Signs of Tarantulas Molting

The over 800 species of tarantula are spread out over almost every continent on the planet. Their large hairy bodies and legs can make these spiders look like scary creatures. But tarantulas make quiet, docile pets. Plus they require little space and are easy to care for. Although a bite from a tarantula may hurt, its venom is weaker than the venom of a bee.

  1. Habitat

    • You can purchase a pet tarantula from a pet store, reptile show or breeder. To keep your new pet happy and healthy you must care for it properly. For its habitat, buy a 5- or 10-gallon terrarium. Fill the bottom of the terrarium with 1 to 3 inches of substrate such as sterilized potting soil. However, if you have a burrowing tarantula, you will need to make a deeper substrate. Add a half log to the habitat to give the spider a hiding place, a shallow water dish and any decoration that you'd like, such as plastic plants, rocks or vines. Affix a heating pad to one side of the tank to keep the creature warm.

    Food

    • Pet tarantulas eat insects, mostly crickets, which are available at pet stores. Most tarantulas only need one or two crickets a week to sustain them. However, larger species of the spider may need to eat up to six crickets a week. Before feeding your spider, make sure the cricket is gut loaded or, in other words, well-fed. Tarantulas will only eat when they need sustenance so you can't overfeed them. If they do not eat the food you gave them by the following day, remove it from the terrarium. Don't worry if the spider stops eating for a short period of time; tarantulas go through natural periods of feasting and fasting. However, a spider with a shriveled abdomen is underfed and dehydrated so make sure it has food and fresh water.

    Molting

    • As your tarantula grows, it sheds its external skeleton. This process is known as molting. As the spider prepares to molt, you will notice that it stops eating and develops a bald spot on its abdomen. Some tarantulas also secrete a clear liquid from their leg joints. When it's ready to molt, the spider lies on it back as if it's dead. You may notice webbing around the body as well. Molting takes 15 minutes to several hours. During molting, these spiders also replace internal organs and regenerate lost appendages. After molting the tarantula is soft, tender and sensitive. Do not handle it for at least a week and do not feed it for three days.

    Health Problems

    • The most common health issues tarantulas suffer from are dehydration and injures from falls or mishandling. Prevent dehydration by providing it with fresh water daily and spray-misting its terrarium. If the spider gets injured during a fall or mishandling and bleeds, apply fingernail hardener to the wound. Healthy tarantulas stay active and have shiny exoskeletons. A sick spider has a dull exoskeleton, moves slowly, gets stuck during molting or loses a leg during molting. If your tarantulas exhibits any of these signs, contact a veterinarian.