26/11/1999 Moult
02/02/2001 Moult
30/12/2001 Moult
07/01/2003 Moult
03/01/2004 Moult
26/01/2005 Moult. A timelapse video of this moult The process took about 3 hours. I recorded 2 seconds every 30 seconds and then further compressed the video by speeding it up until it is all over in about 1minute 45 seconds. 6 meg file

The Broken Leg Saga

04/08/1999 Got home to find George had trapped the end of one of her legs under the lid of her tank. She had been swinging around by the trapped leg trying to free herself. She had damaged two joints and was haemorrhaging badly. Spider blood which is clear I now know, has no coagulants in it meaning that once damaged they exanguinate and die. I donned my leather gloves and got hold of her while Gill put a few drops of superglue on the joints. She was good really and despite my inexperience in grabbing spiders (I never handle them) she did not even offer to bite me. That stopped the haemorrhage, let's see if George can manage now, the next worrying time will be at the next moult, I hope she can get her leg out OK. 

12/08/1999 George started haemorrhaging again, the glue obviously only lasts a week. I had to do the re-glue job on my own as Gill was out shopping when I discovered the relapse. A second application seems to have worked. Crossed fingers. I set the leg a little more straight this time, thinking about the next moult. 

26/11/1999 George moulted. She (I am fairly certain George is female now) laid on her back at approximately 0400 hours apparently (Gill was up at that time). At 0823 the moult proper began. At 1008 George flipped herself back upright. The first time I have witnessed this as it happens so quickly. I took time lapse photos of the whole event, start and end photos below. The injured leg appeared to be no problem to George, the new limb slipped out of the old injured (repaired with the two lots of superglue) one with no effort, the new leg looks perfect (as expected). George did not eat anything after breaking her leg, however, she appears not to have suffered any ill efects, the abdomen is still a decent size. Well, they do say not to drink or eat 'till treatment is complete.....