First ever sling - some further questions

[scifigetsmehigh]

Hi guys, I posted here a week or two ago for advice about my first tarantula, a G. pulchra sling and I have a few questions I've had trouble answering.

I got this spider on the 9th August and, as expected, it's burrowed itself away (silly me made the hole in the middle of the enclosure instead of the side, so I've barely seen it). I know this is normal and it hasn't eaten either + sealed its burrow so I'm guessing this is definitely pre molt? If so, how long until I can expect to see him feeling hungry?

And now onto my main question, the humidity. I saw a video about housing slings from Tom Moran and he recommended extra moisture for young spiderlings, which makes sense, but how much is too much? In the pictures I've uploaded it looks pretty damp, but in real life it's not quite that wet looking. And as you can see, some water has gathered in the lower corners. I haven't overflowed the dish, that's just from the substrate (I assume).

There is no condensation on the sides either, the misty grey is just the colour of the plastic, so is it too wet in there?

If the humidity is too high am I likely to see some sign? Will my spider come out and try for higher ground if the humidity is too high?

It also been raining heavily here for over a week so the moisture in the air is generally pretty high.

I'm just worried because I hear a lot about humidity killing their spider, thanks a lot in advance and feel free to complain if this is painfully obvious stuff - but I haven't found much info on these specific things.

J

Edit: Forgot pics

 

[Thekla]

First of all, I'd say that the enclosure is way too big, and I'd be worried if your little one could escape through the vent holes. A 2oz condiment cup (holes made with a safety pin or such) would be far better IMO.

As for moisture in the sub (humidity in the air is irrelevant), I'd go with one half moist (not wet!) and the other half dry-ish and a tiny water dish if it fits or a tiny piece of sphagnum moss for some extra drinking opportunities. This with proper ventilation should be fine.

 

[scifigetsmehigh]

First of all, I'd say that the enclosure is way too big, and I'd be worried if your little one could escape through the vent holes. A 2oz condiment cup (holes made with a safety pin or such) would be far better IMO.

As for moisture in the sub (humidity in the air is irrelevant), I'd go with one half moist (not wet!) and the other half dry-ish and a tiny water dish if it fits or a tiny piece of sphagnum moss for some extra drinking opportunities. This with proper ventilation should be fine.

This enclosure is actually much smaller than it appears. It's 10cm on its longest side, and the holes are 1.75mm so that would have to be one desperate escapee and he is about 2cm long so I'm not worried about an escape effort.

The main reason I'm asking is because I haven't moistened the coco fibre since I put it in, but it hasn't even begun to dry.

Others on this site have said that the ventilation is fine, and as I said before there is no condensation on the side (above surface level).

I'm simply wondering how much moisture is considered too much for the sling to live comfortably, and how will I know when he is uncomfortable?

 

[Vanisher]

10 cm for a tiny sling is to big. Try half that size. But i guess 10 is ok, but smaller is betrer. Yes tiny slings should be kept in moist sub. NOT wet! This speicies is tricky. They can fast even as slings, not aproaching a moult. So i cant give you a straight answer if it is premoult. It can be, or not! Its a waiting game, and i think un general, a newbee that buy its first sling, better buy a more fast growing speicies!

 

[cold blood]

The enclosure is way too big.

When you house a sling, particularly a NW terrestrial sling into over size, or too well appointed enclosures (yours is both), the results are always the same....

You end up with a sling that burrows away, becomes hard to monitor (if not impossible) and because of this, exhibits a much lower food drive...which causes growth 4-5 times slower.

House it in a simple condiment cup...here the sling will adopt the whole cup as its burrow....resulting in a sling that barely burrows or simply sits in the open....this confidence will make monitoring your sling easier and will make feeding easier and more successful.

IMG_0472

• cold blood
• Feb 7, 2017

Keep your small terrestrial slings like this.

When keeping slings, its best to keep things as simple as you can.

 

[scifigetsmehigh]

GUYS PLEASE. The enclosure is fine, I'm fine with it being buried, I just want to know how to know when the humidity is too high!

