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I have a 6 yr old Mexican Red-Knee. She has been a great little spider and I have never had any issues with her molting. Approx. 12 hrs ago I found her on her back with her water sponge (pretty dry) on top of her, she's gripping it. She is not curled up and seems to be stuck since she hasn't made any progress over night. I am not sure if I should try to remove the sponge or spray the cage? Help!

I'd remove the sponge, and never, ever put it back in. Sponges are bad news. You can try to spray the cage, it might help. I'd try to move the cage into a steamy room like the bathroom and run the shower hot for a while. Close the door and let it sit in there for a while. Not sure if it might be too late, but it is worth a shot. Good Luck
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KJ Vezino
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Missouri Tarantula Enthusiasts Group

hey Veez2, why do you recommend removing the sponge all together. I have used them for several years for a source of water. would you recommend just spraying down the cage to keep it moist?

Sponges were common advice back in the early days of T keeping (70s and 80s). As such many Pet store's still reccomend them. Some pet stores will even tell you that a T cannot drink from an open water source and need to have a sponge in order to drink (where are the sponges in nature?). LOL

The only reason for using a sponge is so crickets don't drown in the waterdish. Crickets are stupid and if not eaten right away will usually find themselves there. The sponge gives them an out so they don't drown. The problem with sponges is they harbor bacteria and are just overall unhealthy. How you you provide clean fresh water to your T is you reuse the same nasty sponge?

The best thing to do is offer a waterdish with a piece of rock in it. This allows crickets to have a ramp to climb out on.
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KJ Vezino
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Missouri Tarantula Enthusiasts Group

Ok update: I tried removing the sponge and what had happened was she climbed on top of it and it rolled on top of her. Her claws must have been stuck. She's right side up and happy again. I threw the stupid sponge away and now she has free choice water from a shallow dish. Thanks a lot! Sponges really ARE evil

Awesome, glad it worked out.
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KJ Vezino
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Missouri Tarantula Enthusiasts Group

Crickets are stupid, dangerous, stinky, short-lived, water-foulers. If they just didn't have so much chitin, I'd use superworms for most of my live feedings.

One of my Green Iguanas got into the bucket I used to keep my Superworms in. I made a mistake in that room resulting in her having access to the Zooph bucket. I kept them in damp ground-up peat moss. She ate 'so' many. She was cra##ing whole, undigested superworms for three days after that. None of us on the forum can figure out why our Green iggs are so often extremely attracted to animal prey. Does anyone here have a solid idea about why? Sorry to go off-topic, I hardly ever do it.

Roger

I hope she's out of her molt at the time I'm writing. How did it go? Did she survive?

Do spiders exude "parting fluid" between their ""skin" and the new skin, so the old can slip off? Does that imply that the parting fluid can be under-hydrated (too viscous) and slow the molt until the fluid dries and glues the old shed onto the new? I assume that would be fatal, unless the owner can pump-spray warm water onto the mess, trying to loosen the molt. I know I sound like a herp guy, but with spiders, I'm learning.

clffdvr

>>Do spiders exude "parting fluid" between their ""skin" and the new skin, so the old can slip off? Does that imply that the parting fluid can be under-hydrated (too viscous) and slow the molt until the fluid dries and glues the old shed onto the new? I assume that would be fatal, unless the owner can pump-spray warm water onto the mess, trying to loosen the molt. I know I sound like a herp guy, but with spiders, I'm learning.
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>>clffdvr

Yes, that describes it pretty well. Slightly more correctly is that the new skin forms under the old skin, with another 'skin' layer inbetween. Just prior to molting this inbetween layer dissolves and becomes the lubricant to aid molting.

Once a problem is at hand during sheddign, there is little that can be done to help. If the spider is dehydrated, it didn't just get that way, it has been getting that way for a while. As such there is not quick solution. You should ensure your T always has some clean water availabe. If you do, the T will regulate itself.
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KJ Vezino
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Missouri Tarantula Enthusiasts Group

Yes indeed. I'm habituated to keeping clean fresh water in with my animals. Old water can be a real disaster. The design of the water container might be an issue, but I think I have that covered, for the little Brazilian, the adult Mexican Red-Kneed, and with the roach colony in there. No sponges or potatoes, all fresh liquid water. The roaches can walk easily to the 1/4th inch deep water in the center of their shallow saucer. It certainly looks like they're all thriving. In five more years, I'll be able to say with some authority whether they actually are thriving.

Roger