They molt about once a year or so. When they get older they don't molt as much. They grow a completely new skin inside the old one. Even new fangs. If they have lost a leg I believe it will grow back....not sure about that though. Anyway....when they are ready to molt they stop eating and they make a bed of web to lay on. I didn't see any of his moltings happen, but my Mom did. She said he looked like a standing rib roast. LOL. I guess the old skin cracks open and he climbs out. It takes quite a while. During the molting process it is very important to not touch them and not put any living food in the cage. The new skin will harden in a few days, but until then they are very vulnerable. I was not home when my spider first molted. My Mom said when he was done he ended up on his back and just laid there for a long time. She was afraid that he would get stuck like that and she used a wooden spoon to flip him back over!!! I about flipped when she told me that. She didn't hurt him thank God. I told her she could have killed him. Sheesh.
Doesn't anyone else here have one? I can't be the only one besides Pixiedust218's DH to have ever had one. They are quite common as pets.
Michelle
