Development of a bald spot. Mature tarantulas will molt about once per year, while younger tarantulas may molt more often. Often we are asked about how to check various items of equipment, in this post we aim to give a little more insight into checking slings prior to use. Tarantulas also sometimes develop a bald spot on their abdomen that grows increasingly darker as the molt draws near (a bald spot can also occur in New World tarantulas that … Do not endanger or touch the spider to do this, however. In order for a tarantula to grow it must go through a process called molting. In the 1990′s an article was published stating that synthetic slings lose strength, strictly as a function of time. You can pose the shed skin to resemble a real tarantula, … Another crucial aspect of LOLER that applies to your lifting slings is the requirement for regular and thorough examinations. Slings stop eating so that they can prepare for the difficult process of molting. Is the sling as identified in the risk assessment? Do not use damp sponges or paper towel or cricket gel. Even the Theraphosa blondi and the Xenesthis immanis, that requires high humidity as adults, I keep the humidity the same as other spiderlings, with no problems.I use a vial that allows three inches of damp substrate for small spiderlings. But if you can safely remove the skin, do so. When this is observed all feeding should cease. If you can, grab the shed skin while it is still soft. As also mentioned above, I do lightly mist containers housing arboreal species as they are often more prone to desiccation and typically are inhabitants of humid forest. Since most tarantulas will fast for a period of days or weeks prior to a molt it is normal for spiderlings to refuse food every so often. | Pet Tarantulas Howcast. For lifting equipment used mainly by members of the public (such as lifts in shopping centres or train stations), you do not have duties under PUWER or LOLER. The sling stops eating - This is the most noticeable change that will occur and is usually a very clear sign that a tarantula is about to molt. I've had my OBT sling for a month now, and he's (unsexed, but that's what I'm calling it) gotten a LOT darker. Water just squirt some on the side, never mist. The care of spiderlings requires multitudes of small containers, usually glass or plastic vials or baby-food jars of about the same size for ease of handling. Sometimes slings will hide themselves away before they molt, usually by burrowing if they can, and sometimes blocking the entrance to their burrows with substrate and webbing. I expect that at the stage Blinky is in, he/she will molt every month or so. How to Tell if Your Tarantula Is Molting. Slings stop eating so that they can prepare for the difficult process of molting. Hasn't slowed down on the eating front though. For growth rate, your brachypelma hamorii will take a very long time to molt. A tarantula getting ready to molt will often become very slow and sluggish. I can see more of a size difference with my B. Boehmei sling, tbh. 1. Tarantula slings, on the other hand, molt pretty frequently as they grow. The article relayed the results of destruction testing performed on USED slings taken from power plants, line trucks, paper mills and other locations. Before your tarantula molts, you may notice some physical and behavioral changes. If the tarantula is sitting on top of its old skin, leave it. Therefore, it is not unusual for a spiderling to shed every month or two. If the tarantula is a juvenile or an adult, it will stop eating prior to molting.