Sorry to ask a question some of you may find obvious

[Andrew Ferguson]

but my juvenile B.smithi (1" - 1.5" body length ish) tarantula has looked premoult for some time now. It dug a burrow and was happy to sit in there. Sometimes vertically against the side. Since I added a heat mat (to the outside rear of the tank) it has been digging even further into the substrate and has now completely blocked the entrance to the hole. It took a cricket yesterday in no time at all. Normally it just pulls its legs in and turns around. This time it pounced.
So the all important question Is this normal behaviour of a tarantula about to moult?
I understand some of you may think its obvious and a typical newby question, but as you can imagine, its my first one, its young and I only want whats best for it. I don't go poking around the tank or lifting the lid every other minute. I can just see into the burrow through a little bit of a gap that Smiffy hasn't filed in (yet!) and there seems to be a lot of movement back and forth and the spinnerets seem to be laying down webbing, although its not very visible.
Any comments or feedback will be greatly appreciated.

[Louise~Nichols]

Hiya Andrew,
Is Smiffy's rump showing a really black darkened area on it? It tends to look quite shiny black just before moults in the juvenile sized B.Smithi. And yup...they do munch well, one of my youngsters was eating up til two days before shedding, and one of my adults still does behave like that even now...although others go off food at varying intervals pre-moult.

[Colin D Wilson]

All seems ok with the setup, and what Louise says above about feeding reflects those i have here too.

As far as the webbing in the "hide" he could well be laying down a moulting mat.

Just play the waiting game we're all used to and you won't be dissappointed !

Colin

[Andrew Ferguson]

Thanks for the replies Colin and Louise. Smiffy's rump is still looking "fleshy" and not a sign of black yet. There is now more of a window into the burrow and it's happily mooching around. I can't see all the way in as it would mean moving the cage and I don't want to bother it if I don't have to.
I guess this is just the downside to tarantula ownership. The waiting game.
Thanks guys for understanding.

[Colin D Wilson]

No problems mate, advice and a bit of empathy is what we're here for

[Louise~Nichols]

You're welcome Andrew, that's what we're all here for.

Ahhh, fleshy rump...you have a while to wait yet, but when it starts to darken things speed up. I'm trying to think timespans for you here...from the time it turns to black it should be around 3 weeks til the moult, although could go a week in either direction.

[Andrew Ferguson]

Oooh 3 weeks. Just in time for when we move house.

[Louise~Nichols]

Three weeks from it going black...and I should think you're a few weeks off that shiny blackness yet, so house moving should go without a hitch. Hope all goes well for you with Smiffy, and the house move!

[Andrew Ferguson]

Three weeks from it going black...and I should think you're a few weeks off that shiny blackness yet, so house moving should go without a hitch. Hope all goes well for you with Smiffy, and the house move!

Thanks Louise. Oh by the way, we have a baby on the way too

[Louise~Nichols]

Awwwww...congratulations Andrew! How long before your wife starts spinning silk, and blocking off her burrow?

Just kidding...I hope that all goes smoothly for you both too. And don't forget a baby pic or two for the totally soppy types amongst us...I've nearly forgotten what babies look like!! lol