When will my slings mature?

[dinodude]

Hello! I wanted to know, is there a chart or something that can actually show me how large will my slings get per month or per-molt?

How will they look like when they are 1 year old? When will they start to show their colors? I want to know the estimated size for b. emilias and gbb slings when in 6 months, 1 year and so on. Where can I find this stuff? Thanks in advance!

 

[Minty]

A variety of environmental and other factors influence how much size a sling puts on, moult by moult. There is no set measurement for how big a particular tarantula will get.

Brachypelma species tend to be slow growers and don't look to put much size on after a moult, whereas Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens is a fast grower and mine put on a couple of centimetres DLS, after a moult. They tend to grow faster based on hotter temperatures and how much food they've had. So the more you feed them, the quicker they'll grow. Trying to predict how much size a tarantula will be after x amount of time, isn't possible.

 

[dinodude]

What I mean is: Will it be 10cm in one year from now? Its 2cm now. Or will it be 4cm? Or 20cm? I know this is relative, but they are growing in a similar way that all slings grow. I keep them at 25-27 degrees all the time and feed them quite often. I've only seen them as adults and slings, not the "in-between" sizes.

 

[Paul1126]

What I mean is: Will it be 10cm in one year from now? Its 2cm now. Or will it be 4cm? Or 20cm? I know this is relative, but they are growing in a similar way that all slings grow. I keep them at 25-27 degrees all the time and feed them quite often. I've only seen them as adults and slings, not the "in-between" sizes.

Your B emilia will not be 10cm after one year try 4+ years

 

[dinodude]

That's what I wanted to know, an approximate size during the years. So basically it gains like 2-3 cm per year? What about my gbb?

 

[Paul1126]

That's what I wanted to know, an approximate size during the years. So basically it gains like 2-3 cm per year? What about my gbb?

Like someone said it all depends, but red leg brachys are painfully slow growers.
GBB will put size on fast but not 10cm in one year fast.

 

[EulersK]

What I mean is: Will it be 10cm in one year from now? Its 2cm now. Or will it be 4cm? Or 20cm? I know this is relative, but they are growing in a similar way that all slings grow. I keep them at 25-27 degrees all the time and feed them quite often. I've only seen them as adults and slings, not the "in-between" sizes.

Yeah, he answered your question. The growth rates vary so wildly that such data would be meaningless. The concept that "they are growing in a similar way that all slings grow" is false. Mammals have a very predictable growth rate despite food and environmental conditions. Most arthropods don't have this quirk of evolution - they simply grow when they've got the resources to do so. They can go incredible amounts of time without food or water, and they will largely cease to grow during that time. In the tarantula world, the best you're going to get is "slow, medium, or fast" growers. The likes of C. cyaneopubescens are fast growers, while G. rosea are slow growers. Anyone who gives you hard numbers like "3cm per year" is frankly full of it.

 

[Thekla]

@BoyFromLA started a nice picture thread to show off your Ts and their growth (or lack thereof) in a certain time span: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/then-now.315111/

 

[dinodude]

I get what you're saying and Im thankful for the help. And to give some clarification to my question let me put it this way: Is there a way to have a sling that is 24 months old the same size as if it was 2 months old? I think that this cannot happen, so basically we're assuming that I raise my slings under "good conditions" (that means humidity and temperatures are good) and we also assume that they eat as soon as they want food. How does a gbb look like when its 1 year old, and how a B. Emilia when its also 1 year old? When will they reach an approximate "maximum size"?

I obviously dont demand specifics but what is the closest you guys can answer my question?

@BoyFromLA started a nice picture thread to show off your Ts and their growth (or lack thereof) in a certain time span: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/then-now.315111/

That's actually quite helpful, since I can see that after a year most Ts look quite bigger. Thank you!

 

[cold blood]

10 people could all keep siblings of the same t and all could have widely varied growth rates, and all could be keeping them properly.

Temps play a role, food plays a role, and then theres just some that grow fast and others that are runts and grow slow no matter what you would do.

This is an unanswerable question you are asking...just be patient.

That's actually quite helpful, since I can see that after a year m

but your growth rates could easily be very different.

 

[Teal]

I get what you're saying and Im thankful for the help. And to give some clarification to my question let me put it this way: Is there a way to have a sling that is 24 months old the same size as if it was 2 months old? I think that this cannot happen, so basically we're assuming that I raise my slings under "good conditions" (that means humidity and temperatures are good) and we also assume that they eat as soon as they want food. How does a gbb look like when its 1 year old, and how a B. Emilia when its also 1 year old? When will they reach an approximate "maximum size"?

I obviously dont demand specifics but what is the closest you guys can answer my question?

Unless you know the exact dates your Ts hatched, time is meaningless. The age of a spider is not something that is used as a measurement... life stages - sling, juvie, sub-adult, and adult - and DLS (diagonal leg span) are the measurements commonly used to describe where a T is at in its life. I have slings that I have had for several years who are .5-.75" whereas I have had other spiders mature in that time.

Slings from the same sac kept in the exact same conditions do not even grow at equal rates... I have sacmates (that I hatched and have carefully kept track of) that vary in size from .75" to 2" despite conditions (enclosure, feeding, temperature, etc) being identical.

So, while people can answer your question with their own experiences, there is simply NOT a definitive answer.

