As promised, I'm here to show you some pictures of Storm's molting process. I don't have many pictures though, only 4 decent ones, but it's better than none, isn't it?

First step, Storm lays on her back. People tend to believe a tarantul has died when they are in this position, but nope.. they are simply getting ready to molt. I guess it makes things easier for them to get out of that exoskeleton of theirs, but still is strange, but funny lol.

2nd step, which is what my 3 other pictures are from, is when she starts getting out of the exoskeletion. I couldn't take any pictures of her Prosoma cracking open (her carapace, or her head if you prefer), so you'll have to deal with her taking her legs out of the old skin.

Little by little, she pushes once in a while to get the legs out. You can see her white, clear fangs on the second picture. These turn to black when they harden and can be a sign that she is ready to eat again (which i definitely should feed her now, I haven't in a while). It is a REALLY long process.

She's almost done. Still have a couple of legs in there. This whole process is extremly tiring to her and although it does not seem like it, she's basicaly fighting to live, as if she doesn't succeed in getting out of the exoskeletion, it'll dry up and she'll be stuck in it, leaving her to die or having me remove it extremly carefully to save her which, honestly, I don't feel like doing lol.

She's going to stay in that position for a little while as she doesn't have enough strenght to get back on her legs right now. So yep, it ends up with 2 identical looking tarantulas, one alive and the other is just a dried up shell. They tend to be extremly protective of their old skin for some reason, and will often roam around it or stay right on top of it for a certain period of time, a few days maybe, but Storm didn't look protective of it, so I was able to remove it from the aquarium 1 or 2 days later.

nd no, I don't keep the old skins.. as much as I'd like to, it requires stuff and what not to keep it in good shape and keep it from desintegrating or something, so I don't feel like keeping them.

And we have a brand new Storm right here. See the magnificent blue color? Amazing :]