My Balding Spider

[bobgepstein]

My Curly Hair Spiderling has gone REALLY bald. He's even got some white stuff on his abdomen. Any ideas? I've changes his substrate from vermiculite to a peat / vermiculite mix.

He used to run around a lot and try and get out and didn't eat for a while. Now he's eating okay and doesn't try and escape anymore. Is he just fed up? Should his tank be more moist?

Ta,
Bob


Chilean Spiderling Blog

http://www.mbldezine.com/chileanspiderling/

Curly Spiderling Blog (with a few vids)

http://www.mbldezine.com/curlyspiderling/

Mexican Spiderling Blog

http://www.mbldezine.com/spiderlings/

[Sonny Howdle]

Brachy's dont like it wet, keep him dry and mist him 1 or 2 times a week. My A.Chaccoana gets fluffy white bits on her bald bum b4 she sheds, i think it must be bum fluff or dandruf or something. Dont worry about him, he will molt out when he's ready and feels safe to do so.

[Glenn Wilkinson]

I'm no expert, but i'd say a really bald Opisthosoma is usually caused by stress which results in hair kicking/flicking.
If your leaving it alone and not excessively handling it, I would check for external factors. I know my B. smithi was pretty stressed out when it was too close to my computer. The vibrations from the fans were bothering it.

[bobgepstein]

Kitchen

Maybe that's it then. He's in my kitchen so it could be all the clunking around I do - but it never bothered him before and it doesn't bother the Chilean Rose who lives next door. How bizarre...

Bob

Chilean Spiderling Blog

http://www.mbldezine.com/chileanspiderling/

Curly Spiderling Blog (with a few vids)

http://www.mbldezine.com/curlyspiderling/

Mexican Spiderling Blog

http://www.mbldezine.com/spiderlings/

[James Box]

guess they have different pet peeves?

[stevebagnall]

My B.Albopilosum also has a balding abdomen. However it was like this when I received it about 2 weeks ago. I too have a peat/vermiculite mix as the substrate, and it seems ok as regards moving around. It a very active T, probably the most active I've seen out of all my T's. It completely bull dozed the container I put it in, even moving and spilling it's water dish. It's about 3 inches leg span, she's taking medium locusts without a problem. I didn't think these were particularly bad kickers? It hasn't attempted to when I've gone near it.

So maybe it is stress related. Either that or it's getting close to moulting as I'm sure some Brachypelma's do when they get close to moulting. Mine, "Affro", sorry my missus names them all, doesn't seem to have lost any more. So I'm assuming it's more contented now. I don't handle my T's, not unless they use my hand in an attempt to escape that is. I don't see the point in taking the risk. They look perfectly fine in their containers.

By the way Bob, I love the blogs. You inspired me to buy some slings, something I hadn't really considered before reading it. Glad they are all growing and are doing well. I just went a bit crazy and have 17 slings with 2 more being delivered at the end of the month. I didn't think they would be that interesting, seeing as they take some time before they even resemble their parents. But I have to say I'm enjoying them immensely. No moults yet, but I'm sure there will be soon. Can't wait for them to start to grow and change. Sorry banging on now. Good luck, let me know how the Curly hair does. Fingers crossed it's fine.

Steve

[stevebagnall]

Sorry, got logged out and didn't think it had posted. But obviously it did.

[James Box]

my B. albopilosum developed a bald patch about a month before a recent moult. was convenient in a way, as i was able to see when she went dark.
my girl is in fact a kicker, much more nervous than advertised, so i can't really handle her anyway. not worth the itchy hands or the obvious stress it causes her.
i have a feeling she must've been kicking hairs at crickets, and thus developed the bald patch.

Steve, slings are fantastic, aren't they? my own reluctance to get any was because i had a bad experience with scorplings (unless they were adults of another species and mis-labelled) who all died, so i thought slings would be similarly hard to rear. however, Mary got me past that by giving me 4 of them! i then went and bought a whole bunch, and they're all doing quite well. i have high hopes of raising them to adulthood and maybe even breeding!

[stevebagnall]

Cool. Same here. I thought I'd end up buying some and have them all slowly die on me. But mine are doing well too. I love watching them burrow (most have) and catch their tiny prey. Very much looking forward to watching them develop and grow. Just hoping I've got a few females in there amongst them all. I've got another bunch turning up at the end of the month. After these postal strikes are all sorted.