. I didn't want to 'test' if she'd molt incorrectly.

Cirith Ungol · Sep 25, 2006

Elytra and Antenna said:
I had a big female boehmei start to molt on her feet -upright- and I immediately, carefully turned her over and she molted out perfect. I didn't want to 'test' if she'd molt incorrectly.

I'd never do that. Upright moults might look odd, but I can't recall ever having heard that they go wrong more often than normal moults and instead of helping the T you can make it jerk, which in the process of moulting can turn out deadly or a cause for limb-loss.

I would really not dare...

Steven.WK · Sep 25, 2006

Jodi .. Can you take some pictures of the molting?

Hope she comes out ok.

IguanaMama · Sep 25, 2006

OK, she finished around 9. She seems fine. I'll update in the morning. I do hope she makes it ok and molting upright was not indicitive of anything wrong.

Ungweliante · Sep 25, 2006

Great news

Gesticulator · Sep 25, 2006

Glad to hear it Jodi. I know how diligently you care for her and all your critters. I would have been nervous too. and do update. Go "Blondy"!!!!

kenspidey · Sep 25, 2006

Phew im glad this story had a good ending. So now that everything is ok how big did it get?

MindUtopia · Sep 25, 2006

Awesome, Jodi! That's great to hear!

mackids · Sep 25, 2006

IguanaMama said:
OK, she finished around 9. She seems fine. I'll update in the morning. I do hope she makes it ok and molting upright was not indicitive of anything wrong.

first of all congrats on the molt. even if it was odd circumstances she is alive now, so thats something to be thankful for!

On another note how long was your blondi acting lethargic before this molt occured? Your situation sounds similar to what I may face soon.

good luck!

Elytra and Antenna · Sep 26, 2006

Cirith Ungol said:
I'd never do that. Upright moults might look odd, but I can't recall ever having heard that they go wrong more often than normal moults and instead of helping the T you can make it jerk, which in the process of moulting can turn out deadly or a cause for limb-loss.
I would really not dare...

There's a lot of supporting information showing molts from the wrong position are a major cause of molt failure in many types of invertebrates. It doesn't mean an upsidedown molt will always fail. There's not a lot of data on upright T molt failure. How many upright molts are you basing your assumption on? I agree you certainly don't want to 'jerk' a tarantula.

The moment I've been dreading--Blondie is molting and it's NOT GOOD!

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