Hi to everyone,

I'm brand new to the Tarantula hobby and i bought my first Brachypelma Boehmei (2cm)(Sex = Unknown) about 4 weeks ago.

I believe the little one was in pre-molt when i bought it as it has rejected a cricket ever since i got it. (I'm offering a cricket once every week just in case.)

This is quite common right?

How long does it usually take to molt at this size? Also, do any of you have an idea of how old it could be at this stage?

I'm very excited to see my first molt and also very excited to read and study up on this amazing hobby.

I look forward to spending a good number years looking after my Mexican Fire leg.

Gavin

Welcome Gavin

Yes it is normal for spiders to stop eating pre-molt and post molt.

As for age that is a bit difficult to tell, unless you have had it from eggs.

Hi Gavin,

Yes they do stop eating before a molt and also after for a week or so. This however all depends on the size/age of the T. The older the T the longer between molts. This can range from a few days in slings to a couple of months(I had one that didnt eat for nearly 9 months) for adults. So it is really hard to say and there is no specific time.

About the age, that is very hard to say. Two slings from the same sac can differ VERY in size, this depends on how much it is fed, what temperature it is kept at, and even gender can have an effect as males tend to grow a bit faster. Also as you will find out soon, different Ts grow at different rates. As far I know the fire legs grow quite slow, same with chilean roses in contrast to for example a fringed ornamental that grows very fast.

Enjoy your Ts

Good morning.

Thanks for the replies guys.

I was very surprised yesterday afternoon when I walked into the house to see my T on its back. Subsequently I experienced my first molt and it was amazing. I went to bed at around 22:30pm and it was done. (Still lying on its back under the molt). I woke up around midnight just to check up on it and found the T eating (well it looked like it) the skin.

I decided to leave it as is and when I woke up this morning, the T was standing away from the skin, which gave me the opportunity to remove it quickly.

All in all it was an amazing sight.

Hi Gavin, welcome to the addiction. Congrats on your first molt experience. Now hold the molted skin and compare the growth of your fireleg. Be ready to be amazed at how much they grow. Now don't feed it for at least a week. It needs to harden it's exoskeleton and fangs first!

As far as Brachypelma boehmei's go, you made a good choice for a first tarantula. They never hide, always lurk around in the open and are beautiful display spiders. They don't grow as fast as some others in the hobby and do not eat very aggressively either. Be prepared to wait patiently for them to become hungry. I also note that they do not like taking on big feeders. A cricket that jumps violently when it's grabbed, will be avoided. You will laugh sometimes if you see how they will run away from their intended prey. So rather feed it small feeders - half it's size. Sometimes it takes a long time to get them to feed a first time, especially when they're small. In that case you can remove the cricket's jumping legs and immobilize it to make it easy prey.

One word of warning - firelegs are more prone to flick hairs than most other T's. The slightest intrusion will set it off.I think they're a bit more defensive than most, probably because they're so brightly colored and stand out more in nature. Keep your face (eyes especially) away from the spider,at least until you know it's behavior better.

Hi Deon,

Thank you for the warm welcome. I haven't touched the enclosure after the molt, but I do however love to just stand and admire this amazing creature.

I will definitely let you know how feeding time goes and I will do my very best to establish its behavior before trying yo handle it or anything of that sort.

Just one question, when is it necessary to rehouse the T? (I know this may take some time, seeing as you said they are slower growers). I've got the T in a 10cmX10cmX10cm enclosure at the moment. The T is about 2.5cm big.(body size)

Thanks for all the help in my noob stages.