# brachypelma smithi sling care



## WarAdmiral1937 (Sep 15, 2011)

Decided to get a b smithi sling never had a sling before what are some basic care tips/requirements?  Thanks


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## kanito107 (Sep 15, 2011)

pretty much just make sure you kep half of its enclosure wet so it has water, just put a few water drops every week, thats what i do, and feed it every week preekilled krickets or roaches, and if it doesnt eat then its probably in premolt, my smithi just molted so ill drop food in this weekend, make sure that its well ventilated and the holes arent too big for the sling to get out, i would use a needle or a very small screwdriver.
if i missed anything im sure someone will chime in, and enjoy the sling


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## mickey66 (Sep 15, 2011)

i give'em live food if not small pull the legs off the crickets. I mist the walls of the tank AND offer a small bottle cap of water. I use a small pill vile for its hide. Its fun to watch these spiders grow up.


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## jhalla16 (Sep 16, 2011)

mickey66 said:


> i give'em live food if not small pull the legs off the crickets. I mist the walls of the tank AND offer a small bottle cap of water. I use a small pill vile for its hide. Its fun to watch these spiders grow up.


it takes forever to watch them grow up, hahaha

Reactions: Thanks 1


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## killy (Sep 17, 2011)

WarAdmiral1937 said:


> Decided to get a b smithi sling never had a sling before what are some basic care tips/requirements?  Thanks


+1 to all of above (although mine is growing pretty fast ...) - 

Also, be VERY careful to keep the lid on, smithis are notorious escape artists!

Reactions: Funny 1


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## jhalla16 (Sep 17, 2011)

killy said:


> +1 to all of above (although mine is growing pretty fast ...) -
> 
> Also, be VERY careful to keep the lid on, smithis are notorious escape artists!


at 4 months, mine's at an inch long... my G pulchripes which is younger than my Smithi is at around 2 inches long lol


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## MrsBevyChurch (Feb 3, 2016)

I also have just purchased my first sling...a B.Smithi. In addition to the basic care tips; I'd like to ask what are some things to watch out for? More so in regards to general health and appearance...anything particular?


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## cold blood (Feb 4, 2016)

@MrsBevyChurch, not really, just watch the rump, as it blackens it means it is nearing molt...then it will get shiny, along with possible lethargic behavior....this means a molt is on the horizon.   Once it blackens, it will likely refuse food until it molts, do not worry even if it doesn't eat for a month or even more.  Just keep it warm, and feed it well and keep an area of the sub moist and if the enclosure permits, a water dish.     After molting it will be much lighter in color and skinny.  Wait a good week for its exoskeleton to harden and begin the feeding process again.  Once it gets bigger you will be able to look at the fangs, after molting they are white, as they harden they become red, once they are hardened, they will be black.  Never feed until the fangs are black.   For a sling, a week is plenty of time, if its really small, it may only need a few days, but waiting a week is a good idea just to be sure.

How big is the sling?

So you're from Dryden huh?   What's your biggest musky?   I love that lake in your back yard!!  You do realize you live in paradise, eh?

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## MrsBevyChurch (Feb 4, 2016)

My little "jellybean" as its been aptly named...is 3/4". And it's abdomen is looking fairly dark. So I will keep an eye on it indefinitely. Thanks for the info; very helpful.

Which lake are you referring to?! There are plenty! And yes I know exactly where I live. It's exactly why my hubby and I left the city to move back to our home town. Missed being outside all the time.


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## cold blood (Feb 4, 2016)

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## cold blood (Feb 4, 2016)

MrsBevyChurch said:


> Which lake are you referring to?! There are plenty!


I was referring to the big one, Eagle, the launch is right in town...but yeah, I'm in WI, there are a ton of lakes around everywhere here as well.   One of the biggest musky I have ever seen was just off that boat launch...60 pound class fish....ridiculous.  Rose another that size in portage bay and another in Mckenzie bay.


