Is my T in pre-molt or just refusing food?

[koshermartian]

Greetings!

I am a new user to this board, so if I posted this to the wrong subforum, please forgive me.

I have a T. albopilosum (curly hair) female approximately 5 years old. I've had her for approximately 10 months. In that time, she has not molted. After upgrading her enclosure to provide for deeper substrate, my spider dug deep and has remained underground. Until now, she has taken a cricket once or twice week. Since March 26th, however, she has completely ignored the crickets being offered.

She's still alive so far as I can tell, but her burrow's design makes it difficult. She does not go anywhere near the "top"/"entrance" of her volcano. Instead, there's a 1 inch gap in the substrate that allows me to just barely see a few legs. In the week since the attached photos were taken, she has largely filled in the gap. She moves from time to time, but it is difficult for me to determine what - if anything - she is doing without disturbing the delicate dwelling she has dug for herself.

She won't even visit her water dish, so I have started misting the entrance and exit to her little volcano in the hopes she gets some moisture. I'm really not sure what else to do, and it's possible I'm doing more harm than good, but 4 weeks and several crickets have passed and I'm very concerned.

Does this sound like premolting behavior (hiding, rejecting crickets) or could this be an indication of something more seriousness? Am I correct in feeling it would be foolhardy and unduly harmful to disturb her earthen mound? Or should I try to extract her to learn more?

 

[kingshockey]

could be both no way to know really either way quit with the misting just keep a full clean water dish at all times you will never know if/when it goes out during the night. do not leave live crickets with it either since if it is premolt it could molt at any time. basically all you do now is wait

 

[viper69]

No way to know- stop the misting

 

[koshermartian]

could be both no way to know really either way quit with the misting just keep a full clean water dish at all times you will never know if/when it goes out during the night. do not leave live crickets with it either since if it is premolt it could molt at any time. basically all you do now is wait

Thank you for the advice! I will stop misting and reposition the water dish for easier access.

A few questions:

• At what point should I become more concerned? This has already been going on a month. Is it normal for pre-molt (assuming that's what it is) to take this long?
• She normally eats her crickets right away, so if she doesn't take them, I remove them. But should I stop offering crickets?

 

[kingshockey]

stop stressing out if it is really pre molt things are already out of your control other than keeping its water dish full. also if you really over fed it your in for a long wait until it molts.early on with one of my ts i overfed it alot ended up waiting around 15 months or so until it finally molted. best thing you can do now is use the search function read /research more about your t or the next t purchase buying more slings actually works best kinda

 

[Brewser]

She want's a little privacy.

 

[cold blood]

At what point should I become more concerned?

sometime in 2025

But should I stop offering crickets?

yes

 

[fcat]

As long as you can see her legs, you can monitor for the most ominous sign...a death curl. She will have no trouble digging herself out when shes ready. She's just loving having access to substrate. She likes her home. Good job.

 

[koshermartian]

Just wanted to thank everyone who has answered thus far! Your advice has gone a long way to calming my nerves. Thank you!

I'll continue to monitor for as long as I can see her. Once she fully seals off her burrow (which it appears she is slowly doing) I'll just have to wait. I've stopped misting her enclosure per the advice of everyone, relocated her water dish for easier access, and I'll also stop offering her crickets since it is clear she doesn't want them.

Sorry if it seems like I'm worrying excessively. As you can probably tell, this is my first tarantula. I've been a reptile owner for close to 20 years, but this is my first foray into invertebrates.