Need Help w/ A. Breyeri Sling

[JBarbaresi]

I got this augacephalus breyeri sling from Jamie’s Tarantulas back at the beginning of October. It’s about 1” long and feeds on small to medium sized crickets pretty much weekly, never hesitated to eat since I’ve had it. About 3 months ago it’s abdomen darkened and swelled and it covered up the entrance to it’s burrow. I was positive it was going to molt. After a couple weeks of hiding it came back out, abdomen even more swollen and darkened. It’s been that way ever since and has yet to molt even once in the 6+ months I’ve had it. I have a GBB sling I got around the same time that has molted 4 times already and a m. Balfouri sling that’s molted at least twice, probably 3 times.

I just want to make sure there’s nothing wrong or anything I should be doing differently as I’ve had no previous experience with augacephalus species. Thanks in advance.

 

[Andrea82]

I've noticed the same with my A.junodi female (slightly larger than your breyeri).
She's been in premolt for three months now, swelling and darkening to a point that I'm thinking she's to pop in a few seconds. My larger A.ezendami female also takes her sweet time, despite being swollen and almost black.

@cold blood is our resident Augacephalus expert, and maybe @KezyGLA can join in as well. What are your thoughts on this guys?

 

[Nightstalker47]

Thats pre molt alright. Just be sure she has access to fresh water, only a matter of time now.

 

[JBarbaresi]

I've noticed the same with my A.junodi female (slightly larger than your breyeri).
She's been in premolt for three months now, swelling and darkening to a point that I'm thinking she's to pop in a few seconds. My larger A.ezendami female also takes her sweet time, despite being swollen and almost black.

@cold blood is our resident Augacephalus expert, and maybe @KezyGLA can join in as well. What are your thoughts on this guys?

That’s good to know you’ve seen similar with your augacephalus species. Maybe that means I have a female? That’s what I’ll keep telling myself anyways haha.

Thats pre molt alright. Just be sure she has access to fresh water, only a matter of time now.

I’ve been saying that for 3 months now lol. What are your guys’ thoughts on a light mist of the enclosure once a week to keep humidity slightly elevated during premolt?

 

[Nightstalker47]

I’ve been saying that for 3 months now lol. What are your guys’ thoughts on a light mist of the enclosure once a week to keep humidity slightly elevated during premolt?

Not necessary, these spiders do well mostly dry...you could slightly overflow the water dish but no need to mist.

 

[JBarbaresi]

Not necessary, these spiders do well mostly dry...you could slightly overflow the water dish but no need to mist.

What do you think about withholding feedings to help it along? Or should I keep offering as long as he/she keeps eating? I’ve never had a sling get stuck in premolt for this long before so not really sure what the protocol is.

 

[Nightstalker47]

What do you think about withholding feedings to help it along? Or should I keep offering as long as he/she keeps eating? I’ve never had a sling get stuck in premolt for this long before so not really sure what the protocol is.

I wouldn't bother feeding anymore, its fat and the abdomen has darkened considerably. I can see your specimen molting any day now.

 

[cold blood]

They just take their time...be patient...dont feed, just keep water available...no need to mist baboons for the most part. Keep in mind they can mature really really small....penultimate molts can be long....not saying its male, just keep an eye out for this when it molts.

 

[Andrea82]

They just take their time...be patient...dont feed, just keep water available...no need to mist baboons for the most part. Keep in mind they can mature really really small....penultimate molts can be long....not saying its male, just keep an eye out for this when it molts.

@JBarbaresi
To illustrate the size difference:

are you trying to say yours is actually still eating looking like that?

 

[cold blood]

I love that...the MM isn't even the size of a good cricket...lol.

 

[viper69]

I got this augacephalus breyeri sling from Jamie’s Tarantulas back at the beginning of October. It’s about 1” long and feeds on small to medium sized crickets pretty much weekly, never hesitated to eat since I’ve had it. About 3 months ago it’s abdomen darkened and swelled and it covered up the entrance to it’s burrow. I was positive it was going to molt. After a couple weeks of hiding it came back out, abdomen even more swollen and darkened. It’s been that way ever since and has yet to molt even once in the 6+ months I’ve had it. I have a GBB sling I got around the same time that has molted 4 times already and a m. Balfouri sling that’s molted at least twice, probably 3 times.

