How can you tell if a tarantula is dead?

How the tarantula dies is on the care you give it (or lack of) and could be from old age. When the tarantula dies (majority of the time) it curls up in a little ball. When it lays on it's back, it is not dead!!! It is only molting and should get up in a couple hours. Molting is when they shed their skin in order to grow and get bigger! Good luck!