 

[EulersK]

Is there a way to have a sling that is 24 months old the same size as if it was 2 months old? I think that this cannot happen

Nothing quite that severe, but huge size differences do happen based on both genetics and care. Here's a great example. Below I've pictured two P. cancerides. Both are confirmed female, and they are sac mates (i.e. siblings, exactly the same age). Notice anything striking? The bigger one was taken care of by me, and the other was taken care of by my girlfriend who wanted to try the hobby out for herself. I keep mine in a 24/7 heated room and I feed regularly. She keeps hers on her desk at work (in a cold office), and it eats every 2-3 weeks.

.....

How does a gbb look like when its 1 year old, and how a B. Emilia when its also 1 year old? When will they reach an approximate "maximum size"?

You could have a fairly large juvie C. cyaneopubescens at 1 year, and you'd be extremely lucky if your B. emilia is even half the size of that C. cyaneopubescens during the same timeframe. Note how I'm not giving you measurements, because a dozen people will have a dozen different answers for you. And again, you won't get a straight answer when you're asking for a timeframe on maximum size. Even if someone does give you numbers, they are worthless to you. You could literally be living in the same room as them, and their numbers should still be taken with a grain of salt.

I'm sure you think we're just being difficult or acting elitist. I promise you that we are not. The question you're asking simply does not have an answer. The best you're going to get is what I said before - slow, medium, or fast growers. C. cyaneopubescens is a very fast grower, and B. emilia is a slow grower.

 

[dinodude]

Nothing quite that severe, but huge size differences do happen based on both genetics and care. Here's a great example. Below I've pictured two P. cancerides. Both are confirmed female, and they are sac mates (i.e. siblings, exactly the same age). Notice anything striking? The bigger one was taken care of by me, and the other was taken care of by my girlfriend who wanted to try the hobby out for herself. I keep mine in a 24/7 heated room and I feed regularly. She keeps hers on her desk at work (in a cold office), and it eats every 2-3 weeks.

View attachment 302707 ..... View attachment 302708



You could have a fairly large juvie C. cyaneopubescens at 1 year, and you'd be extremely lucky if your B. emilia is even half the size of that C. cyaneopubescens during the same timeframe. Note how I'm not giving you measurements, because a dozen people will have a dozen different answers for you. And again, you won't get a straight answer when you're asking for a timeframe on maximum size. Even if someone does give you numbers, they are worthless to you. You could literally be living in the same room as them, and their numbers should still be taken with a grain of salt.

I'm sure you think we're just being difficult or acting elitist. I promise you that we are not. The question you're asking simply does not have an answer. The best you're going to get is what I said before - slow, medium, or fast growers. C. cyaneopubescens is a very fast grower, and B. emilia is a slow grower.

No no I dont think that you're acting elitist, I completely understand your points. There are too many factors that one must consider in order to actually predict the size and I'm ok with it now that I get what you're saying. Also the reason I bought the GBB sling is to keep me occupied because I know the brachys are slow-growers. I have way more experience with reptiles since I've been keeping chameleons, bearded dragons, iguanas and pythons for well over 10 years now, and since they are more "interactable" pets than Ts I get impatient to some degree. But cool, this is a truly awesome waiting game and I guess you get happier every time you notice the new colors that appear in every molt. But anyway..

 

[EulersK]

But cool, this is a truly awesome waiting game and I guess you get happier every time you notice the new colors that appear in every molt.

Especially with the C. cyaneopubescens. I actually can't think of another species that goes through as many color/pattern changes as these guys. And it helps that they grow so quickly, so you get to see all of them within a short amount of time.

 

[viper69]

is there a chart or something that can actually show me how large will my slings get per month or per-molt?

No

Where can I find this stuff?

You can't


Growth rates determined by many variables. Yours may mature faster than others etc.

 

[Phia]

GBB are wild! The other day I saw one half the size of my largest sub adult and it had full blown adult coloration. Male, perhaps? Who knows! Lol.

Brachypelma are painfully slow growers. Feels like my B. hamorii molts once a year. She's 1 1/2" now ... and almost three years old, lol.

 

[dinodude]

My GBB sling arrived 40 days ago, and molted once since then. When it arrived was kinda smaller than my b. emilia but now it looks 50% bigger. Also they web up every night and its cool to see some new webbing every morning.

 

[Olan]

Nothing quite that severe, but huge size differences do happen based on both genetics and care. Here's a great example. Below I've pictured two P. cancerides. Both are confirmed female, and they are sac mates (i.e. siblings, exactly the same age). Notice anything striking? The bigger one was taken care of by me, and the other was taken care of by my girlfriend who wanted to try the hobby out for herself. I keep mine in a 24/7 heated room and I feed regularly. She keeps hers on her desk at work (in a cold office), and it eats every 2-3 weeks.

View attachment 302707 ..... View attachment 302708



You could have a fairly large juvie C. cyaneopubescens at 1 year, and you'd be extremely lucky if your B. emilia is even half the size of that C. cyaneopubescens during the same timeframe. Note how I'm not giving you measurements, because a dozen people will have a dozen different answers for you. And again, you won't get a straight answer when you're asking for a timeframe on maximum size. Even if someone does give you numbers, they are worthless to you. You could literally be living in the same room as them, and their numbers should still be taken with a grain of salt.

I'm sure you think we're just being difficult or acting elitist. I promise you that we are not. The question you're asking simply does not have an answer. The best you're going to get is what I said before - slow, medium, or fast growers. C. cyaneopubescens is a very fast grower, and B. emilia is a slow grower.

It is clear who the better tarantula keeper is