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## MrsBevyChurch (Feb 4, 2016)

It's a very large lake. And yes there are a lot of large musky in that lake. They actually had Jeremy Wade from "River Monsters" film a show on Eagle Lake.

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## PurplePanther (Nov 26, 2016)

killy said:


> +1 to all of above (although mine is growing pretty fast ...) -
> 
> Also, be VERY careful to keep the lid on, smithis are notorious escape artists!


Got my first Ts 7 days ago, 1 is a B. Smithi sling.
Hasn't eaten, abdomen gone black so I'm suspecting he is in pre-molt ?
He spent 6 days hiding under his leaf, now he sits right under the lid, as if waiting to escape ?

Reactions: Like 1


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## TarantulaObsession (Nov 26, 2016)

HappyHunny said:


> Got my first Ts 7 days ago, 1 is a B. Smithi sling.
> Hasn't eaten, abdomen gone black so I'm suspecting he is in pre-molt ?
> He spent 6 days hiding under his leaf, now he sits right under the lid, as if waiting to escape ?


Dulling of colors or blackening of the abdomen is a fool proof way to tell it's in premolt (if it has a bald patch or doesn't have much hair yet). 
I'm not sure what the second question is but as killy said, they're notorious escape artists!  Keep an eye on your little guy.


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## PurplePanther (Nov 26, 2016)

AlanaEaton said:


> Dulling of colors or blackening of the abdomen is a fool proof way to tell it's in premolt (if it has a bald patch or doesn't have much hair yet).
> I'm not sure what the second question is but as killy said, they're notorious escape artists!  Keep an eye on your little guy.


....so I hope Baby (its having that name until it's sexed) molts soon, it will be my first ever, and of course it would be a fantastic thing to witness.  He is bald bless him.  
The other ? is me needing ideas / reassurance really.  I never thought I'd be concerned about something that sounds so trivial.
Baby spent 6 days and nights sitting behind his orange maple leaf.  Now he is right up by the lid opening and won't move, apart from on me when I took the lid off.  What a weird feeling having a baby T on your hand for the first time, WoW !  Do you think his change could mean he has worked out that's the exit, or am I just a new owner flapping


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## cold blood (Nov 26, 2016)

It doesn't have the brainpower to work anything out...in fact, it doesn't even have a brain, but rather a cluster of nerves, referred to as ganglion.   They're reactive, instinctive creatures.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Sad 1


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## Olan (Nov 26, 2016)

My B. smithi gets more restless during premolt. Paces around and climbs up to the lid. Once it's in heavy premolt it just sits in one place for a week.

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## Andrea82 (Nov 27, 2016)

Olan said:


> My B. smithi gets more restless during premolt. Paces around and climbs up to the lid. Once it's in heavy premolt it just sits in one place for a week.


Same here, and is scratching her behind continuously on top of that. Little pile of u-hairs here, little pile of u-hairs there....the girl sure knows how to create her defense lines


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## TarantulaObsession (Nov 27, 2016)

Andrea82 said:


> Same here, and is scratching her behind continuously on top of that. Little pile of u-hairs here, little pile of u-hairs there....the girl sure knows how to create her defense lines


Man, that's my female B. smithi all the time! I swear, I can't even look at her without her kicking!


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## Andrea82 (Nov 27, 2016)

AlanaEaton said:


> Man, that's my female B. smithi all the time! I swear, I can't even look at her without her kicking!


They can be nervous little critters. But she also uses it to set up a defense perimeter around her molting mat, which apparently is her entire enclosure


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## Anitcolor (Jan 13, 2017)

Hello, i just bought my first sling, it made a big tunel in the substrat and whould not come at the surface, sometimes i can see its abdomen and its pretty pale, what should i do? Im afraid its something that she doesnt like, i have her for  almost 2 weeks and she hasnt come up so i can feed her.

