Deffinatley a moult due very soon

[Andrew Ferguson]

A week ago my young B.smithi had a rather obvious bald patch that was a fleshy colour. Last night before going to bed I noticed this fleshy pinky patch, which has been that way for some time actually looked grey. When I woke up this morning it was darker and now I've just got home and its jet black

I've removed the crickets that were in there, topped up the water dish and let some spill onto the substrate. So fingers crossed, I may have a moulted tarantula pretty soon.
What with moving house, a baby due anytime within the next month and now this!!! I'll be having a fleshy coloured bald patch before I know it

[Peter Lacey]

This is your first and only (for the moment) tarantula?
I think we all have little stories of moults, its a very interesting part of their life cycle.
I watched my P. irminia moult over the weekend, its the fastest moult I've ever seen. She's now looking lovely dark haired but I'm still waiting for her tiger pattern and orange flashes. My C. crawshayi moulted too but I didn't recognise the signs and it seems to have been attacked by crickets after moulting, so she was buried in the garden. Before hitting the sack I noticed one of my curly slings has exactly the same look as your smithi so that's another moult on its way and last of all my A. geniculata's bald patch has finally gone black, so crickets removed and ready for moulting.
Good luck with yours Andrew

[Andrew Ferguson]

Yes Peter, it is my one and only. Can you tell?

I just excitedly told my (almost) 4 year old son when I picked him up from school. I told him how it would flip over (using my hand as makeshift tarantula) and squeeze out of his/her old skin. He asked if we'll get it a present when it grows up. Bless him!

[Leanne King-Smith]

Yes Peter, it is my one and only. Can you tell?

I just excitedly told my (almost) 4 year old son when I picked him up from school. I told him how it would flip over (using my hand as makeshift tarantula) and squeeze out of his/her old skin. He asked if we'll get it a present when it grows up. Bless him!

Ooooh, exciting, yet sooooooooo worrying! The first of my T's i actually 'saw' moult ( all the others choose to do it at night, except one other ), well she took a couple of hours (sling) and then just scrunched up after she'd got out of her skin, and curled all her legs in like little triangles. I was CONVINCED she was dead! I was crying my eyes out, texting Becky and in a right state. She was like that for over an hour and then she was 'look at the new me'! Panic over! The next T to moult was the afore mentioned 'one other' and she did exactly the same so I didn't panic.......quite as much, lol. Is very stressful and you will be worried sick, but just think of the even more gorgeous smithi you will have afterwards.

Good luck Smiffy

[Kate Arbon]

I got a little A. versicolor sling yesterday which decided to moult about 5 hours after I got it home. It moulted upright instead of on its back so obviously I automatically started to worry something would go wrong! Then when it was done it sat all scrunched up in a death curl and didn't move for ages. I went to bed convinced it would die but woke up this morning and surprise, surprise it was fine, hanging off its fake leaf all shiny and new. I swear if they knew how much we worried they'd think we were right idiots

[James McAleese]

Molts are always exciting but I have never saw the actual flip onto it`s back or back onto it`s front when done....I`ve always missed it!!!!My new Chaco molted the day after I got it!!

Nice little T Andrew, it`s a fat little thing!

[Nicola Dolby]

Good luck with the moult Andrew and see if you can persuade your better half to let you have another - like this!

[Andrew Ferguson]

Good luck with the moult Andrew and see if you can persuade your better half to let you have another - like this!

Thanks Nicola. Smiffy's rump is looking even darker today so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. And have you been speaking to Louise regarding persuading my other half about getting another tarantula?

[Oli Dodds]

Very nice subfusca Nicola

[Richard Shah]

Good luck with the moult Andrew and see if you can persuade your better half to let you have another - like this!

That's wicked - but I think I'll stick to one, for at least the years or so...

And Andrew, that's great! My T. is probably about the same age, since we both bought apparent juveniles from the T Shop, and around the same time. Hell, they may even be siblings! But I'm guessing that since they are related, mine should probably moult very soon too! The only problem is, I haven't seen my T. for fifteen days... so, I wouldn't know what my T's bald patch looks like, and if it's pink, grey or black!

[Andrew Ferguson]

And Andrew, that's great! My T. is probably about the same age, since we both bought apparent juveniles from the T Shop, and around the same time. Hell, they may even be siblings!

I never even thought of that! There is a very good chance they are from the same brood.
So far though, no moult yet. The rump darkened and I can now see the new hairs underneath. The legs seemed to have changed colour and its staying in its hide 24-7 only occasionally moving inside the hide. Probably laying down a web mat. As soon as its moults, you can be sure I'll let everyone know.

[Richard Shah]

I never even thought of that! There is a very good chance they are from the same brood.
So far though, no moult yet. The rump darkened and I can now see the new hairs underneath. The legs seemed to have changed colour and its staying in its hide 24-7 only occasionally moving inside the hide. Probably laying down a web mat. As soon as its moults, you can be sure I'll let everyone know.

That'll be wicked!

[Andrew Ferguson]

it's happening!!!

Hey guys, look what's happening right now

[Richard Shah]

Hey guys, look what's happening right now

Great. Too bad Ice Cube cannot be seen right now. However, it'll be interesting to know what size Smiffy is when he is done, so I can guess how big IC will be.

[Andrew Ferguson]

There seems to be a fair bit of growth and the orange knees are a lot brighter. It's only just turned back onto its legs but I'll be keeping an eye on it for the rest of the day. Exciting times!!!!