I just want to make sure there’s nothing wrong or anything I should be doing differently as I’ve had no previous experience with augacephalus species. Thanks in advance.

Why are you comparing the growth rates of different species as a measure of whether this sling is doing fine or not? Where's the logic/critical thinking on that?


Your concern is typical, but your comparison is not a good one and may lead one to erroneous assumptions.

Nothing to worry about, you have a FAT T.

I’ve been saying that for 3 months now lol. What are your guys’ thoughts on a light mist of the enclosure once a week to keep humidity slightly elevated during premolt?

There's no data to support the idea that increased humidity enables better molting, they aren't like reptiles, where that is true.

 

[JBarbaresi]

@JBarbaresi
To illustrate the size difference:

are you trying to say yours is actually still eating looking like that?

Yes still eating every week. It’s looked like this for about 3 months now. I wouldn’t even have posted if I didn’t think something is wrong.

Why are you comparing the growth rates of different species as a measure of whether this sling is doing fine or not? Where's the logic/critical thinking on that?


Your concern is typical, but your comparison is not a good one and may lead one to erroneous assumptions.

Nothing to worry about, you have a FAT T.

I’m not comparing per se, just making an observation. I find it odd a sling of this size hasn’t molted in over 6 months. Even my brachypelma slings I got years ago molted more often and they are extremely slow growers.

 

[viper69]

I’m not comparing per se, just making an observation. I find it odd a sling of this size hasn’t molted in over 6 months. Even my brachypelma slings I got years ago molted more often and they are extremely slow growers.

Well you are comparing it. You say a sling hasn't molted over 6 and find that odd. Well why is that?? Because you are comparing it to something else you have either owned, learned of, or read about.

If all you knew of T knowledge was your experience w/that fat sling, you'd have nothing to compare it to, you'd think things were fine, and you wouldn't have posted.

But armed with additional knowledge as you have written down in 2 posts, and whatever else you have learned, you are making a comparison, hence your post.

All things being equal, they are different species, case closed.

If you want a true comparison, ask people about growth rates for this species.

IF you do that, make sure to ask them all the variables that go into growth rates.

A simple comparison of growth rates doesn't inform the owner of much at all without knowing the variables that go into growth rates.

 

[viper69]

My day is going great! In point of fact, no one can tell you if something is wrong with your T. The helpful pictures provided by all accounts indicate your T is healthy. As I mentioned in my first post, you have a FAT T, nothing to worry about from both your description and pictures. However, they are very much black boxes with 8 legs.

 

[JBarbaresi]

My day is going great! In point of fact, no one can tell you if something is wrong with your T. The helpful pictures provided by all accounts indicate your T is healthy. As I mentioned in my first post, you have a FAT T, nothing to worry about from both your description and pictures. However, they are very much black boxes with 8 legs.

Thank you.

 

[Andrea82]

Yes still eating every week. It’s looked like this for about 3 months now. I wouldn’t even have posted if I didn’t think something is wrong.

Wow, that's insane! Haven't come across a spider that looks like a tick still eating before, let alone looking like that and eating for weeks.

 

[viper69]

Wow, that's insane! Haven't come across a spider that looks like a tick still eating before, let alone looking like that and eating for weeks.

I've had it happen before, it's really crazy.

 

[Ungoliant]

To illustrate the size difference:

That's crazy. I had no idea there were any tarantula species that demonstrated such extreme size differences between the sexes. (The most extreme size difference I've seen in spiders is Nephila clavipes. They males look like they might be slings.)

 

[Greasylake]

That's crazy. I had no idea there were any tarantula species that demonstrated such extreme size differences between the sexes. (The most extreme size difference I've seen in spiders is Nephila clavipes. They males look like they might be slings.)

I remember hearing that one of the dwarf species had an extreme size difference, but I can't remember which one. I also remember reading that someone was wondering why their sling wasn't eating after a molt, then they noticed the sling had hooks.

 

[Andrea82]

I remember hearing that one of the dwarf species had an extreme size difference, but I can't remember which one. I also remember reading that someone was wondering why their sling wasn't eating after a molt, then they noticed the sling had hooks.

Some species mature really small. I had an Ephebopus cyanognathus hook out at 7cm DLS. Totally took me by surprise! And I have an E.murinus sling that is 5,5 cm DLS which I'm expecting to hook out within one or maybe two molts. It's like a human boy of 10 skipping puberty all together and just grows straight to adulthood.