G.Concepcion molt? worried owner

[Stephen jordan]

Good morning all, I woke this morning to find my three week old sub adult Grammostola Concepcion on its back, I feared the worst at first but now think it could be in molt. Its been off its food for a week or so and does appear to be moving every now and again by moving its legs, it does not appear to be trying to flip over either. Should I leave it in this state and I'm wondering how long it is safe to leave it like this before fearing the worst? It would be the spiders first molt with its new owner and I'm a little concerned.

[Eleanor]

Yes, it is moulting! Never move a tarantula that you find on it's back - sick tarantulas don't lie on their backs but moulting ones do.

If it was moving it's legs when you posted, if you have a look now you may well see it in the process - this is fascinating to watch. Or maybe it will have already finished.

Leave it alone for a week or two to harden up, and then it will want to start eating again.

[Jane Mitchell]

Ooh, it's scary when you see them for the first time! I managed to catch our L Para in the act when it first moulted - it's absolutely fascinating. As Eleanor says, leave it quiet and enjoy your new shiny spider!!

[James Box]

yeah as said above, T's don't lie on their backs if unwell, they tend to curl up but remain upright. you'll have a shiny new looking tarantula soon!
hope mine moults soon too...

[Stephen jordan]

So glad I am on holiday, Spider molted about half an hour ago, amazing to watch and so glad I dont have to do that every time I put an ounce or two on Thanks for the advice all, very much appreciated!

[James Box]

you're lucky, not everyone gets to see it happen that often!
usually i get home to freshly moulted spiders...which in a way is good because then i'm spared the stress cause it's already happened! but the process is amazing...

i had a scorpion moult that i saw key bits of, it was my Hadrurus arizonensis arizonensis.
1am i had a peek at it, and realised it had popped out of its chelicerae! i had to sleep and there was no rushing it, so at 7:30 i woke up and had another look, it was half out its exuvium! i knew better than to bother it thankfully but man was i worried! and then i had to go to work! i get back about 7pm and there is the scorpion, sat resting beside its exuvium. i was so relieved! talk about a slow process though haha

[Stephen jordan]

I sat and watched the whole thing near enough, totally had my attention and it amazed me, and out popped a brand new spider. I'm sat planning my next purchases now, four tanks set up and ready for new spiders...did take a while from start to finish though, best part of a day at least but worth watching, those kind of things are seldom seen by us at all. My spider was a wise choice, they tend to scare the hell out of me but watching this one has definatly had a positive effect.

[Craig Moore]

I have a G Concepcion as well, no sign of her moulting just yet- she eats like a horse, haha! I got home from work 2 weeks ago to find my B Emilia flipped onto his back, totally fascinating. It didn't take very long either, a couple of hours or so maybe..

[Iain Condy]

The sheding is fascinating to watch I was really lucky and 1 week after getting a mature female L.para she shed, I watched it all and used the shed to get a definite on the species by comparing the spermathecae with pics on the net, but the shed progress only took about three hours! Absolutely fascinating little critters aint they.

[Stephen jordan]

The spider in question

This is my G Concepcion a few days after the moult It's taken me this long to figure out how to upload images without a url, hope it worked! Second photo is a week or so after with it's first feed.

[Drew Acton]

my g. rosea molted last night she is now the most beautiful shade of pink.