# How long does it take for slings to molt?



## bravesfan (Mar 2, 2013)

I have a A. geniculata sling about .5 and I think she is in premolt hasn't ate in about 2 weeks and runs from food she normally is a great eater.  So how long does it take for them to molt ans should I be concerned?


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## jgod790 (Mar 2, 2013)

A .5 sling should not be fed live food. Unless it is like a fruit fly sized meal. Feed it a cricket leg, or cut a small cricket in half or something like that. And I got a B. smithi sling in October, and it just molted about a month ago. My B. smithi was about a .5 when I got it as well. How ever my LP sling has been molting once a month since I got it. So I am not familiar with A. geniculata, but I guess it just depends the growth rate or the species, the temperature, and how often you feed it. It might not be eating just cause it is scared of the prey item. Try dead, or smaller food. My slings don't go two weeks with out eating before they molt, they will eat one week before they molt. So my guess is it is just scared of the food. Hope this helps, good luck.

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## bravesfan (Mar 2, 2013)

^^^ she is probably closer to an inch maybe .75 but I normally feed pinhead crickets and there hasn't never been an issue until this last week.  I'll try a dead cricket.


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## Anonymity82 (Mar 2, 2013)

You can feed a tiny spider or sling a tiny cricket, just not larger than the body length of the sling. I've done it hundreds of times but if you suspect it's in premolt definitely just do cricket parts or crushed crickets. As for the time period, does her abdomen look shrunken or plump?

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## bravesfan (Mar 3, 2013)

So I gave her a dead cricket and she took it to her burrow happy...happy...happy.  I think what happened was the last time I fed her she accidentally got a cricket that was as big as she was and she jumped right on it but I think it scared her and now she is afraid of live crickets.  it was a stupid mistake on my part but now at least I have learn

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## jgod790 (Mar 3, 2013)

bravesfan said:


> So I gave her a dead cricket and she took it to her burrow happy...happy...happy.  I think what happened was the last time I fed her she accidentally got a cricket that was as big as she was and she jumped right on it but I think it scared her and now she is afraid of live crickets.  it was a stupid mistake on my part but now at least I have learn


 Good, glad to hear it. Everyone makes mistakes. No shame in that. As long as you learn from them.


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## Anonymity82 (Mar 3, 2013)

bravesfan said:


> So I gave her a dead cricket and she took it to her burrow happy...happy...happy.  I think what happened was the last time I fed her she accidentally got a cricket that was as big as she was and she jumped right on it but I think it scared her and now she is afraid of live crickets.  it was a stupid mistake on my part but now at least I have learn


I've seen slings viciously take down prey as big as they are and I've seen others afraid of prey half their size. I guess it just depends. I've also noticed that some of my spiders and scorps will wait for the lights to turn off before they viciously attack.

Glad to hear she's eating!


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## bravesfan (Mar 5, 2013)

She just molted I'm so happy.  Are slings almost translucent right after molt and how long does that last.  I haven't opened her container because I don't want to stress her but she looks clear.

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## poisoned (Mar 6, 2013)

njnolan1 said:


> I've seen slings viciously take down prey as big as they are and I've seen others afraid of prey half their size. I guess it just depends. I've also noticed that some of my spiders and scorps will wait for the lights to turn off before they viciously attack.
> 
> Glad to hear she's eating!


And that changes with time. I have slings that were voracious eaters and are now afraid of everything. Others were scared of everything, but now take down big prey.


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## Zeezums (Mar 6, 2013)

bravesfan said:


> She just molted I'm so happy.  Are slings almost translucent right after molt and how long does that last.  I haven't opened her container because I don't want to stress her but she looks clear.


Yes almost clear and very gooey! Not stressing it out is an EXCELLENT idea as well! It should harden up fairly quickly since its still a sling but leave it alone for AT LEAST two days. Don't feed for about a week or so! Congrats on your growing T!


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## Stan Schultz (Mar 6, 2013)

Zeezums said:


> Yes almost clear and very gooey! Not stressing it out is an EXCELLENT idea as well! It should harden up fairly quickly since its still a sling but leave it alone for AT LEAST two days. Don't feed for about a week or so! Congrats on your growing T!


*GO A-WAY! LEAVE IT A-LONE!* Wait at least a week or ten days before doing anything with it. It's not going to starve, and it's much safer that way.


Enjoy your little 8-legged bundle of joy!


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