You might become worried if you notice a bald spot on your tarantula or see it losing hair on legs or abdomen. In this post, you will find information on why a tarantula is losing hair or developing a bald spot and how to understand when molt is approaching based on a bald spot’s color.
The main reasons why a tarantula is losing hair or developing a bald spot are because it is stressed or excited, or because molt is approaching. Stress might be caused with you opening a tarantula’s cage or handling it, or it feeling threatened due to any other reason.
What is tarantula’s hair?
Hairs that you can see on top of your tarantula’s abdomen are called urticating hairs. These hairs are like small bladed bristles with barbed ends, and they are loosely attached to a tarantula’s abdomen. When a tarantula wants to kick these hairs, it flicks them off the body with its legs.
An interesting fact is that only New World (Americas, North and South) tarantulas have urticating hairs that are shed. On the other hand, Old World tarantulas don’t really have urticating hairs so will not shed them or develop a bald patch. There are different types of urticating hairs too – airborne and non-airborne.
Why is a tarantula losing hair?
Reason 1: Tarantula is losing hair or developing a bald patch as it feels threatened
One the main reasons why your tarantula is losing hair is because it feels threatened. If your tarantula doesn’t know it when you are approaching the cage, it might get scared and flick some hairs for defense.
Always make sure that your tarantula is aware of your presence. That’s important not only to reduce chances of a tarantula kicking off urticating hairs, but to reduce stress in general. Some tarantulas get very scared even with slightest interaction and can start running and potentially escaping or injuring themselves.
A good trick is to lightly tap on a tarantula’s cage when you are there or blow on your tarantula from afar to make sure it knows you are there. This way, your tarantula is likely to go into its hide, so you can do whatever you need in the enclosure.
So, if you don’t have a hide for your tarantula in the enclosure, it’s a good idea to provide it with one. This way, when it feels threatened, it will go and hide there, instead of holding its ground. However, some tarantulas will not run away and instead stand their ground.
Reason 2: Tarantula is stressed due to handling or relocation
Another possible reason why a tarantula is losing hair is because you are handling it or moving it. Handling is stressful for a tarantula, and should not be done unless extremely necessary.
Even if you are moving your tarantula somewhere inside a cup or similar, it might think you are a predator and kick off some hairs for defense. Make sure to wash your hands after doing anything in your tarantula’s cage and don’t rub your eyes or face before you have washed them.
Reason 3: Tarantula is losing hair as molt is approaching
Another possible reason why a tarantula is losing hairs is because its molt is approaching. The thing is, some tarantulas will spin a molt mat which they will use to molt.
And when spinning this web, some tarantulas will flick lots of urticating hairs onto the molt mat. This is in case any predators decide to attack a tarantula during its vulnerable period of molt. This is normal and you shouldn’t be worried about this.
You can also tell a molt is approaching if a tarantula doesn’t eat for weeks or days, and if its abdomen looks swollen. Also if there’s a bald patch, you will see darkening beneath the skin develop before the molt. Some tarantulas will also make a molting mat (thin silk web), which they lay on during their molt.
Reason 4: Cage mates or other small predators
Some tarantula owners decide to get more than one tarantula, and that is understandable. However, tarantulas are highly territorial and even cannibalistic, so you should never house two tarantulas together. Even mating tarantulas should not be left together for longer than just a mating session. But even after a mating session, a female tarantula might attack a male and stress him out (even kill him).
You should avoid keeping tarantulas together, even if it’s one cage that is divided into two or more parts. Tarantulas often find their ways into other parts of the cage, so don’t attempt it. Always have one tank for each tarantula. Not only two tarantulas will cause each other to rub off lots of urticating hairs, but even possibly kill each other.
If you need any setup ideas for a tarantula enclosure, see this post (new tab).
What is also important is that your tarantula’s prey (food) might cause stress to your tarantula by attacking back. For example, you should not keep uneaten crickets or other small feeder item for more than 24 hours. Some owners keep uneaten crickets for up to 2-3 days, but less you keep them in there, less problems you will possibly have.
Hungry crickets or worms might try to bite your tarantula, making it stressed and causing it to kick off urticating hairs, hence a bald spot. Also make sure there is no infestation in the tank, as for example ants can seriously bite and chew on a tarantula. Some owners also offer prey items that are too large or even alive (must not do), such as mice or rats. This really stresses out both animals and is unethical.
Can tarantula’s hair hurt you?
If you get urticating hairs on your skin, then it is likely to become irritated, itchy or inflamed. While it often passes quickly, it is still a very uncomfortable situation. It can even be worse if a tarantula’s hair gets in your eyes.
If urticating hairs get in your eye, the best thing is to rinse your eye with an eyewash, and see a doctor if it doesn’t get better quickly. That’s because urticating hairs can cause damage to an eye’s cornea.
Always wash your hands after putting your hands inside your tarantula’s enclosure. You can even wear gloves when you need to do anything in the cage or with a tarantula itself. Never rub your face, especially lips, nose and eyes after reaching inside a tarantula’s tank.
If you have asthma or allergy, urticating hairs might cause an allergic reaction. That’s because when a tarantula kicks off the hairs, they stay in the air. You can also find them in the webbing (airborne hairs). It might be a good idea to wear a mask when you have to work around your tarantula’s enclosure if you have an allergy.
Tarantula’s bald spot and shedding hair
Tarantulas shed hair on their abdomen, and sometimes legs. But you should not guess how old a tarantula is based on its bald spots. Some tarantulas lose their hair at much faster rate or depending on what the cause was. It does not mean that it has been a long time since its last shed. The only cause for hair loss is what made a tarantula kick off its hairs.
Tarantula’s bald spot, losing hair and molting stages
Because tarantulas develop a bald patch after shedding their hairs, this patch can help you with identifying when a next molt is coming. For example, when a bald patch in a tarantula is light tan in color, it is in intermolt (normal stage).
But when a pre-molt is approaching, and a new exoskeleton is reaching final formation, this patch becomes darker in color. That is because new hairs develop under the old exoskeleton and their pigmented color starts being visible.
Thank you for reading this post. To learn more about tarantula care, visit this page.