Happy New Year! The new year is all about fresh starts and our Chilean Rose Tarantula (Grammostola rosea) is certainly starting the new year right. She is getting rid of her old, tired exoskeleton and getting ready for life in her brand new skin!
While tarantulas will molt frequently when they are young to be able to grow larger, adult tarantulas will only molt once a year or less. They do so to help repair damage or replace lost urticating hairs (those irritating hairs all over their body). While shedding, their new exoskeleton is quite soft and they are more vulnerable. After a little time and oxygen exposure, it hardens up to a fresh, healthy layer of protection.
Since getting a whole new outside takes a lot of energy, Rosie hasn’t been feeling up to eating recently. Now that she’s shed, she can finish up her New Year celebrations with a big, fattening cricket!
Hope your New Year was as exciting and fun as Rosie’s!
I like Rosie. It is cool how she sheds her skeleton.
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