B.albopilosum sling growth.

[Blonc]

Hiya everyone,

I've gottten to wondering how old my B.albopilosum mutt might be, or rather how many molts it could gone through Before getting to me. It was sold as an L2 but was about an inch in dls already. It has now molted twice for me and easily doubled in size. I'm at work now but I'll be putting some pics up of it as soon as I get home. I do keep it at 71-72 farenheit and it eats like a pig up untill premolt strikes so I'm not surprised it puts on some decent size but is really an inch of dls feasable for an L2?

 

[Ellenantula]

Can't answer accurately since all Ts are unique, but in general I consider them slow growers. I can't argue whether an inch might be accurate for dating yours -- temperature and frequent feedings may go a long way in growth.

I received my B albo as 2nd instar (like 1/4") 4 years ago -- today she is 3.5" - near 4" DSL now. I consider B albo a slow grower (my 1/4" 2nd instar G pulchripes purchased same time is one of my biggest Ts today -- bigger than my adult G rosea & adult A seemanni -- but my G pulchripes may just be a leggy male though).

I would guess my B albo hit 1" in about 6 months (after purchase!), but that growth rate seemed to slow a bit afterwards -- mine was kept warm and fed twice weekly at that time. These days she's kept more around low-mid 70sF° and fed every two weeks -- whereas originally she was in a tropical room (first 2 years) at around 80F° with more frequent feedings.

Anyway -- congrats on what I consider a truly cool T to have.

 

[Thekla]

I'm not familiar with L2 (or anything with L ). I got my B. albo right when it ate for the first time, so, iirc that would be 2nd instar (in Germany you'd say "1. Fresshaut/ 1. FH) and it was maybe 1/4". After 4 moults (s)he got to a bit over 1 inch:



So, I'd say no, if I assume correctly and L2 means 2nd instar (or even 2. FH, which would be 3rd instar). Please correct me, if I'm mistaken.

 

[Blonc]

As I've learnt L2 corresponds to that second molt. I think I might have gotten an L3 since it was further along in its development than that first pic.

 

[Blonc]

As promised! Pics! The first is just as I got it, still the best pic I managed of it so far, then a shot after the next molt and lastly one shot from after its latest molt.

I feel it was a bit too beefy and mature-looking for a second molt when I got it first.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

This was mine when I got it (presumably 2i, about 1cm DLS)


1 year and 5 months later

Brachypelma albopilosum (Nicaragua)

• The Grym Reaper
• Nov 29, 2018
• 4
• albopilosum brachypelma brachypelma albopilosum curlyhair tarantula

Freshly moulted juvenile

 

[Blonc]

Hmm... Going by those then mine could have been a third instar because that second instar of yours is less developed than mine was. I wonder if the seller mixed up the ages of that one and my GBB. That one was sold to me as a L3 which I think should be third instar but it was far smaller, I've got pics of that one in the sling appreciation thread.