Comfort blankets

[Nicola Dolby]

I've thought about posting something about this before, but without a pic to confirm it I was a little concerned I might be thought of as mad! I've noticed with various species, both burrowing and arborial. that after moulting a tarantula will hug its old exoskeleton like a comfort blanket! After a few hours this is then discarded. Does anyone know why this is? My T. apophysis moulted out in the open on Saturday so I was able to get some evidence!!


Sorry about the poor picture quality

[Colin D Wilson]

I've had a few of my arboreals carry a moult round for a short time, chewing on it...i am under the impression they may get some moisture / nutrients from it (if anyone can clarify or dismiss that theory that i'd be grateful)

Another possibility is that they just don't want to let on what sex they are and so are destroying the evidence just to irritate us .....i'm going with this theory myself.

[James Box]

that sounds about right, Colin..."don't gender categorise us!" i hear them cry...

[Luke Anthony]

Well my para (salmon pink) s'ling moulted the other day and when i went to take the moult out it jumped on it as if to say give me that back, so i left it in there for a day and it looked as if it was holding onto it so the next day i went back, went to take the moult out again but this time the s'ling did'nt even bother to move so it is a bit strange if you ask me

[Mark Pennell]

I've had a few of my arboreals carry a moult round for a short time, chewing on it...i am under the impression they may get some moisture / nutrients from it (if anyone can clarify or dismiss that theory that i'd be grateful)

Another possibility is that they just don't want to let on what sex they are and so are destroying the evidence just to irritate us .....i'm going with this theory myself.

Colin
As many would have noticed when looking at freshly cast skins, that they often have a puddle of liquid in them.

I am pretty sure this is why you get munched skins - especially with Asian species. There just reclaiming lost valuable liquids.

Cheers
Mark

[Kirk McNulty]

Amazing! I have witnessed this with a few of my T's they've been reluctant to let the old skin go. As for chewing on it my H Lividum must be thirsty, I only ever seem to get a little crusty ball with fangs delivered to the entrance of her burrow

[Colin D Wilson]

It does make sense Mark, just seems to be the arboreals in my care that i have noticed doing it though.

[michaelmckinney]

You know Colin only my arboreal T's carry their moults about with them, and what I noticed is they discard them when they have recovered from the moult.

Now my theory is (might be far fetched) maybe in the wild when they are recovering, if they get get attacked by a predator, they could drop the moult as a decoy then leg it to safety??

Maybe true or I watch too much t.v LOL!!

Michael..

[Kirk McNulty]

Now my theory is (might be far fetched) maybe in the wild when they are recovering, if they get get attacked by a predator, they could drop the moult as a decoy then leg it to safety??

Maybe true or I watch too much t.v LOL!!

Michael..

I don't think anythings too far fetched when it comes to nature!

[Craig Mackay]

My N. Chromatus moulted on Monday and it did the same thing. Hung onto it for a couple of days and left me everthing but the abdomen. I was gutted coz I was looking forward to having a bash at sexing it. However I've looked at some pictures on the net and the males carapaces seem to turn black rather than a creamy tan colour the females have and juvies have. Mine now has a black carapace so I'm guessing its a male. Hopefully it'll let me check its next moult to confirm. Could anyone confirm if this is the case?
Cheers

[Colin D Wilson]

Images of both male and female here Craig

http://thebts.co.uk/forums/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/623

[Craig Mackay]

Images of both male and female here Craig
http://thebts.co.uk/forums/gallery/s...ry.php/cat/623

Thanks Colin, I had a look there as well as some other sites. Looks like I've got a male so hopefully there'll be a few females ready for him when he matures.

[Nicola Dolby]

Hi Colin, yes you're right about them not wanting us to know about their gender! Mine tried that trick on Saturday but fortunately below the epigastric (HaHa!). So now I know I've got a male T. apophysis (how I'm going to send him out for breeding is anyone's guess. Forget the post, probably just give him a train ticket and an overnight bag!