Pre Molting Help needed

[paulmaggsy]

Hi All

You may have seen some previous posts about our new Chili Rose. Well he/she has now nearly trippled in size and is def bigger than a 50p piece.

I have some questions about pre molt giveaways.

Last night we went to feed it as we normally do every couple of days. it did not decide to eat it for a while and the cricket burrowed into the substrate. Then after the cricket had been there for a while the spider walked over to where it burrowed. It started to lay web and kick hairs onto the ground near it but not on it. Im not sure if it new the cricket was there because it was sitting very still. It seemed to push is body (spider) up the side of it container and kind of folded its bottom legs under itself as if to turn over and molt. It never made it that far and we decided if it was going to molt then we would need to take the cricket out to stop damage to the ickle spider. We took the cricket out very gently as to stop scarring the spider. When we did, the spider seemed to stop flicking hairs on the ground and laying web (the web is invisible at the moment so i can not see what it is laying). Now do you think the spider was just laying some sort of trap or was it going to molt and we just disturbed it.
I didnt think that it would need to flick its hairs to hunt.

Your advise would be appreciated.

[Thomas Pitchford]

I certiainly don't know about the flicking, I'm sure someone else will, but the pressing against the glass sounds like what our four lovelies do from time to time and we just call it spider yoga/pilates. It helps them stretch and probably get ready to pop their shell and pull out. Good for going ahead and getting the cricket out and just be ready to wait - it can be a while and they are certainly on their own schedule. Hope that helps a bit.

[paulmaggsy]

It does thank you. More advice needed though!!!

I know pre molt they will flick hairs onto the ground where they will turn over so that once they come out of there old skin, any bug/mites will be killed by the hairs left on the ground.

paulmaggsy

[Samantha Lewanewsky]

I know pre molt they will flick hairs onto the ground where they will turn over so that once they come out of there old skin, any bug/mites will be killed by the hairs left on the ground.

paulmaggsy

How do you know that?

[paulmaggsy]

The Tarantula Keeper's Guide by Stanley A Schultz
My girlfriend told me but she read it in this book that we have. If you dont have it then you should because its a really good unbiased book and the knowlege in it is exellent. That man knows alot about spiders.

[Samantha Lewanewsky]

Oh yes, I have it right here in front of me, which page is this info on?

[paulmaggsy]

Not sure because i am at work right now. Can post later.

STILL NEED ADVISE PLEASE

[Samantha Lewanewsky]

They will use their hairs to line (wouldn't say line actually, more like stick a few on the walls for decoration purposes, they like a little artwork here and there lol) burrows, so it may have been doing a little home making perhaps. Or it could be preparing to moult, you'll know soon enough!

[paulmaggsy]

I hope so

Cant wait to see his new colours.

Anyone have any further advice then please let me know because it was def strange

[Lisa Grose]

I've got a Grammostola Rosea preparing to molt at the mo. She is normally quite active and eats none stop but she is now still and not eating so that is the give a way for me. Sometimes depending on the type of spider they can go in their burrows and seal themselves up in there with a thick lining of web. My Lasiodora striatus molted the right way up which gave me a chance to see everything and she made it look easy. I'm interested to see how she molts the next time because she has a larger tank now and more floor space where as when I bought her, the people who sold her to me, sold her with a small tank and I didn't know at the time that she needed more room as they said that this tank would be ok for her. It was Mark Penell who told me different and I was glad for his help.