I'm new to the hobby, and my Rosea made an eggsac yesterday!

[Rhadora]

I bought my Chilean rose Layla eight days ago.
Buying her wasn't a spontaneous decision, I'd read up extensively on her species and care long before I decided to buy her.
And she's been really awesome, and loves to come out of her cage, and never shows aggression and isn't skittish in the slightest.
Friday, I thought she was using the cave I bought her to make a burrow when she started digging the substrate out, and thought it was awesome.
But then she started laying a thick web everywhere, which was odd to me.
And even stranger, she holed herself up inside. I thought maybe she was going to molt, and let her be.
Saturday morning,iIt was hard to see inside the open wall of the cave that's against the glass because there was so much web, but she was sitting in the center of it for a long time. She then balled it all up, drug it around, and was sitting on it. Quite obviously, an egg sac.
I've been reading up on it nonstop, and I'm still confused.
How many days does it take to hatch? I know some ppl pull them around 25-30 days an incubate them, which I've looked extensively into, and I've got everything needed for it. But how many days total is it from the time they lay the eggs to the time they hatch?
And what is the best way to go about this?
Because I don't want them running around in her tank, and I don't want to keep them. I have no idea what to do with them, and it's a little overwhelming!

 

[Zasxcdvv2]

Well I've heard of this happening before, but not very often. Certainly sounds like something occurred at the pet shop. Really all you can do is attempt to extract the egg sac, but be careful because mothers usually don't like having their children ripped away from them. But take it out for sure! You soon could possibly have 100+ baby rose hairs running around the tank. You could possibly call your local pet store and ask if they would accept them?

 

[grayzone]

Assuming it ISNT a "phantom sack" and that its actually viable i would suggest just leaving it with her. The G. rosea isnt too much of a threat, you will be able to place a catch cup over the mom fairly easy. Separate any slings that you find. Its that easy.

I would go this route, because ive never been able to find too great of breeding reports on G. rosea, and because they may take longer to form than other sp. just because their metabolic rate in general.
What temps is your tarantula at? they play a big part

 

[Rhadora]

It's about 77 degrees in her tank. I've read that they sometimes eat the egg sac if you leave it with them. Do they only do that if there's problems with the eggs? And I didn't know they could make phantom sacs! lol That's interesting, why would they do that I wonder? Practice?

Oh, I called the petstore today, and they had absolutely no idea what to do, and they didn't want the babies. I think they only sell mature tarantulas, and it takes so long for them to reach maturity that I can't keep them. I'm will let her do her motherly thing and see if that works, and can definately give the spiderlings to a breeder or someone who knows what they're doing with them. But I don't want to keep them. My sister wants one, but I told her we have to see if they hatch first, or what I'm going to do with the egg sac in general. If there was someone that I could get the eggsac to that's done this before, that would be great too. But again, I know no one, and I have no idea where to start looking in this area. Which is close to both Wilmington NC, and Myrtle Beach SC where I bought her.

 

[catfishrod69]

I think your best bet would be to wait about 35 days and then pull the sac, open it, and places the contents in a incubator. Its gonna be alot easier on you gathering up slings in the incubator, than digging through your females enclosure. Its hard to say when they will hatch themselves. Like grayzone said, temps will play a large factor in thier metabolism making them grow faster. What you could do, is let us know what state you are in, or even what area of that state. If there are members on here close to you that have experience
with sacs, maybe they will be willing to help out, or take it off your hands. They might be willing to raise them, sell them, and give you half the profit, or however you were to work it out. However this sac could also be a phantom sac (dud). Good luck!

---------- Post added 01-20-2013 at 12:27 PM ----------

77 sounds good. Yes sometimes they will eat the sac. They will eat it if they realize that there is something wrong and the eggs are not developing, they willl eat it if you bother the mother too much, and sometimes they eat it maybe for no reason. I think the phantom sacs are more of a false pregnancy. Being your rosea is most likely wild caught, there is a 50% chance she was in contact with a male. Female rosea sometimes take up to 2 years to drop a sac after being with a male.