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## ledzeppelin (Jan 13, 2017)

@Anitcolor That's completely normal behaviour. Use water bottle cap for a waterdish, about once a week slightly overflow it, and prekill the prey of appropriate size by crushing it's head and leave it in the enclosure for the T to find it. If it remains there after 24  hours, remove it an try in a day or two. When the abdomen reaches a nice swollen black colour all around, this is its time to molt. Having a burrow, it will most likely barricade itself in the burrow but don't panic. Just keep the bottle cap nice and filled, substrate around the cap slightly moist, and wait for it to appear in the new suit


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## Anitcolor (Jan 13, 2017)

Thank you, she has barricated her self.one last question, how much substrate does it need and if i have to put her in a more deeper enclosure when is the time to move her with minimal stress?


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## ledzeppelin (Jan 14, 2017)

Anitcolor said:


> Thank you, she has barricated her self.one last question, how much substrate does it need and if i have to put her in a more deeper enclosure when is the time to move her with minimal stress?


About 2" would be sufficient with a tiny sling. Well, there is really no rule of thumb for moving Ts. The only thing really, is that you want to avoid moving it when it is in premolt, or freshly post-molt.


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## Anitcolor (Jan 24, 2017)

thank you so much for being kind and polite. Today i put a mealworm ( i squished its head but moved  slowly 2-3 times) and it disappeared, after a few hours the tarantula came outside its borrow but all her body had a dark color.After some time i went to check on it and i saw in her fangs ( mouth region i guess) a piece of the mealworm i gave her earlier, she was nibbling on it . Is she in pre molt? And is the mealworm stuck to her? Today i just decided to put food not knowing what state the tarantula is in and im afraid a did very bad


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## Andrea82 (Jan 24, 2017)

Anitcolor said:


> thank you so much for being kind and polite. Today i put a mealworm ( i squished its head but moved  slowly 2-3 times) and it disappeared, after a few hours the tarantula came outside its borrow but all her body had a dark color.After some time i went to check on it and i saw in her fangs ( mouth region i guess) a piece of the mealworm i gave her earlier, she was nibbling on it . Is she in pre molt? And is the mealworm stuck to her? Today i just decided to put food not knowing what state the tarantula is in and im afraid a did very bad


T's in premolt don't eat normally. But it being a sling could mean it will molt tomorrow when fed today.Don't worry, if it is taking food, it's alright. It's when the slider refuses food and leaving live prey in with it that is not wise.


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## Anitcolor (Jan 24, 2017)

Thank you !

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## Debbie Mcclure (Oct 8, 2017)

I am so glad I found this forum. I can relax a little bit now. I just received my very first 1/2 in B. Smithi Thurs morning and she absolutely refuses to eat anything dead or alive. I've tried both, lol. I've watched a lot of videos, read up on them b4 I ever purchased one. But jus like a new mother, I was soooo unprepared for my new baby whom I have loving named Isabelle. Hoping she's the female I requested. . But I thot I was already killing her but after reading this forum, I now know she's in premolt. Her abdomen is completely black now,  no hair at all. I thank God for all you experienced people that can help us newbies out. I just thank God she isn't dying.

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## Ungoliant (Oct 9, 2017)

Debbie Mcclure said:


> Her abdomen is completely black now,  no hair at all.


She should molt any time now. Just keep her water dish full in case she gets thirsty.


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## darkness975 (Oct 9, 2017)

Debbie Mcclure said:


> I just received my very first 1/2 in B. Smithi Thurs


Probably a _Brachypelma hamorii,  _not _Brachypelma smithi.  _The species was reclassified recently.


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## Debbie Mcclure (Oct 9, 2017)

Ungoliant said:


> She should molt any time now. Just keep her water dish full in case she gets thirsty.


I had been jus keeping a little piece of cotton in with her and keeping one side of the enclosure moist and she was staying on that side. I put her a small water dish wit a rock in it and she stays close to it. She has started to eat a little. I tried to give her a super worm last night and she ran all around her enclosure to get away from it. She wouldn't touch it, seemed afraid of it. I cut it into smaller pieces and checked on her later and she was chowing down. Tysm for your help


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