Our Andean stripe knee tarantula (formerly known as orange striped birdeater tarantula), has moulted!
Moulting is a natural process that tarantulas and other arachnids go through in order to grow. They shed their old skin (exoskeleton), by wriggling free of it, then form a new one. The process is very strenuous and energy-consuming. A few weeks before a tarantula moults, it will stop eating and lose the hairs that normally cover its abdomen. When ready, it will lie down on its back, appearing dead. It will then shed its exoskeleton, taking anywhere between 15 minutes and two days. After emerging from a moult, a tarantula’s new fangs will be soft and white, its abdomen smaller in size, and it will appear brighter in colour.
Following a moult, tarantulas are very vulnerable, so our beautiful tarantula will be left unfed and undisturbed for the next few weeks, as her skin and fangs harden.
The moulted skin with holes where she pulled her legs out.