There are users on here from SC, so im sure you could find someone to help you out. You dont want to pull the sac from the mother until about 30-35 days. If they are still eggs inside, the sac will need to be rotated, and the mother knows how to do that best. If you need help finding someone in your area, send me a personal message, ill help you out.

It's about 77 degrees in her tank. I've read that they sometimes eat the egg sac if you leave it with them. Do they only do that if there's problems with the eggs? And I didn't know they could make phantom sacs! lol That's interesting, why would they do that I wonder? Practice?

Oh, I called the petstore today, and they had absolutely no idea what to do, and they didn't want the babies. I think they only sell mature tarantulas, and it takes so long for them to reach maturity that I can't keep them. I'm will let her do her motherly thing and see if that works, and can definately give the spiderlings to a breeder or someone who knows what they're doing with them. But I don't want to keep them. My sister wants one, but I told her we have to see if they hatch first, or what I'm going to do with the egg sac in general. If there was someone that I could get the eggsac to that's done this before, that would be great too. But again, I know no one, and I have no idea where to start looking in this area. Which is close to both Wilmington NC, and Myrtle Beach SC where I bought her.

 

[Rhadora]

I'm inbetween Myrtle Beach SC and Wilmington NC, but will travel up to 3hrs out if I can find someone to take the eggsac. How do I go about finding other members close to me? (I'm new to a lot of this, so bear with me lol)

 

[catfishrod69]

Well you can start a inquiry thread on users that live near your area. Title of the thread should be something like "South Carolina Users". Then explain your situation in the thread,
and ask if there are any users in your area that have experience with hatching sacs, that would be willing to help you out. I would help, but its a 8 hour drive for me, and i wont be back to Raeligh NC til may.

 

[Zasxcdvv2]

I would gladly take the eggsac, however I'm located in washington dc. HOWEVER, if you choose to keep the sac and place it in an incubator, keep in mind you could make a little $$$ by selling the slings

 

[Rhadora]

Yeah, that is a ways away from now. What's crazy, is that I just realized 35 days from when she laid them fall on my birthday! OMG lol That's crazy. I'm going to do just that and start a thread. 35 days suddenly seems like a very short amount of time to find a solution. But if not, this'll be a crazy birthday, setting out and incubating little baby tarantulas! lol

---------- Post added 01-20-2013 at 12:44 PM ----------

How does one go about selling the slings?

 

[catfishrod69]

Glad that falls on your birthday. Pretty cool. How you would go about selling them on here, would be to post a FS ad, that states you would need them picked up locally and all.
With prices, and your TOS (terms of shipping), which yours would be local pickup, with no lag. I know a user who might be willing to buy every single one of them once the time is
right.

 

[Zasxcdvv2]

Quite simple really, post a thread on the proper section of the forum announcing you are selling G. Rosea slings, since they are slings all you really have to do to ship them is use a small pill bottle or such, but would be better to contact a known seller and ask them for advice on packing slings, hope this helps!

 

[Alltheworld601]

You need to read The Legacy of Annie Rose, by Carolyn Swagerle.

Congratulations, by the way. It apparently happens to the best of us. Pet shop rosies are usually wild caught. Many many many of the females come in gravid and lay eggsacks at the worst possible time.

Mine's about to do the same. Gotta love pet store spiders.

 

[grayzone]

How does one go about selling the slings?

just keep in mind that if the sack DOES produce spiderlings that reach 2i, rosie slings ARENT super desirable. You may sit on them a while if your nickle and diming them out.
I would recommend that you contact larger online breeders/dealers and seeing if they would offer credit towards stock, or buy outright for wholesale lots. Typically you can off 20-50 or more (depending on species) at a time, but you will have to let go of the "big buck" idea. You will likely be trading them off for like a buck or so a piece (given that they are G. rosea slings) towards the dealers stock. You get some free new species to raise, they get some slings to sell or give off as freebies with somebodys purchase..

WIN WIN for everybody imo.

I would suggest getting a strong plan together in the meantime, rather than waiting until the last minute. Incubating, outsourcing/networking, packaging, shipping.. etc... Even if nothing ever comes of the sack, you will be gaining a lot of knowledge and experience.

