hi all.

my landladies son has a curly hair. he called me yesterday with some consern to check his t. it is laying flat on the peat with his legs spread out, there is no movement at all. tried to see if it will move it i touched it and again no movement. can someone please help or advise if it is dead or not.

Maybe it's just close to a moult?

Is it laying on it's back or right side up?
If it's legs aren't curled underneath it's body, odds are it is not dead.

Like Marula says, it might be preparing to molt. I have seen mine being VERY inactive just before a molt.

It might actually be molting right side up, happens sometimes.

My nephews daughter also had a curly hair. They took her to a saloon, now she has no hair at all...

When it comes to Brachypelma albopilosum, if it has a thick mat of silk on the substrate, leave it for a day. If not, pick it up and see if there is ANY movement at all. If not, deepfreeze. If it moves, take 1 X crick tub, add loo paper, dampen slightly and add spider. (right side up of course.) Put near heat source, and leave untill it has re-hydrated and starts moving freely. If still nothing, deepfreeze.

If it is Molting do not touch/move it.

If its molting for more than 8+ hours you can begin to suspect trouble. In some cases the troublesome molt would have to be surgically removed, in others some Glycerine helps to soften the harder pieces to help. BUT again leave it be if you are not experienced in this.

Tarantulas usually assumes the 'death curl' (legs tugged underneath the carapace, in an upright postion) when dieing due to malnutrition, illness or dehydration incl. dessication.

I suspect however that it is molting. How old is it?

it is laying the right way up. legs aren't curled up they are stretched out straight. could be close to a molt think it molted about 2 maybe 3 months ago.

thanks for the advise.

What size is it?

The bigger the T the longer the moult can take ...

longest moult by me took 48h plus with no ill effects.

but +1 on scarab and angelus

he/she is ruffly 10cm.

spoke to one of the sons. he says it is still in the same position. and he says its rump looks like a ping pong ball that has been pushed in. i'll check on it when i get home at keep you guys posted in the morning.

clint69 wrote:


Many of my slings had little dimples before they molted, hopefully they are not large dents as in dehydration.

I think it mite be died if the abdomen falls in like that
Im not sure

yeah its quite a big dimple on its abdomen. also thik it has died. don't think it was dehydration. enclosure has a water bowl and was always moist.

think it was a MM and it was just his time.