G.pulchra sling help

[gregh]

I recieved a G.pulchra sling about a month 1.5 - 2 months ago... it hasn't molted yet. How often do they molt? I thought slings molted frequently, should I be concerned? I guess these are a slow growing species, when tarantulas are sized do you measure the overall length or the body size (spinnerts to pedipalps)?
Thanks

 

[Formerphobe]

The smaller they are, the more frequently they molt. As they get larger, there is more time between molts. Molt cycle is also dependent on environment. If kept warmer and fed more frequently, they will usually molt more frequently. Some say males molt more frequently than females, but I don't know that there is any documentation to that effect.

Size is measured by DLS (Diagonal Leg Span) - from end of one front leg to end of opposite rear leg.

G. pulchras do tend to be pretty slow growers. How big is yours?

 

[jayefbe]

I have four slings that I've had for ~4 months. I feed them quite heavily and keep them around 75F. Of the 4, only 1 has molted in my care. This is while many other species I've gotten at the same time have molted 2 or 3 times. So I'd say they're slow growing. I'm sure your sling is fine, you're just going to have to get used to waiting (or keep them ~80F and feed heavily).

 

[annabelle]

my 1.25" sling that i've had since october just molted for the first time last month. it's my slowest growing T that i own... and i have 3 brachypelma slings that are bigger than it.

 

[Projecht13]

Do not expect this t to grow with any speed. It's one of the slowest growing of all t's. I got my girl at 1 inch about 7 years ago and she is about 6 inches now. Still has about another inch or so to go too.

 

[gregh]

this one is about 1/2"

 

[Simon83]

I got my sling back in late October with a molt already in her enclosure...looked pretty fresh. Two months later she molted and went from about 3/4 of an inch to about an inch and a quarter. It's been about two and a half months since she last molted and she seems to be in pre-molt as she's not wanted her food for the past couple of weeks. However I did feed her a lot during the first month or so and she turned into a right big fatty...which Im guessing is why she molted reasonaly quickly.

I know none of this is helpful to you but figured you might like to hear how it can different for each individual spider. Hope she molts soon, it's quite a treat to watch

 

[tarantulagirl10]

I got my G pulchra sling 14 months ago and it has only moted twice I keep it at 72* to 76* and feed once a week.

 

[mark e sic]

Grammostola as a genus is considerably slower at aging compared to others

 

[gregh]

Arachnoboards is great