Molt Sequence, Sable010

 These are a few pictures from the July 23, 2012 molt of Sable010. I found her on her back at 0107 hours and began watching and taking pictures through the night. She was finally free from the exuvium at 0927 hours, taking a total 8.5 hours+ to complete the process. I missed the initial flip and the final return flip.
She moved off her molt mat for the first time just this evening; nearly a month after her molt.

Sable on her back

She is a big girl

Finally free

Resting after a long night

Stretching, and showing off her massive fangs

Not the greatest pics, but here she is the next morning.

The Fab Four Molted (well three of them)

On September 22 both Shadow(003) and Eclipse(001) molted. On September 28 Phantom(002) molted. Shadow and Eclipse were confirmed female, and Phantom confirmed through examination of the exuviums. Now if Midnight would quit being a stage monger, perhaps he will molt soon.
The back story:
When I entered the classroom on  Wednesday, September 22, I went to check on the tarantulas, as I always do, and noticed something very disturbing. I grabbed my stool and stepped up to get a closer look. Eclipse was in the far rear corner of her enclosure in what looked to be a tangled mess. My immediate thought was "Oh no!, She is in a death curl! What happened!" I peered in for a closer look and noticed a few extra legs. *deep sigh* "She is molting." I carefully opened her enclosure, and sure enough she had just completed her molt and was still lying in her back. She had spun a silk hammock over the entrance to her burrow and used it as her molt mat. Thinking she was clear of her exuvium I grabbed my forceps and carefully grasped the exuvium and began to pull it out. Unknown to me, she was still lying on it; as I tugged she flipped over. Fortunately she was not harmed, and I got a perfect exuvium specimen. The exuvium had no tears in at all, and upon closer examination under the microscope I could could see distinct spermathecae. I have prepared her exuvium to be mounted for display.
I went back to the shelf and checked on the other three and found that Shadow has also completed a molt inside her burrow. She looked to have finished her molt a few hours before Eclipse did. Six days later, Phantom joined the group. Eclipse and Phantom have not yet exited their burrows, so I have not been able to get their exuviums out for examination.
They should all be well over 4" after this molt. This should put the myth about G. pulchra being a slooow grower to rest. I received these four back in December 2009 at just over 1" (they were alittle larger than the diameter as a quarter. Now, nine months later they are over 4". Their molt progression has slowed over the nine months time. In the beginning they were molting about once a month, and now they are molting about every two months. It will be intersting to see how long it will be to the next molt.

Eclipse(001) exuvium is clearly 3.5"+

Eclipse right after the flip

Eclipse, wishing the paparazzi would go away

Phantom's exuvium, nearly 4", if the front leg were extended

004Midnight Molted!!!

It has been over three months since his last molt on March 01. I will be examining his exuvium to confirm my earlier examination of male. He is still relaxing from the molt so, I have not been able to measure yet. I am sure he is over 3" now. He never dug a full burrow, he simply dug a pit about 8cm in depth in the corner of his enclosure. When he was ready to molt he spun a hammock over the pit and sat in it to molt. Due to his position he appeared to be sitting upright. he molted without difficulty in this position.

Midnight Sitting in His Hammock Pre-molt

Midnight post-molt

Molts from 005 & 006

When I arrived in the classroom today I found 006 had molted over the weekend, and 005 was sitting on top of its exuvium, which it had clearly just cat away early this morning. 005 has also regenerated the leg that was broken during shipping and later cast off with the March29 molt. You can see leg four is smaller and more pale than the others. 007 is looking quite plump and dark, so a molt should be coming soon.

005 (Leg IV, lower right, has regenerated)

 

 006, Three days after molt

New Molts

Upon arriving in the classroom today, after Spring Break, all 7 of the G pulchra were out on the surface. Number005 and Number007 have been sealed in their burrows since late February and have not been observed. When I examined the enclosures as I watered and maintained I noticed Number005 had something sticking out of its hide; a tiny molt. I  figure some time between March 23 and today the 3 Musketeers (005, 006, 007) molted. I can not confirm the molts of Number 006 and NUmber007 since they were inside deep burrows, but due to the nature of sac mates molting at about the same time for several molts after hatching I can figure that all three have molted. Each is now about 1" maybe slightly more. Since they tend to be very nervous, pictures and measurements are difficult as they dart for their burrows or shelters at the slightest vibrations.

New Molts From the Fab Four

We have new molts and more growth. On March 1 I arrived in the morning to find Shadow(003) and Midnight(004) had molted during the early hours of the morning.
Then, two days later on March 3 when I arrived in in the morning and found Eclipse(001) had just finished molting.
And then, two more days later, I arrived in the morning to find Phantom(002) had molted the night before.
What a great week. After nearly a month of not seeing any of them they molt in the same week. They have gained quite a lot more in size. I have not measured yet, but they look to be almost 3 inches now. (please read the warning about handling at the top of the page)

Shadow(003) after March 1 molt

Number1 Molted

At 0730 this morning I found Number1 looking pale and grey, sitting on the surface of the substrate next to her exuvium. She (yes female) had molted some time in the early hours of the morning. The exuvium was still moist, and there was fluid in the opisthosoma when examined under the microscope.
If my examinations are accurate Number1 and Number3 are female, and Number2 and Number4 are male.

Number1 Exuvium

 Number1 Post Molt

Number1 post Molt

Molt Update

Number1 is looking much darker today. A molt may happen in the next couple days. As of January 25, 2010 Number1 has not molted yet.

Notice the shiny black opisthosoma (rump).

First Molts

This morning at 0730 I discovered Number3 and Number4 had molted. prior to the molt each had stop accepting food after 2010January08.
When I first checked on the tarantulas I noticed number three looking very pale, a blue/grey tint, and became concerned about possible dehydration. I checked the others and noticed Number4 was also very pale. Number1 was looking normal, and Number2 was deep in its burrow. As I looked closer at Number3 I noticed something blocking the entrance to its burrow, it was the exuvium. I also noticed Number4 siting atop its exuvium in its burrow entrance. Closer examination of Number2 showed it to be in its burrow on its back, preparing to molt. By 1140 Number2 had finally freed itself from its exuvium. Number2 remained on its back for about another hour before righting itself. By 1700 Number3 and Number4 were sitting outside their burrows preening. Number2 was still in its burrow.
All were healthy, and emerged from their molts safe and without harm. Upon examining each exuvium I was able to make a preliminary determination as to their genders. Do to the small size of each (~2" leg span pre-molt) I can not conclusively confirm gender. My initial thoughts, after examination, are Number2 male, Number3 female, Number4 male.
I used a Bausch & Lomb KD330 dissecting microscope with a 10x eyepiece and a 2x objective (20x magnification) to examine the exuvium and pinpoint the epigastric furrow; an area of ~1mm. In each image the prosoma is toward the top.

 Bausch & Lomb KD330 Dissecting Microscope

Number2 Exuvium                                                                                        

Number3 Exuvium

Number4 Exuvium

Number4 post-molt (lighted with LED)

Number3 post-molt (lighted with natural light)