The enclosure i have is a very similar volume to those deli cups, it's just a different shape, and the substrate is only 1 - 1.5" deep.

I don't mind that he's hiding away, I was just wondering if that meant a definite pre-molt - since he's sealed the entrance.

 

[Urzeitmensch]

GUYS PLEASE. The enclosure is fine, I'm fine with it being buried, I just want to know how to know when the humidity is too high!

The enclosure i have is a very similar volume to those deli cups, it's just a different shape, and the substrate is only 1 - 1.5" deep.

I don't mind that he's hiding away, I was just wondering if that meant a definite pre-molt - since he's sealed the entrance.

No, it does not mean a definite premolt, but it is likely. If it molts in its burrow you may not find out anyway. With my smaller slings which molt quite often I keep it simple:

1. 1/3 to 1/2 of the substrate moist. They can choose where to sit or burrow.

2. Good ventilation.

3. Prekilled feeders. Don't want to have a cricket eating a molting T.

 

[Kitara]

@cold blood is that 2oz or 4oz

 

[cold blood]

@cold blood is that 2oz or 4oz

2 I believe

 

[MainMann]

Humidity doesn't kill spiders, it's the stuffy, poorly ventilated air that kills them. I'd say your enclosure is okay, I'd personally house it in something smaller and simpler, as other posters have said, a big enclo will most likely cause a drop on food drive.

I think your vent holes are enough to keep good air circulation, but when the sub dries out, just moisten down one side of the enclo so there will be a moisture gradient inside the enclo.

How big is the T again? Once it reaches around 3-4cm, it'll become much hardier than it was when it was smaller, and after it hits the 5+ mark, I'd worry a lot less about dehydrating, especially since pulchra is quite hardy.

Hope this helps, Maman

 

[Kitara]

2 I believe

Thanks. I had to show my daughter because I have a 2oz and it looks SO small. I told her to put the new sling in there (1/2"), and she was convinced it was way too small lol. I had to show her your picture.

 

[Wormtail39]

The enclosure is way too big.

When you house a sling, particularly a NW terrestrial sling into over size, or too well appointed enclosures (yours is both), the results are always the same....

You end up with a sling that burrows away, becomes hard to monitor (if not impossible) and because of this, exhibits a much lower food drive...which causes growth 4-5 times slower.

House it in a simple condiment cup...here the sling will adopt the whole cup as its burrow....resulting in a sling that barely burrows or simply sits in the open....this confidence will make monitoring your sling easier and will make feeding easier and more successful.

IMG_0472

• cold blood
• Feb 7, 2017

Keep your small terrestrial slings like this.

When keeping slings, its best to keep things as simple as you can.

Hey quick question so i have rehoused my g pulchra sling a few times its about 1.2cm body dont know about legspan, its now in quite a big enclosure where it has eaten a few times and infact molted about 5 days ago, however in this new enclosure it has burrowed allot more like you said and is currently still fully closed off, i know this might just be because of its recent molt but 5 days after seems excesssive, I have left food out for it and its not come ot get it (pre killed) should i perhaps after a few more days move him to smaller enclosure like u showed previously? or will it needlessly stress him out.

 

[cold blood]

pics are needed....body measurements tell me nothing.

Id just wait till it emerges to feed.

 

[Wormtail39]

pics are needed....body measurements tell me nothing.

Id just wait till it emerges to feed.

the problem is she wont ever emerge, not fully even when she was still takeing food before premolt there was a tiney and i really do mean tiney entrance to her burrow and i could only get her to eat by literally leaving the food ontop of the entrance, but for the last 3 weeks its been closed off (she was in premolt and did molt 5 days ago) but its still completely closed off, i can see into her hide from behind tho and shes completely redesigned her hole, shes basically covered the molt in dirt and switched sides of the hole. Or do u mean a picture of the enclosure she is in? Only thing i have is a video of her when i moved her into this new enclosure.