B. Smithi sling about to molt? But showing weird symptoms...

dRrosenber

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
32
Remember you need to feed your crickets with good quality food. A colony of Blaptica dubia is very good to have.
Usually I just buy 2 crickets and give them to my t's (as I only have 2 t's) :)
I don't usually leave them (crickets) to sit around long enough to have a meal of their own.

But that being say, is a diet of just crickets enough for slings?
(since I cannot get anything else other than worms)
 

Motorkar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
468
You can see if spider is fat when it's abdomen is twice as big as its carpeace. You can see it clearly thats fat. And they don't need to be fat to molt, thats only one of the conditions that determins when spider will molt. The more you feed it, the better temperature it has, the faster will grow/molt. Lower temperatures, longer times between feedings will take them longer to molt. Its up to you what you like. I advice against powerfeeding but thats just my advice, its up to you to decide. ;)

To anwser your other question, when spider is starving. You can see it from the abdomen when its wrinkled inside a bit.

Here's another tip: how do you know if spider has enough moistiure? When spiders abdomen is very high above the substrate means that its too moist, if the spider drags abdomen on the ground means its too dry. The right amount of moisture is when soider has abdomen just a little above the ground.
 

dRrosenber

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
32
You can see if spider is fat when it's abdomen is twice as big as its carpeace. You can see it clearly thats fat. And they don't need to be fat to molt, thats only one of the conditions that determins when spider will molt. The more you feed it, the better temperature it has, the faster will grow/molt. Lower temperatures, longer times between feedings will take them longer to molt. Its up to you what you like. I advice against powerfeeding but thats just my advice, its up to you to decide. ;)

To anwser your other question, when spider is starving. You can see it from the abdomen when its wrinkled inside a bit.

Here's another tip: how do you know if spider has enough moistiure? When spiders abdomen is very high above the substrate means that its too moist, if the spider drags abdomen on the ground means its too dry. The right amount of moisture is when soider has abdomen just a little above the ground.
Awesome Tip!

Is there any way you can determine if a t. sling is healthy?
So far both of mine have entrenched themselves in burrows and don't look like they are going anywhere anytime soon.

what about molting? Would they molt inside a burrow, or come up to the surface? And what if the burrow collapses?
 

nicolevins

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 10, 2010
Messages
37
Awesome Tip!

Is there any way you can determine if a t. sling is healthy?
So far both of mine have entrenched themselves in burrows and don't look like they are going anywhere anytime soon.

what about molting? Would they molt inside a burrow, or come up to the surface? And what if the burrow collapses?
A T is healthy if it has a plump, non-shriveled abdomen.

If they have closed themselves into the burrow, they will probably molt in there. It could also come out of the burrow for more room though.
Tarantulas are much smarter than we give them credit for - they know what they're doing :)

I'm a newbie to the hobby myself.
 

dRrosenber

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
32
So, 11 days have passed since my b. smithi ate.
It doesn't look like the abdomen is getting any darker, and the tarantula is 'relatively' active (will move fast when poked with a fine paintbrush).

It is probably fasting, however do slings fast?
 

Motorkar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
468
Gosh don't poke the poor thing, leave it alone. Spiders abdomen normarly darkens about few days to maximum a week before molting. Spider normaly stops eating about 3 weeks before molting. Also when it becomes really pet rock and it is really not active(normally just turns around that means the molt is coming. Try not to be so impatiant. I know how it is when you awaiting the first molting but you will have to learn patience, especially with B. smithi. :)
 

Falk

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
May 28, 2009
Messages
679
Gosh don't poke the poor thing, leave it alone. Spiders abdomen normarly darkens about few days to maximum a week before molting. Spider normaly stops eating about 3 weeks before molting. Also when it becomes really pet rock and it is really not active(normally just turns around that means the molt is coming. Try not to be so impatiant. I know how it is when you awaiting the first molting but you will have to learn patience, especially with B. smithi. :)
Big spiders can be dark for weeks
 

Xian

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
342
Here's another tip: how do you know if spider has enough moistiure? When spiders abdomen is very high above the substrate means that its too moist, if the spider drags abdomen on the ground means its too dry. The right amount of moisture is when soider has abdomen just a little above the ground.
Hey Mortorkar, where did you come up with this 'tip'? Can you site a source?
:)
 

dRrosenber

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
32
An update!
After finding some sort of beetle at my cottage, I have given it to the 'b. smithi'
and after 12 days, it ate!

Are t's allowed to eat any sort of bugs (as long as they are chemical free - i.e. pesticides, herbicides, etc.)?

What if I were to give it a wasp, or anoher Hypenoptera species? (obviously with the stinger removed), would it eat that?
How about the big ants, it I removed their heads (so they don't bite)?
 

