Grammostola rosea female molting right now

I knew she was off a bit yesterday when I rehoused her. She was a psycho but understandably it was because she was about to go into molt. If I was shedding my reproductive system, lungs, skin, teeth, spinnerets (if I had any), I'd be grumpy too!

Anyways, here are some cool shots I got of the molting process. I didn't take too many as my camera charger is AWOL, the battery is nearly dead and I didn't want to disturb her too much.

I can't wait to see how big she gets after this and her lovely new coat. I'm a sucker for a red head.











I assume all copyright to the pictures.

Shiver, shiver, shiver at the last image. I have a thing for dead inverts (apart from mantids) or things which look like they've expired which a moulted spid reminds me of and makes me shiver, apart from that the rest are very cool lol and really let you see the process.

Glad someone appreciates the red heads out there

Lol, I've placed the molt on one of the viv's beside the bed and it freaks me out everytime I enter the room or walk past it.

It's the classic Goldfish 3 second memory syndrome. I see it out fo the corner of my eye and always look suddenly then realise "Oh yea, just a molt!" before carrying on. Same thing'll happen 5 minutes later.

Perhaps I shouldn't have posed it so realistically?

As for the molting process itself, it's one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed. It's a total metamorphasis that the tarantula undergoes. I mean shedding your lungs, mouth, sexual organs and stomach.

It's a dramatic change and quite stressfull for tarantulas as they are in a weakened state and also because they are basically defenceless.

Never touch or move a tarantula that is molting! Remove all food (crickets) as these can actually kill your tarantula especially spiderlings (slings).

Leave the tarantula alone for at least two days following a molt to allow them to harden sufficiently. Feeding can resume after a few days to two weeks for some adults.

I generally leave the slings alone for three days and the adults a week. If the food isn't eaten, I'll remove it and try again in a few days.

Thanks for all the info Don. I had to go reading after your post when mentioning lungs and have to say how flippin cool. I found a really good page which went into detail about the book lung & trachea with slide images AND also the development of these lungs in jumpers (which are my all time fave spids ever, lovely appearance).

What amazing little creatures they really are!! My fave ever are the jumpers from the Portia genus. Amazing, super intelligent spiders. I remember watching a program about them a few years back and was hooked (although love our own little jumpers too).

Jumping spiders are pretty cool, I admit but when it's a tarantula that jumps onto you when rehousing it can be pretty scary.

I had a Cyclosternum fasciatum (Costa Rican tigerrump) which jumped from one side of her enclosure to the other and took a bite out of my car key which I was using at the time to sift through some webbing to get the remains of a cricket out (I was in a rush and didn't have a tweesers at hand) and for a relatively small T it had amazing strength as it pulled the keys out of my hand and actually broke one of her fangs, she bit so hard. Later, I noticed there was a mark on the metal of the key!!!

She regrew her fang in the next molt but she had to be one of my most aggressive T's ever. I'm waiting on an egg sac of these species so I can get a few in the next while.

Post up the link on the article for the book lungs. I agree with you, it's pretty amazing alright. In a molt you can clearly see them.

they are amazing pictures, im not really a spider person but i do find them fascinating and could sit and watch videos and look at pictures of them all day just couldnt have them in the house with me....far too many legs lol

Guess that explains the snake interest so. (No legs)

LOL Tan!
Never saw them as gingers lool
Awesome pics man!

Spiderman wrote:Jumping spiders are pretty cool, I admit but when it's a tarantula that jumps onto you when rehousing it can be pretty scary.

I had a Cyclosternum fasciatum (Costa Rican tigerrump) which jumped from one side of her enclosure to the other and took a bite out of my car key which I was using at the time to sift through some webbing to get the remains of a cricket out (I was in a rush and didn't have a tweesers at hand) and for a relatively small T it had amazing strength as it pulled the keys out of my hand and actually broke one of her fangs, she bit so hard. Later, I noticed there was a mark on the metal of the key!!!

She regrew her fang in the next molt but she had to be one of my most aggressive T's ever. I'm waiting on an egg sac of these species so I can get a few in the next while.

Post up the link on the article for the book lungs. I agree with you, it's pretty amazing alright. In a molt you can clearly see them.

I'd be in there with a riot sheild and a tennis racket

Spiderman wrote:Lol, I've placed the molt on one of the viv's beside the bed and it freaks me out everytime I enter the room or walk past it.

It's the classic Goldfish 3 second memory syndrome. I see it out fo the corner of my eye and always look suddenly then realise "Oh yea, just a molt!" before carrying on. Same thing'll happen 5 minutes later.

Perhaps I shouldn't have posed it so realistically?

As for the molting process itself, it's one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed. It's a total metamorphasis that the tarantula undergoes. I mean shedding your lungs, mouth, sexual organs and stomach.

It's a dramatic change and quite stressfull for tarantulas as they are in a weakened state and also because they are basically defenceless.

Never touch or move a tarantula that is molting! Remove all food (crickets) as these can actually kill your tarantula especially spiderlings (slings).

Leave the tarantula alone for at least two days following a molt to allow them to harden sufficiently. Feeding can resume after a few days to two weeks for some adults.

I generally leave the slings alone for three days and the adults a week. If the food isn't eaten, I'll remove it and try again in a few days.

I don't know how i missed this post, Fascinating i didn't realise a spider moulted organs etc, i had always thought it was just skin, well at least i've learned something today.

This is one of the sites I was on and found it fascinating

Spider Blood

Excellent websit Tan some good reading on there, Thanks

wow i did not know this at all Spiderman!
Brilliant post !

I know, Dons really opened our eyes to the world of spids. Don

hahaha Don, you do rock lmao !!

Yes a big thank you to our friendly neighbourhood spiderman