Note the upright position of the original exoskeleton during the molt. Double-click image to enlarge.
The three, once tiny Mexican redknee tarantulas (Brachypema smithi) obtained in January continue to grow and develop at different rates. The smallest one molted for the second time Saturday morning.
Unlike previously observed molts, the tarantula did not turn over onto its back, but rather emerged from an upright premolt stance. I haven’t seen that before, though I have read that likelihood of emergence issues and likelihood of molting-related mortality increase when molting occurs in this position.
Emergence occurred over a thirty minute period, though part of the cephalothorax remains attached to the abdomen of the newly emerged tarantula 24 hours later. I observed the same issue in one of this tarantula’s siblings.
Double-click the middle and final emergence images to see the molt process in greatest detail.
Upright emergence led to a the spiderling balancing precariously for a moment. Double-click image to enlarge.
On its back, moving and expanding legs. The spider remained in this position for about a half hour before turning upright. Click image to enlarge.
Is it OK now?
Part of the old exoskeleton is still attached, Lynne, but the spider is already eating, so it should be fine. The rest of the crew has stopped eating, are darkening, and have become less active. I anticipate lots of molting in the next few weeks.
Will the spider eventually dislodge the exoskeleton or have to drag it around?
I added a drop of water to the abdomen. Several hours later the old exoskeleton separated for from the new one. I’m finding myself doing this more often than I expected.
[...] of physical changes this time around. The two juvenile Mexican redknees (molt dates June 11 and June 14) have grown considerably and now clearly show adult coloration (see top [...]
[...] The two most impressive sets of mouthparts observed were those of the hemipteran above as well as the Mexican red knee tarantula (Brachypelma smithi) fang below, taken from the shed exoskeleton pictured in “Abnormal Mexican redknee tarantula (Brachypelma smithi) molt.” [...]