Musicwolf

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 2, 2010
Messages
283
An update!
After finding some sort of beetle at my cottage, I have given it to the 'b. smithi'
and after 12 days, it ate!

Are t's allowed to eat any sort of bugs (as long as they are chemical free - i.e. pesticides, herbicides, etc.)?

What if I were to give it a wasp, or anoher Hypenoptera species? (obviously with the stinger removed), would it eat that?
How about the big ants, it I removed their heads (so they don't bite)?
Answer is yes . . . . they will eat almost anything. However, I'll stick with the common roaches and crickets that most feed. Wild-caught prey can't ever be assured of being pesticide free, and I wouldn't want to take the chance with my Ts.
 

dRrosenber

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
32
Thankfully Ontario has banned the use of pesticides, so atleast I have some trust that the bugs I caught far outside the grasps of civilization have not been infected with them :p
 

Musicwolf

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 2, 2010
Messages
283
Thankfully Ontario has banned the use of pesticides, so atleast I have some trust that the bugs I caught far outside the grasps of civilization have not been infected with them :p
Now THAT's interesting . . . +1 for Ontario - lol.
 

Motorkar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Aug 16, 2009
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Hey Mortorkar, where did you come up with this 'tip'? Can you site a source?
:)
Pure observation and also few friends who have spiders confirmed that too. I never use hydrometer in my tanks, I always relying on the substrate and the spider!
 

dRrosenber

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
32
Newest update...
16 days have passed since I have gotten my b. smithi, however they show no signs of a premolt whatsoever.
Tarantulas Canada said that they have not molted in their care yet....
Being only 1/2", they should still show signs of premolting (black abdomen, refusal of food, etc), however it has not shown any yet. How long does a premolt for a 1/2" b. smithi sling last for? Also, I read that they should molt once every month at that size, is that correct?

Thanks!
 

Falk

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
May 28, 2009
Messages
679
Newest update...
16 days have passed since I have gotten my b. smithi, however they show no signs of a premolt whatsoever.
Tarantulas Canada said that they have not molted in their care yet....
Being only 1/2", they should still show signs of premolting (black abdomen, refusal of food, etc), however it has not shown any yet. How long does a premolt for a 1/2" b. smithi sling last for? Also, I read that they should molt once every month at that size, is that correct?

Thanks!
Be patient, there is no rule saying they molt every month.
Still eating?
 

Midknight xrs

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
May 25, 2010
Messages
132
Newest update...
16 days have passed since I have gotten my b. smithi, however they show no signs of a premolt whatsoever.
Tarantulas Canada said that they have not molted in their care yet....
Being only 1/2", they should still show signs of premolting (black abdomen, refusal of food, etc), however it has not shown any yet. How long does a premolt for a 1/2" b. smithi sling last for? Also, I read that they should molt once every month at that size, is that correct?

Thanks!
You should really read at the minimum "The Tarantula Keepers Guide," where it states that the tarantula is in a constant state of molt. how much substrate do you have for the spider? is it in a small container or a large one? has it burrowed yet or is it on top of the substrate. Mine have 2 inches of substrate, has burrowed and closed off it's burrow a good 11 days ago. I don't expect it to molt for probably another 10-15 days from now. It doesn't turn black over night, and as they get bigger, they have more and more to prepare for. If this is your only spider, get about 3 more. itherwise you will be constantly waiting and bored.
 

dRrosenber

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
32
well I do have a b. albopilosum...
In any case, I have about 1" of soil, however my T seems to have no interest in burrowing. It prefers to sit on top.
For size, I have a baby food jar.
About food, it ate this Monday (4 days ago).
 

Ictinike

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
460
Patience! Patience! Patience!

:)

One thing about T's you must learn is they will do their thing when they want to and not on your clock or schedule. Sure over time you'll get better at the tell-tale signs of pre-molt and I'm typically now (almost 1 year) exact to the day or few days when one of my T's will molt. This is because I keep records of all feedings, molting and maintanence done to the spider and after time these records show patterns.

If anything, to learn a bit more patience, start a good journal or record keeping endeavor of the spider(s) and log events such as stated above to help pass some of the time.

I believe most will state this is why they have many T's because just 1 or 2 are such "watch only" pets most of the time you need others to help fill in the gaps so at any one time something is doing something at some time :)

Patience and let it do it's thing. Keep a regular feeding/watering schedule and don't mess too much and you'll find things happen!
 

LadySharon

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 27, 2006
Messages
201
Thankfully Ontario has banned the use of pesticides, so atleast I have some trust that the bugs I caught far outside the grasps of civilization have not been infected with them :p
I second the interesting part - but wild caught prey also could have unknown PARASITES that the T - not being from where you and the bug lives - would not have encoutered. And thouse parasites can infect your T. (not that store bought, captive bred prey items are 100% free of parasites - but they are more likely to be)

- Sharon
 
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