Slings over juvies & adults

[BoyFromLA]

I always choose slings over juvies & adults, and if it is possible, I always go for the smallest, which is less than an inch size.

Yes, there are many cons like: it’s too fragile, there’s no guarantee for a female, it takes forever to grow, but regardless of any pros and cons out there, by getting a small sling, you get to watch it grow! This is simply the best experience possible you get to have, period.

Molt after molt, it changes it’s size, it’s color, it’s characteristic, it’s behavior. It’s just SO amazing to watch it grow day by day, week by week, month by month.

I highly recommend to get a sling whenever you get a chance to, and watch it grow!

Below photos are two of my earlier tarantulas I got as slings, then and now.

• Brachypelma hamorii



• Brachypelma baumgarteni

 

[Teal]

Well, your post is definitely a matter of opinion. Not everyone enjoys raising aninals from young ages (dogs, cats, horses, etc)... many people seek out juvenile or adult animals.

I personally enjoy getting tarantulas of any size... getting new spiders is the best possible experience, if you ask me!

 

[BoyFromLA]

Well, your post is definitely a matter of opinion.

Of course!

Not everyone enjoys raising aninals from young ages (dogs, cats, horses, etc)... many people seek out juvenile or adult animals.

Indeed!

 

[Greasylake]

I buy slings because they're cheaper than larger spiders and I have the patience to wait for them to grow. Occasionally if I find a really sweet deal on a large spider I'll buy it, but at this point I have three times as many slings as juvelines and mature spiders.

 

[Minty]

I think it's much easier to buy slings once you've been in the hobby for a while. When you first start, you want to observe the adult specimens as well as watching juveniles grow. The cheaper price is always a big bonus, too.

 

[DanBsTs]

I always choose slings over juvies & adults, and if it is possible, I always go for the smallest, which is less than an inch size.

Yes, there are many cons like: it’s too fragile, there’s no guarantee for a female, it takes forever to grow, but regardless of any pros and cons out there, by getting a small sling, you get to watch it grow! This is simply the best experience possible you get to have, period.

Molt after molt, it changes it’s size, it’s color, it’s characteristic, it’s behavior. It’s just SO amazing to watch it grow day by day, week by week, month by month.

I highly recommend to get a sling whenever you get a chance to, and watch it grow!

Below photos are two of my earlier tarantulas I got as slings, then and now.

• Brachypelma hamorii

View attachment 286642

• Brachypelma baumgarteni

View attachment 286643

Your passion is palpable. That much is clear. I have only bought one juvie (a sexed female T. plumipes). The rest I bought as slings. I don’t mind the wait. I like seeing them grow.

 

[Greasylake]

I'm going to go ahead and add that waiting for molts can be frustrating. I have shouted at a spider or two in the past something along the lines of "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A FAST GROWER WHY DONT YOU JUST MOLT."

 

[Venom1080]

I'm going to go ahead and add that waiting for molts can be frustrating. I have shouted at a spider or two in the past something along the lines of "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A FAST GROWER WHY DONT YOU JUST MOLT."

I have a 1.5" Phormictopus cancerides that hasn't molted in over a year. I'm ready to freeze it.

Slings can randomly die. Despite proper care. I buy mostly slings only because it's cheaper.

 

[nicodimus22]

I find that the frequently mentioned "slings are fragile" claim to be way overblown. Are they more fragile than adults? Yes. Do they drop dead frequently? Not unless you're doing something pretty wrong, or just have an unlucky bad molt, which can happen to any tarantula.

If you simply don't prefer them, that's fine too.

 

[Lithobius]

I pretty much only buy slings now. I'd much rather have them for longer and slings are so cheap compared to adults... With adults too you don't really know how old they are either so even getting a female means she might not live as long as you'd like.

 

[BoyFromLA]

Slings can randomly die. Despite proper care. I buy mostly slings only because it's cheaper.

Lucky me, so far 0% casualty yet.

 

[lostbrane]

I have had a changing relationship with slings. First I was like "Oh sweet! Tiny spiders!" to "I'm never getting a sling again." to "They are absolutely adorable, I need...probably 20 more." So, whilst I have had a casualty, I think I wouldn't mind getting at least a few more slings...

 

[WildSpider]

I love watching spiders grow from slings too. Actually, I like watching a lot of animals grow from babies. For some reason, they usually feel more special to me when I've raised them myself.

 

[tewebag]

I personally prefer slings also. I like watching them grow and when they are full size you feel accomplished because you managed to not kill a living creature. I like to assume parents feel the same when their children finally reach 18.

Edit: I do buy unsexed juvies but mostly when I want a male but not care if I happen to get another female. I only buy adults when they are cheap or just too cute to not buy (all of them)

 

[SonsofArachne]

I will buy either depending what T I'm looking for. If I can get a confirmed female, great, if not I try to buy at least 3 slings. This has burned me a couple time though. I bought the slings only to have a female show up for sale. And if I have extra money, well, that's why I have 3 A. purpurea slings AND a female.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

I mostly get slings due to monetary constraints but I'm patient enough to enjoy watching them grow (aside from my B. albiceps that just doesn't eat or moult or do anything other than face a different direction every few days), if I can find a good deal for a juvenile/subadult female of a species I'm after then I'll get it but I generally avoid adults as they can be expensive and you often don't know how old they are (don't really want to spend money on an AF only to have it die of old age within a couple of years).

I've had 4 sling casualties (a H. maculata that I possibly kept too dry, a Y. diversipes that failed to moult its sucking stomach and 2 C. elegans slings that escaped never to be found again).

 

[draconisj4]

I've bought mostly slings because they are so much cheaper and I enjoy watching them grow. I have had two casualties, one during a molt and one that was never quite right from the beginning. I've never bought an adult but I have gotten 3 juveniles at about 3" so I would have have some that actually looked like tarantulas instead of house spiders, lol. Two of the juveniles were confirmed female because I'm sure most of my babies will turn out male.

 

[Dovey]

I find that the frequently mentioned "slings are fragile" claim to be way overblown. Are they more fragile than adults? Yes. Do they drop dead frequently? Not unless you're doing something pretty wrong, or just have an unlucky bad molt, which can happen to any tarantula.

If you simply don't prefer them, that's fine too.

I feel like there is sort of a cutting off point for sling fragility. I have lost a couple of slings that were under half an inch, but I don't believe I've ever lost a sling larger than 1/2 inch. I just avoid the teeny tiny as a general rule. It has limited my choices a few times, but I find it better to let the breeder bring up the sling until it's a workable size for me.

That being said, I'm so stressed for room for mature spiders right now that I actually am drawn to super slow growers & dwarf species. I've come to love wee little slings in the nursery!

 

[Dovey]

I have a 1.5" Phormictopus cancerides that hasn't molted in over a year. I'm ready to freeze it.

You just wait until it gets back into the habit of molting... You won't be able to keep up with the growth! Just buy a new habitat now, cuz soon you'll have a monster!

Two of the juveniles were confirmed female because I'm sure most of my babies will turn out male.

Keep the faith! Sooner or later, girls show up....especially when you need a male!

 

[InvertAddiction]

When I first got into the hobby, I had some bad luck with slings dying, but truthfully, it's not that difficult if you know what you're doing care wise. Personally, I like buying slings because 1, price is cheap, 2, you get to watch them grow and change color and even in some cases, personalities and 3, if you get a female, that's a bonus, if you get a male, you still have a good chance of finding someone who breeds and is willing to give you a few slings out of the possible good egg sac. Although, if you happen to find a really great deal on a sexed specimen, then there's nothing wrong with jumping on it