Can anyone "ballpark" me an age?

[19Narwhal90]

I got her in May, she was around 2.5 inches.. she just molted and the molt is 3 inches long (from toe to toe) the shop where I got her wasn't able to help me with an age.. and I have absolutely no idea how to determine an age range
This is my first tarantula

She is an Antilles Pink Toe, Caribena Versicolor.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

The size of a growing tarantula depends on temperature and feeding schedule as much as age, so it's hard to give an accurate estimate of age. I'd guess she's less than 2 years old.

If you're curious about its age because you're wondering how long it has to live or how long it will take to mature/reach full size, it will probably be the same for a specimen of that size in whatever temperature/feeding conditions you keep her in. Feeding her more and keeping her warmer will speed growth but reduce lifespan in the long run since you're skipping some of the time spent as a juvenile and encouraging her to molt more often, while keeping her cooler and feeding her less will do the opposite.

 

[cold blood]

With tarantulas, size is far more important than age as this is what indicates where it is in its life's growth. Growth rates are incredibly variable.

 

[19Narwhal90]

The size of a growing tarantula depends on temperature and feeding schedule as much as age, so it's hard to give an accurate estimate of age. I'd guess she's less than 2 years old.

If you're curious about its age because you're wondering how long it has to live or how long it will take to mature/reach full size, it will probably be the same for a specimen of that size in whatever temperature/feeding conditions you keep her in. Feeding her more and keeping her warmer will speed growth but reduce lifespan in the long run since you're skipping some of the time spent as a juvenile and encouraging her to molt more often, while keeping her cooler and feeding her less will do the opposite.

I was wondering age not only so I knew how long I have with it, but.. kinda silly..
So I could give it a "birthday"
I have done this with all my pets.. I'm one of THOSE people lol
Just to give them a special treat on their bday.

It is being kept in a bit of a "cooler" temp, I try not to feed it TOO often.. it's my only T, so keeping bugs handy doesn't work very well. I wait until it's abdomen looks a little smaller than it normally does (thankfully I can see it every day because it's arboreal so abdomen size is easy to monitor)
So not being overfed or fed too often..

It's starting to look like Cuddles is a male I've had 3 people on my Reddit post suggest it's a male.
So hopefully I'll have around another 2 years with him.

 

[cold blood]

I was wondering age not only so I knew how long I have with it

Again though, its size would be a better indicator of this.

 

[19Narwhal90]

Again though, its size would be a better indicator of this.

I tried my best to get some without disturbing him too much
The molt measured 3 inches from toe to toe, and him on my arm is from June 24th.
I got him end of May this year, so he's grown a half inch since I've gotten him.

 

[viper69]

No

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Unless you know the date it hatched then no, too many factors affect growth rates (from feeding/temps right down to the genetics of the individual spider), we'd just be taking wild stabs in the dark.

Age isn't important, even if it's male you'll still have another couple of years with it.

It's starting to look like Cuddles is a male I've had 3 people on my Reddit post suggest it's a male.

I'd ignore them tbh, I had people who were adamant that my freshly moulted female G. iheringi was male because she was "leggy" (G. iheringi are a naturally leggy species anyway and tarantulas look leggiest right after a moult regardless of sex).

 

[kingshockey]

just use the day you got it as its birthday makes things simple then

 

[darkness975]

I got her in May, she was around 2.5 inches.. she just molted and the molt is 3 inches long (from toe to toe) the shop where I got her wasn't able to help me with an age.. and I have absolutely no idea how to determine an age range
This is my first tarantula

She is an Antilles Pink Toe, Caribena Versicolor.

No way to be sure but several years for sure. Definitely not a year or two like most pet store employees will tell you.

 

[arthurliuyz]

I was wondering age not only so I knew how long I have with it, but.. kinda silly..
So I could give it a "birthday"

There is no way to tell the specific date of birth of a tarantula if you don't know the info when you got it.

 

[JonnyTorch]

I will tell you my versicolor is about 3" and I've had it since last September around the 11th of 2021. When I got it it was around 1/2" to 3/4" but like others have said, size varies depending on feeding etc. This is just my own experience.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

No way to be sure but several years for sure. Definitely not a year or two like most pet store employees will tell you.

you think so? C. versicolor is a fairly fast growing species and this one isn‘t full sized

 

[cold blood]

you think so? C. versicolor is a fairly fast growing species and this one isn‘t full sized

Fast growing for an avic or a Grammostola, but still not a fast growing species...more medium growing speed.

 

[arthurliuyz]

Grammostola

They are fast growers?

 

[The Grym Reaper]

They are fast growers?

I think that should have been "Fast growing for an Avic or compared to a Grammostola", the only really fast growing Grammo I've kept is iheringi

 

[cold blood]

They are fast growers?

No, they are slow growers...versi would be considered fast compared to a Grammostolas....but that doesn't put them in the fast growing category.

 

[Manny]

42

 

[Matt Man]

I'd ballpark at between 1 and 2. Not that that is worth anything, but that's my guesstimate