Brachypelma feet molting

Subject: Brachypelma feet molting Tue 23 Jun 2009, 11:52 pm

My english writing sucks so please forgive me for that.

I nearly lost my B emilia juv when she decided to molt on her belly.
She did not move at all for about 15min and looked dead so i took a small tweezer and gently put her on her side and after aprox 10min she she hadn't moved an inch so i pulled carefully on her molt (she was aprox 40% out) and it slided right off.

She was lying "dead" for about 2 hours before she started to slowly move.
I know that touching a molting tarantula is forbidden but i dont know what to to in those situations.

My B smithi sling did the same thing, molting on its feet and could not get out.
I was watching my smithi for about 20 min and she/him could not get out at all but after a gentle push to her side with a tweezer she was out in 5 minutes.
Same thing with my B baumgarteni so im very nervous when it comes to molting and i have about 10 T´s in premolt so im not looking foward to their molts at all.

Subject: Re: Brachypelma feet molting Wed 24 Jun 2009, 3:00 am

slings tend to molt right side up
even if they do
you shouldnt of moved it
the best thing to do is let it be

Subject: Re: Brachypelma feet molting Wed 24 Jun 2009, 4:14 am

I have not gone through a molt yet. So I should just let it work it's natural course? At what time period or length of time should I be concerned about the molt when it happens? Like when do I know it's taking too long and something is wrong.

Subject: Re: Brachypelma feet molting Wed 24 Jun 2009, 4:30 am

That depends on several factors, How old it is, and size mostly. Most slings pop right out of a molt and you don't even get to watch. I've never seen a sling laying on it's back or in the process of molting. I've only noticed after everything is said and done and it's back to walking around. I've had a Mature 5" female G rosea take over 6 hours to molt, I ended up going to bed and waking up to her fully molted. Certainly should be less then 24 hours for the molt no matter what size.

Subject: Re: Brachypelma feet molting Wed 24 Jun 2009, 4:41 am

All of my other slings molt on their backs but my B emilia was about 5cm in legspann when she molted.

Subject: Re: Brachypelma feet molting Fri 26 Jun 2009, 12:17 pm

Congrats on the molts, I guess Im lucky, I have seen 3 of my slings go through the molt process, only thing I havent seen yet from any T is to actually get to watch them flip over on theyre back or flip over on theyre feet once they are done.

Subject: Re: Brachypelma feet molting Fri 26 Jun 2009, 3:25 pm

My B. smithi molted succesfully 2 days ago so now i am waiting for my B. boehmei and G. pulchripes to do the same.

Subject: Re: Brachypelma feet molting Fri 26 Jun 2009, 4:55 pm

If anyone could explain..What is the twitching at the end of the molt? Shock?

Subject: Re: Brachypelma feet molting Sat 27 Jun 2009, 1:24 am

MichaelH wrote:: Congrats on the molts, I guess Im lucky, I have seen 3 of my slings go through the molt process, only thing I havent seen yet from any T is to actually get to watch them flip over on theyre back or flip over on theyre feet once they are done.

I didnt get to see my black widow or my juvie G. Rosea molt, but I sat there for three hours staring at my juvie G. Pulcha. It was amazing. I got to see him flip back over (: