The Molting Process   Sexing Service for Free Click Here   View Cart Proceed to Checkout   So how does a Tarantula spider grow? Tarantulas are invertebrates. They possess no internal skeletal structure. Instead their outer skin/covering acts as their skeleton. In order for Tarantulas to grow, they must go through and incredible process known as "molting". In short, they must grow a new skin/covering inside of their current one. At the right time, when the new skin has finished growing inside, an incredible transformation will occur. In many cases they will flip over on their back. This a delicate and vulnerable time for a Tarantula, as they are completely helpless. You might even think your Tarantula is dead. Don't panic, leave it be, and all things going well, over the next few hours, it will start to break from it's old skin and slowly work its way out. Below are some photos of a Tarantula going through the various stages of the molting process.   How it all works:   1.)   2.)     This  photo depicts a young Tarantula with the typical bald abdomen caused from kicking urticating hairs. Tarantulas from the "Western Hemisphere" kick these specialized hairs normally as a form of defense to ward-off predators or when irritated. This photo depicts the same Tarantula on the left, a few months later. You can now see the bald area has turned a dark color, indicating the spider will be shedding its skin soon. This dark coloration is actually the new skin/hair growing underneath.   3.) 4.) Several days or weeks after the abdomen turns dark, this Tarantula flips on it's back and lays almost motionless for a few hours. Then a miraculous event begins to unfold. Once the Tarantula begins to withdraw it's new skin from the old one, it must finish...or die. The process cannot be stopped at this point. This is a critical time, especially when pulling the leg joints through. This spider is a little over half way out in this photo.   5.)   Here is the final product. The Tarantula has molted and is sporting her new look, and a beauty she is. Notice I said "her". After examining the exoskeleton,  it was clear this spider was a female.   Sexing Services Offered FREE Send us your Molt for FREE sexing ! Send us a shed skin of your Tarantula, and we will determine the sex of it for no charge. The spider must be over 2 inches for an accurate determination.  Wrap the molt lightly with moist paper towel and pack it into a ziplock-type bag. Place inside of a padded envelope or small box and send to:   Dean Pittman 707 Roxe Drive Forest Grove, OR 97116 USA   *Please include the species name as well as your contact information so that we will be able to inform you of the results. Top of Page

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