Just a few questions I can't find on the internet

[Tiffany1195]

Is there like a certain number of molts a T does before maturing? Or does the number of times it molts have nothing to do with it ? I've made up my mind and I'm getting a Acanthoscurria geniculata sling in 8 days (this till be my first T ever) and I know all the basics on how to care for the animal ( I've been doing my research for the last 3 months and gave myself time to make this this is that I want) .. but it's the little things now I would like to know that the internet doesn't want to tell me lol

Oh and I'd love to know little tricks you guys have learned along the way caring for this species (Acanthoscurria geniculata) or anything that they enjoy or don't enjoy .... I'm asking for personal experiences with this species cuz the Internet only tells you so much ..thank you in advance

 

[Venom1080]

Tarantulas don't have a finite number of molts. They molt until they die. Eventually their size kind of maxes out. But they don't technically stop growing.


Number of molts from sling to adult depends on the individual spider, the food intake, and temperature.

 

[Tiffany1195]

Well that was more then I could find on line !! Lol Thank You

I just wanna try and be 100% prepared for when i get it an the Internet only has the basics .... Personal experience is what I find helps the most

 

[The Seraph]

Well that was more then I could find on line !! Lol Thank You

I just wanna try and be 100% prepared for when i get it an the Internet only has the basics .... Personal experience is what I find helps the most

You will find a lot of that on here. Just make sure to look at newer threads. Older ones can be a bit out of date.

 

[Vanessa]

There have been discussions about males having a set number of moults until they mature, but females moult continuously throughout their entire lives, even when they have stopped growing. As females get older, they can bulk up, though. This is a faster growing species - they moult more frequently than other large bodied South American terrestrials and they also gain far more size from each moult. My girl jumped 1.5" in one moult and went from 3" to 4.5". I had never seen that before.
This is not a species recommended for brand new beginners, it is recommended for intermediate keepers. This is a very reactive species with a very high prey drive. Every single thing that goes into their enclosure is treated like food. Always work inside their enclosure using either tweezers, or tongs later on. They possess urticating hairs that are far more irritating than average and some individuals are very generous in sharing them. While some individuals can be fairly laid back as adults, they can also be very skittish. They can cover a lot of ground when they get to be a good size if they bolt. Some are downright defensive, although that seems to be less common.
I would keep spiderlings as I would any other species with slightly damp substrate and feed pre-killed twice per week. At about the 1-1.5" mark I would move them to an enclosure that is larger than another species of the same size, because they are going to start sprouting. I would start putting them into enclosures about 5x their leg span. Always provide a hide and a water dish that I would overflow regularly. This species is always nervous and skittish, but they get more so when they feel that they are cramped up, in my experience. Give them plenty of room. I would also start feeding them once a week at that size and they will have no problem taking live food.
My girl is a pretty good girl and I adore her. She is at about the 6" mark at this point and is still extremely skittish. She has never used her hide, although I would always have one available for her, but she can bolt around when disturbed and I have no doubt that she would bolt right out of her enclosure if I didn't pay attention. She has been in her adult enclosure since she was 3", due to her growth rate and her nervousness at being in smaller enclosures. She has rarely kicked hair at me, but I don't mess with her... at all. I won't even try to manipulate her with a paint brush to take photos. I leave her completely alone and if she lets me take a photo, then I consider myself lucky.
My girl at 4.5".

Acanthoscurria geniculata Sub-Adult Female

• Vanessa
• Apr 25, 2018
• 1
• acanthoscurria acanthoscurria geniculata female geniculata moult sub-adult subadult whitebanded tarantula

When this girl moulted last November, her exuvia measured 3". This moult it measured 4.5". I...

My girl at 6"+.

Acanthoscurria geniculata Sub-Adult Female - ~6"

• Vanessa
• Jun 27, 2019
• 2
• acanthoscurria acanthoscurria geniculata brazilian whiteknee tarantula female geniculata giant whiteknee tarantula sub-adult subadult female whitebanded tarantula

She is looking gorgeous, despite it being months since her last moult. She is still very...

 

[Tiffany1195]

You have been extremely helpful thank you!!!

 

[Kitara]

Oh my heck @VanessaS I am so in love!!

 

[cold blood]

Is there like a certain number of molts a T does before maturing

Yes.

Maturity can be measured in number of molts. Males generally mature in 9-11 molts depending on the species.....females also mature in a certain amount of molts. Males do have a finite number of molts, their maturing molt, known as the ultimate molt, is the ts final life molt (with extremely rare exceptions). Females however, do not have a limited number of molts and continue to molt long after they mature.

 

[Mirandarachnid]

My A. genic specific advice is about feeding. Drop the prey from high up so your tongs aren’t between the spider and it’s meal, or there will suddenly be a spider bear-hugging your tongs

 

[draconisj4]

My A. genie specific advice is about feeding. Drop the prey from high up so your tongs aren’t between the spider and it’s meal, or there will suddenly be a spider bear-hugging your tongs

This is very true,lol. Don't delay dropping in the feeder, I can't even begin to count the times my genic has rushed up the side of the enclosure at me because I was a bit too slow

 

[Andrew Clayton]

Yes.

Maturity can be measured in number of molts. Males generally mature in 9-11 molts depending on the species.....females also mature in a certain amount of molts. Males do have a finite number of molts, their maturing molt, known as the ultimate molt, is the ts final life molt (with extremely rare exceptions). Females however, do not have a limited number of molts and continue to molt long after they mature.

so I can pretty much guarantee that my tiny grammostola pulchripes is going to be female its molted 7 times in my care and still under an inch?

 

[cold blood]

so I can pretty much guarantee that my tiny grammostola pulchripes is going to be female its molted 7 times in my care and still under an inch?

That sounds impossible having raised several hundred of that species.

 

[Tiffany1195]

Well thank you all sooo much for all the advice I've made up my mind and will be getting a acanthoscurria geniculata ..I'm probably just gonna go with a juvenile instead of a sling ...so thank you guys !! I will most likely 100% be back with more questions haha

 

[Andrew Clayton]

That sounds impossible having raised several hundred of that species.

I'm beginning to think its broke lol it only put a couple of millimeters on after each moult I got it just under 1cm and now it's just over 2 cm a year and a half later

 

[cold blood]

I'm beginning to think its broke lol it only put a couple of millimeters on after each moult I got it just under 1cm and now it's just over 2 cm a year and a half later

Is it burrowed away all the time? When I did a large scale housing experiment, all the slings in over sized enclosures with deep sub hid all the time...and basically didn't grow.