B. emilia growth

galeogirl

Arachnoprince
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Aug 15, 2002
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I have two B emilia slings from the same eggsac and I've noticed that one is growing and molting much faster than the other. I feed them the same foods, same amounts, and they are both kept in the same warm room. I'm wondering if the growth could be sex-related or if this is just another one of those shoulder-shrugging tarantula mysteries.
 

Tangled WWWeb

Arachnodemon
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Nov 4, 2002
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706
From what I've seen it appears that growth rates in T's can definitely be gender related. Males tend to grow faster than their female siblings. I have had instances where siblings of the same gender had very different growth rates as well.
 

rknralf

Arachnolord
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Jul 19, 2002
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I've heard that gender sometimes plays a role in growth, however, I don't know if there has been any scientific research done to prove/disprove it.
One suggestion could be that in captivity, a larger portion of the spiderlings actually make it maturity, whereas the smaller/weaker ones would become food for other ones or other predators. The ones with the slower growth, might not have made it, if they were in the wild.
I also am experiencing different growth rates with a group of Brazilian Red spiderlings (12) I am raising, so I would like to know the answer to this as well.
 

Dasgre0g

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 22, 2002
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Originally posted by rknralf
I've heard that gender sometimes plays a role in growth, however, I don't know if there has been any scientific research done to prove/disprove it.
One suggestion could be that in captivity, a larger portion of the spiderlings actually make it maturity, whereas the smaller/weaker ones would become food for other ones or other predators. The ones with the slower growth, might not have made it, if they were in the wild.
I also am experiencing different growth rates with a group of Brazilian Red spiderlings (12) I am raising, so I would like to know the answer to this as well.
Though there are many varying factors to the growth of spiderlings, sex is certainly one of them . One theory is that by the males growing faster thus maturing faster decreses their chances of inbreeding with females of the same clutch.
Most female tarantulas don't mature for several years after their male counterparts.
 

Immortal_sin

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Jul 17, 2002
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Galeogirl..I also have a sibling from that same sac (Alex's). It hasn't molted since I bought it, but it had molted the day I got it..have yours molted?
 

galeogirl

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Aug 15, 2002
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Originally posted by Immortal_sin
Galeogirl..I also have a sibling from that same sac (Alex's). It hasn't molted since I bought it, but it had molted the day I got it..have yours molted?
Both have, one the day after I got them, the other just a few days ago. The one that just molted is much larger than the other.
 
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