More accurately, tarantulas have what's known as an exoskeleton, the stiff outer structure housing the spider's internal organs similar to how human skin protects internal organs. To grow larger, tarantulas must form a new exoskeleton and shed their previous, smaller coverings in a process called molting.
This time-lapse video shows a female Mexican Red Knee tarantula molting, an event that takes more than three hours but that is compressed here into a minute. To wriggle out of its old exoskeleton, the spider lies on its side and slowly pulls out its legs, like someone peeling off a tight pair of jeans. Both male and female tarantulas molt several times until they reach their full size.
Mature Mexican Red Knee tarantulas typically get to be four to five inches in body size, with a leg span of six to seven inches. Depending on the external conditions such as temperature or humidity, males can reach maturity within three to seven years, and they typically live for only one year after their last molt. Females, however, reach maturity in four to ten years and then can live to be as old as This tarantula is a juvenile, according to its owner Jason Bauer, who shot the video footage.
That means it will molt several more times in its life. During the molting process, tarantulas contract their abdomens, which pushes fluid into the upper body, or cephalothorax. The fluid increases the pressure already on the strained exoskeleton, allowing the tarantula to break through its weak spots. Shufran noted that, after molting, the spider's new skin is soft, making it more vulnerable to predation. The new exoskeleton generally hardens after about an hour or week, depending on the species.
Before Bauer's tarantula molted, he observed it undergoing physical changes. The bald spot on its abdomen grew larger, and the skin just visible underneath turned from pink to nearly black. The dark coloring is a result of the fresh exoskeleton forming underneath, which can be seen after the spider's molt. The tarantula eventually stopped eating altogether and was observed laying still for roughly two weeks before Bauer found it on its side molting.
According to Shufran, these are all normal behaviors that precede molting. Because tarantulas grow a new exoskeleton underneath their old one, they develop a lubricating layer between the two skeletons. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights.
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Cornell University Tully, Thomas N. Read More. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for TheSprucePets. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. The outer layer remains in place to protect the spider until the new exoskeleton is ready. Meanwhile, the spider secretes a new, soft exoskeleton that is larger than its old one. This new, folded exoskeleton is ready to expand as soon as the old one is shed.
The spider takes in air and uses the concentrated pressure of its blood to enlarge its body, cracking the old exoskeleton. Next, the spider pushes itself out through this fissure. The soft, unprotected spider now takes in air to create even more room in the soft exoskeleton, allowing for additional growth. The new exoskeleton then begins to harden, and when it reaches the proper degree of firmness, the molting process is complete.
Molting can be quite a dangerous process for the spider. Most molts take quite a bit of time to complete. Moreover, without their protective exoskeleton, spiders are very vulnerable to attack by predators. During and immediately after they shed their old skin, their only protection is their new, soft exoskeleton. According to Cornell University, approximately 85 percent of arthropod deaths occur during the molting phase.
Some spiders may even experience difficulty extracting themselves from their old exoskeletons. The result can be mutilation or a form of suffocation. To protect themselves during molting, some spiders hide. Other spiders lower themselves on a silk line to put themselves out of the reach of predators while molting. To learn more about these fascinating creatures, checkout this article on spiders eggs. Your home may be your castle, but it can also be a welcome shelter for insects, rodents and other kinds of pests.
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