brachypelma smithi sling care

[WarAdmiral1937]

Decided to get a b smithi sling never had a sling before what are some basic care tips/requirements? Thanks

 

[kanito107]

pretty much just make sure you kep half of its enclosure wet so it has water, just put a few water drops every week, thats what i do, and feed it every week preekilled krickets or roaches, and if it doesnt eat then its probably in premolt, my smithi just molted so ill drop food in this weekend, make sure that its well ventilated and the holes arent too big for the sling to get out, i would use a needle or a very small screwdriver.
if i missed anything im sure someone will chime in, and enjoy the sling

 

[mickey66]

i give'em live food if not small pull the legs off the crickets. I mist the walls of the tank AND offer a small bottle cap of water. I use a small pill vile for its hide. Its fun to watch these spiders grow up.

 

[jhalla16]

i give'em live food if not small pull the legs off the crickets. I mist the walls of the tank AND offer a small bottle cap of water. I use a small pill vile for its hide. Its fun to watch these spiders grow up.

it takes forever to watch them grow up, hahaha

 

[killy]

Decided to get a b smithi sling never had a sling before what are some basic care tips/requirements? Thanks

+1 to all of above (although mine is growing pretty fast ...) -

Also, be VERY careful to keep the lid on, smithis are notorious escape artists!

 

[jhalla16]

+1 to all of above (although mine is growing pretty fast ...) -

Also, be VERY careful to keep the lid on, smithis are notorious escape artists!

at 4 months, mine's at an inch long... my G pulchripes which is younger than my Smithi is at around 2 inches long lol

 

[MrsBevyChurch]

I also have just purchased my first sling...a B.Smithi. In addition to the basic care tips; I'd like to ask what are some things to watch out for? More so in regards to general health and appearance...anything particular?

 

[cold blood]

@MrsBevyChurch, not really, just watch the rump, as it blackens it means it is nearing molt...then it will get shiny, along with possible lethargic behavior....this means a molt is on the horizon. Once it blackens, it will likely refuse food until it molts, do not worry even if it doesn't eat for a month or even more. Just keep it warm, and feed it well and keep an area of the sub moist and if the enclosure permits, a water dish. After molting it will be much lighter in color and skinny. Wait a good week for its exoskeleton to harden and begin the feeding process again. Once it gets bigger you will be able to look at the fangs, after molting they are white, as they harden they become red, once they are hardened, they will be black. Never feed until the fangs are black. For a sling, a week is plenty of time, if its really small, it may only need a few days, but waiting a week is a good idea just to be sure.

How big is the sling?

So you're from Dryden huh? What's your biggest musky? I love that lake in your back yard!! You do realize you live in paradise, eh?

 

[MrsBevyChurch]

My little "jellybean" as its been aptly named...is 3/4". And it's abdomen is looking fairly dark. So I will keep an eye on it indefinitely. Thanks for the info; very helpful.

Which lake are you referring to?! There are plenty! And yes I know exactly where I live. It's exactly why my hubby and I left the city to move back to our home town. Missed being outside all the time.

 

[cold blood]

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[cold blood]

Which lake are you referring to?! There are plenty!

I was referring to the big one, Eagle, the launch is right in town...but yeah, I'm in WI, there are a ton of lakes around everywhere here as well. One of the biggest musky I have ever seen was just off that boat launch...60 pound class fish....ridiculous. Rose another that size in portage bay and another in Mckenzie bay.

 

[MrsBevyChurch]

It's a very large lake. And yes there are a lot of large musky in that lake. They actually had Jeremy Wade from "River Monsters" film a show on Eagle Lake.

 

[PurplePanther]

+1 to all of above (although mine is growing pretty fast ...) -

Also, be VERY careful to keep the lid on, smithis are notorious escape artists!

Got my first Ts 7 days ago, 1 is a B. Smithi sling.
Hasn't eaten, abdomen gone black so I'm suspecting he is in pre-molt ?
He spent 6 days hiding under his leaf, now he sits right under the lid, as if waiting to escape ?

 

[TarantulaObsession]

Got my first Ts 7 days ago, 1 is a B. Smithi sling.
Hasn't eaten, abdomen gone black so I'm suspecting he is in pre-molt ?
He spent 6 days hiding under his leaf, now he sits right under the lid, as if waiting to escape ?

Dulling of colors or blackening of the abdomen is a fool proof way to tell it's in premolt (if it has a bald patch or doesn't have much hair yet).
I'm not sure what the second question is but as killy said, they're notorious escape artists! Keep an eye on your little guy.

 

[PurplePanther]

Dulling of colors or blackening of the abdomen is a fool proof way to tell it's in premolt (if it has a bald patch or doesn't have much hair yet).
I'm not sure what the second question is but as killy said, they're notorious escape artists! Keep an eye on your little guy.

....so I hope Baby (its having that name until it's sexed) molts soon, it will be my first ever, and of course it would be a fantastic thing to witness. He is bald bless him.
The other ? is me needing ideas / reassurance really. I never thought I'd be concerned about something that sounds so trivial.
Baby spent 6 days and nights sitting behind his orange maple leaf. Now he is right up by the lid opening and won't move, apart from on me when I took the lid off. What a weird feeling having a baby T on your hand for the first time, WoW ! Do you think his change could mean he has worked out that's the exit, or am I just a new owner flapping

 

[cold blood]

It doesn't have the brainpower to work anything out...in fact, it doesn't even have a brain, but rather a cluster of nerves, referred to as ganglion. They're reactive, instinctive creatures.

 

[Olan]

My B. smithi gets more restless during premolt. Paces around and climbs up to the lid. Once it's in heavy premolt it just sits in one place for a week.

 

[Andrea82]

My B. smithi gets more restless during premolt. Paces around and climbs up to the lid. Once it's in heavy premolt it just sits in one place for a week.

Same here, and is scratching her behind continuously on top of that. Little pile of u-hairs here, little pile of u-hairs there....the girl sure knows how to create her defense lines

 

[TarantulaObsession]

Same here, and is scratching her behind continuously on top of that. Little pile of u-hairs here, little pile of u-hairs there....the girl sure knows how to create her defense lines

Man, that's my female B. smithi all the time! I swear, I can't even look at her without her kicking!

 

[Andrea82]

Man, that's my female B. smithi all the time! I swear, I can't even look at her without her kicking!

They can be nervous little critters. But she also uses it to set up a defense perimeter around her molting mat, which apparently is her entire enclosure