Molting.
Emphases have to be paid to spider during molting period. Molting - the most important and alsothe most critical period in lifes of each tarantula. On the base of experience and analysis of many years of keeping arachnids in captivity can be noted three main factors (problems), appearing at period of molting and before molting directly and influencing upon process of molting in whole and its success. Is Necessary note that as a result of moltings a spider or moves over to new age, or loses limbs, or dies "on incomprehensible reason".
First problem concluded in particularities of water exchange in tarantulas. The deal is that organism of tarantula more then on 70% consists of water. Stewart and Martin (1970) proposed that big part of water spare of spider is used in process of molting physiological and if the tarantula on some reason is weakenned, dehydrated, then attraction of additional resource of moist is directly required from surrounding ambience for successful molting .
In nature a maintenance of due level to moisture provides burrow or other coverture. In captivity such moisture level must be supported artificially, regardless of what group pertains concrete species of tarantula. At the molting period is necessary a higher-level maintenance of moisture in contrast with usual keeping conditions, particularly if health condition of spider causes some misgivings. High humidity provides, as minimum, maintenance in softenned condition of old tarantula exoskeleton.
So is reasonable to spray the terrarium with spider with warm water within a few days before molting directly.
Second problem, connected with molting of spider, appears beside physically weakened and tarantulas of the lasts of ages. Largest danger is connected with that tarantulas does not be able in this case extend legs through old exoskeleton rings, en process of molting becomes more long-lasting. For this time old exoskeleton gradually dries and squeeze the new developed shell, which loses their own rubber-band characteristics, and passage of limbs through old exoskelton rings will practically impossible.
In this case it is offerred as help for tarantula to fixing small quantity of glycerine, promoting softening the old exoskeleton and providing free passing of its legs.
And, finally, one more reason, conditionning possible difficulties with molting connected with the available damages old exoskeleton. If scar, formed as a result of damages, enough great, it became the place of soldering old and new exoskeletons.
In such case often spider rejects grasped thereby limb, which is then regenerated. Such "selfdestruction" exists if and when spider gets strong damage of leg, for instance, as a result of bite of food insect or one spider by other (observation of Evgeny Yu. Rogov, Moscow, 2000: male Avicularia huriana drop his one of the front legs after bite of its leg by female during mating).
If such situation comes with Your tarantula that You may try artificially delete such a catched limb, but this operation wholly inheres under Your personal responsiblity (the breakup must be maken at limb`s joints).
In conclusion the problems, in accordance with molting, have to be noticed, that adult males, which trying to molt, in exclusive majority of events dies in process of molting (also about problems with molting see section Diseases).
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