Chile Rose Tarantula Advice Shedding Skin?

Question

We have a Female Chile Rose Tarantula and the last time she shed her skin was a year ago or maybe longer we would like to know if this is natural also she rarely walks about as much as she use to, we were told that she should do it every 6 months, she not very old either. Will this harm her for not shedding her skin?

Answer 1

They can actually become confused by changes in lighting and temperature.  You want to try to duplicate what they experience in nature as closely as possible, along with feeding practices.  Here is more info on this:

http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/rose...

Answer 2

The molt (shedding) of a spider is not to be underestimated - it is a highly stressful time for the spider due to the hormonal changes going on and even more stressful for a female - which also molts the lining of the s*x organs!! The animal has no control as to when or how often the molt will take place, so in the first instance - calm down! I doubt there is anything wrong. Make certain that the spider is not being kept in over dry conditions as this can slow or even prevent the molt. Be aware of the behavioral changes prior to a molt (if you need advice on this let me know?)

It is also possible that your spider is in a pre-molt condition as lethargy can be common at that time. One thing is for sure - they must be left alone during the molt.

Again, unless you can see that the spider has lost considerable weight (size of the abdomen compared with the rest of it's body) then I would not worry. Tarantulas are also great at fasting, so as long as your spider looks to be healthy and of good weight, don't worry about it being quiet.

Answer 3

Chileans are the crazies of the tarantula world! Basically anything that is abnormal is normal for them! I've had rosies that refuse to eat for upwards of a year! Like I said crazies.

A full grown tarantula dose not shed it's skin every 6 mos. More like once every year. Sometimes it does go as long as two years. How large is your spider? and how often/what do you feed?  

In the wild spiders get their cues on when to shed by weather, light, and available food source. When this is not duplicated in captivity it screws up the biological clock.

It's also often said that a still tarantula is a happy tarantula.  

As long as the spider looks like it's in good health -  nice large rounded out abdomen. Then I wouldn't worry.