Tips on Caring for injured sling

[Taysha]

My cousin sent over her N. Chromotus sling last night. She got it a little over a week ago and the little thing isnt in good shape. She sent her over because she thought two legs were missing. However the little thing isnt that lucky. She is missing three legs and a pedi-palp. She is only about .5. I squished a little pin head which she ate right down but Im still worried about the little thing. Is there anything I can do to increase her chances of survival?

 

[catfishrod69]

Best things you can do is keep her warm (around 80-82), keep the substrate moist, and make sure to keep prekilling her prey. She should be just fine. After a couple molts, her legs and palp will most likely be full again. Good luck with the little critter.

 

[Taysha]

thank you How will a higher temperature effect her? Does that lesen the time between molts?

 

[catfishrod69]

Yes, it will up her metabolism, allowing her to be hungrier, and molt more often. This will get her throught those tough young stages.

 

[Taysha]

Thats what I figured, also what would be the saefest way for me to heat her enclosure? Shes tiny and in a little vial .

 

[catfishrod69]

Do you have a small electric heater, oil filled heater, something similar? You can keep her in a heated room. If not, maybe a closet that stays warm. Or a frigerator thats putting out heat.

 

[Taysha]

Where she stays is about 75 but that is about as warm as anywhere in my house gets. :/

 

[catfishrod69]

That will be fine. She will just take a little longer to molt. But im sure she will be molting some new legs and a palp before long. A long time ago i had a slings lose two legs while molting in transit to me, and its very next molt it grew them back in full, but they were a hair skinnier. Cant even remember which one it was, and if its still with me.

 

[Tweak]

From what I've seen, injured spiders tend to molt sooner than they would otherwise on top of the fact that it should be molting relatively quickly at that small of a size. Once it goes through a molt it should show alot of improvement. Good luck I hope all goes well

 

[Taysha]

Tahnk you guys! I just checked on her. She seemes to have perked up quite a bit. Im very excited. I think she'll be good!

 

[dianemarie]

Ty all for the answers my a.avic sling was injured this morning when I can't believe I dropped her enclosure. It opened up and she was nowhere to be seen. But, as I am used to looking for dropped contact lenses, I luckily found her, but she lost a leg in the process, been very upset with myself . Hope it regenerates when she molts feel like a horrible person