I did a very stupid thing. Don't be like me.

WoofSpider

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Aug 31, 2016
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81
So I really just need to talk about this because I feel absolutely terrible. I received a few slings on 07/06. Most of them under 1/2 inch. Everybody has been eating pre-killed crickets and getting along fine except for a single 1/4 inch H. incei. She wouldn't take anything and just stayed in a clump of moss that she webbed up into a nice little hide.

This morning I just couldn't take it anymore. I was overcome with worry and I removed the moss and tore it apart to get a look at her. When I found her she was barely responsive to my paintbrush, but the abdomen looked fine. I didn't really know what to do from there, so I put her back in the enclosure without the moss.

Not even a minute later, her carapace popped and she started molting. I was crushed. I violated the cardinal rule of tarantula keeping: LEAVE THE SPIDER ALONE.

When I left for work about 30 minutes later, she was out of the exuvium, but had not flipped upright yet. I'm at work now and I can't stop thinking about what a colossal idiot I am.
 

Moakmeister

Arachnodemon
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Oct 6, 2016
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741
If a 1/4" sling isn't eating, then it's in premolt, absolutely guaranteed. Stupid thing indeed, but I'm glad it turned out okay. @cold blood actually found his first tarantula on her back and he picked her up and flipped her over because he thought she fell or something. She molted just fine.
 

cold blood

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are you sure your incei is an incei?

Ive bred that species and they are about 1/2" at second instar (which is when they should be sold).....was this specimen 1i? 1i dont eat...they just darken up and molt.
 

WoofSpider

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Aug 31, 2016
Messages
81
are you sure your incei is an incei?

Ive bred that species and they are about 1/2" at second instar (which is when they should be sold).....was this specimen 1i? 1i dont eat...they just darken up and molt.
It was purchased as an H. incei through a very reputable dealer (Swift Inverts) I might just be really bad at estimating sizes. I don't have a picture of the spider in question at the moment, but the picture below is my A. genic which is currently the same size.

EDIT: The A. genic encolsure is 3" x 3". I know it's a bit big, but I heard these guys grow quickly.
 

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cold blood

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It was purchased as an H. incei through a very reputable dealer (Swift Inverts) I might just be really bad at estimating sizes. I don't have a picture of the spider in question at the moment, but the picture below is my A. genic which is currently the same size.

EDIT: The A. genic encolsure is 3" x 3". I know it's a bit big, but I heard these guys grow quickly.
Alright, Kellys a reliable seller for sure....i cant see the genic in there, so it must be small...genics start out about half the size of incei....odd considering incei is a dwarf and genics get pretty darn big.

I would house them in smaller enclosures...easier for the sling, easier for you....nothing fancy, just something like this...
 

PidderPeets

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May 27, 2017
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It can be tough to fight the urge to dig up your tarantulas when you haven't seen them in a bit. I got my G. pulchripes sling 5 months ago, and it's spent about 4 months (sporadically, not 4 months straight) of that time closed off in it's burrow. Early on, after about a month and a half straight of not seeing it, I was convinced it was dead. But I continued to moisten the substrate every so often and left it alone otherwise. Then one day, I checked on my pet dirt (it wasn't even a pet hole, it was pet dirt) only find a tiny hole in one corner of the substrate and a molt pushed out to be removed. I was so glad I left it alone. It can be frustrating to wait on these little guys, but it's best to just leave them be. I'm glad yours molted just fine though, despite the interruption. Now you know for next time!

And @Giant Asian mantis lover, your best bet would be to check the Insects, Other Invertebrates, and Arthropods section of the forum. I believe there's some people with mantis experience there
 

Giant Asian mantis lover

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 20, 2017
Messages
88
It can be tough to fight the urge to dig up your tarantulas when you haven't seen them in a bit. I got my G. pulchripes sling 5 months ago, and it's spent about 4 months (sporadically, not 4 months straight) of that time closed off in it's burrow. Early on, after about a month and a half straight of not seeing it, I was convinced it was dead. But I continued to moisten the substrate every so often and left it alone otherwise. Then one day, I checked on my pet dirt (it wasn't even a pet hole, it was pet dirt) only find a tiny hole in one corner of the substrate and a molt pushed out to be removed. I was so glad I left it alone. It can be frustrating to wait on these little guys, but it's best to just leave them be. I'm glad yours molted just fine though, despite the interruption. Now you know for next time!

And @Giant Asian mantis lover, your best bet would be to check the Insects, Other Invertebrates, and Arthropods section of the forum. I believe there's some people with mantis experience there
Pidder peers thank you for helping
 

cold blood

Moderator
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Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
It can be tough to fight the urge to dig up your tarantulas when you haven't seen them in a bit. I got my G. pulchripes sling 5 months ago, and it's spent about 4 months (sporadically, not 4 months straight) of that time closed off in it's burrow. Early on, after about a month and a half straight of not seeing it, I was convinced it was dead. But I continued to moisten the substrate every so often and left it alone otherwise. Then one day, I checked on my pet dirt (it wasn't even a pet hole, it was pet dirt) only find a tiny hole in one corner of the substrate and a molt pushed out to be removed. I was so glad I left it alone. It can be frustrating to wait on these little guys, but it's best to just leave them be. I'm glad yours molted just fine though, despite the interruption. Now you know for next time!

And @Giant Asian mantis lover, your best bet would be to check the Insects, Other Invertebrates, and Arthropods section of the forum. I believe there's some people with mantis experience there
jeez, how about a little seperation in that giant block of words....its hard to read like that.
 
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PidderPeets

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jeez, how about a little seperation in that giabt block of words....its hard to read like that.
Sorry. I have a habit of writing out long-winded answers, and only separating things if they're separate topics in one post
 
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