 

[Meezerkoko]

I was at my locAl pet store yesterday and saw 3 roseas and 3 egg sacs that had been pulled. They surely won't make it since the owner knows next to nothing about slings or taratulas in general.

 

[catfishrod69]

Thats sad to hear. Unfortunately they are probably already dead. Being that the sacs need turned several times a day, the eggs have more than likely already stuck together.

I was at my locAl pet store yesterday and saw 3 roseas and 3 egg sacs that had been pulled. They surely won't make it since the owner knows next to nothing about slings or taratulas in general.

 

[grayzone]

not entirely sure on that one John... not arguing your statement but at one point does an egg sack stop needing to be rotated? That is something ive never fully understood.. doesnt the liquid that is in the sack usually dry up in a matter of days or a week? Could it be safe to pull then, and just rotate every so often?

 

[catfishrod69]

They will stop needing to be rotated once there are ewls inside. Even if you have eggs in the incubator, they will still stick together. I have read and seen pics of people pulling when they are still eggs, and rotating the sacs. I guess if you have enough experience doing it, it would be fine. One of the main reasons i like hammock style sacs more, less reasons for the sacs to be bad.

not entirely sure on that one John... not arguing your statement but at one point does an egg sack stop needing to be rotated? That is something ive never fully understood.. doesnt the liquid that is in the sack usually dry up in a matter of days or a week? Could it be safe to pull then, and just rotate every so often?

 

[Meezerkoko]

Yeah I know, makes me sad too. I didn't say anything to him partially because I was pretty sure were already dead and also because the owner has a bit of an attidude and if I try to tell him about something I happen to know more about he blows me off because since he's in the pet trade he thinks that he automatically knows more than me. An example of this is the other day I got new slings an I stopped over there to get some cups for them (he happened to have the perfect size I was looking for and sold me them for a buck. And I was saying what a great deal I got on my slings and he said, "Oh that's just because nobody wants to raise them since it takes so long." I just smiled and thought yeah whatever to myself. If nobody liked to raise them this community would be out of a hobby. LOL. He also tried telling me that noone uses the "technical names for them".

 

[jakykong]

Yeah I know, makes me sad too. I didn't say anything to him partially because I was pretty sure were already dead and also because the owner has a bit of an attidude and if I try to tell him about something I happen to know more about he blows me off because since he's in the pet trade he thinks that he automatically knows more than me. An example of this is the other day I got new slings an I stopped over there to get some cups for them (he happened to have the perfect size I was looking for and sold me them for a buck. And I was saying what a great deal I got on my slings and he said, "Oh that's just because nobody wants to raise them since it takes so long." I just smiled and thought yeah whatever to myself. If nobody liked to raise them this community would be out of a hobby. LOL. He also tried telling me that noone uses the "technical names for them".

Sounds like the type to ask his grocer for dietary advice. :laugh:

My most local pet shop doesn't know anything about tarantulas, and they know it. Which is nice, because while they don't generally do things right for the occasional T they get in, they also don't hinder or give bad advice. While there could be better ones, certainly I prefer that over an arrogant pet-"expert."

 

[Rhadora]

I think I've found a breeder that's not too far from here that is willing to meet me somewhere that can properly care for the egg sac and babies. She's even offered to split the wholesale costs. ^_^ I'm more worried about them making it than the money. Layla brought her eggsac out of the cave this morning and was sitting with it. From the light I have on her tank, I could actually see the perfectly round impressions on the eggsac of the eggs, since the webbing is a little thinner than what I've seen in other pictures online. There are definitely eggs in there, and it is not a phantom sac! She is very protective, and is doing a good job taking care of them.

---------- Post added 01-21-2013 at 01:18 PM ----------

Yeah, the first thing I did was call the pet store, and they had absolutely NO idea. They basically told me to take the eggsac from her and put it in a jar and that it'd be fine? I would rather they claim not to know, then just make up a solution on the fly.

Sounds like the type to ask his grocer for dietary advice. :laugh:

My most local pet shop doesn't know anything about tarantulas, and they know it. Which is nice, because while they don't generally do things right for the occasional T they get in, they also don't hinder or give bad advice. While there could be better ones, certainly I prefer that over an arrogant pet-"expert."