During premoult and moulting
Check premoult refusal, sealed retreat, visible moult, feeder behaviour, post-moult hardening, inspection. Remove live prey, keep water available and leave the spider undisturbed while it moults.
After the moult
Wait until the fangs have darkened before feeding. Small slings harden faster than large adults. Remove the exuvia only when it is accessible without disturbing the spider.
Mistakes to avoid
Dropping more prey into a sealed burrow, leaving crickets “just in case” and disturbing the spider to retrieve a harmless old bolus.
Quick checks
- Premoult refusal
- Sealed retreat
- Visible moult
- Feeder behaviour
- Post-moult hardening
- Inspection