Egg Sac Question

[MindUtopia]

I have an A. versicolor egg sac that was laid on June 2nd. So it's nearing 60 days. I want to pull it and open it up since I really don't want the slings to hatch out in the tank (it's an odd set-up and it would be a real pain to try to collect them from there). My question is: how will I know they will be ready to be seperated into individual vials? When they look like regular slings? Or is it safe/possible to do it earlier?

 

[Hedorah99]

I have an A. versicolor egg sac that was laid on June 2nd. So it's nearing 60 days. I want to pull it and open it up since I really don't want the slings to hatch out in the tank (it's an odd set-up and it would be a real pain to try to collect them from there). My question is: how will I know they will be ready to be seperated into individual vials? When they look like regular slings? Or is it safe/possible to do it earlier?

I waited until they were actual slings. N2 or 1st instar, whatever you feel like calling them.

 

[MindUtopia]

Haha, I was just going to IM you to ask you what you thought.

Okay, so I pulled the sac...now feeling tremendous guilt about traumatizing my female by taking away her babies! There are about 60 very healthy (and fast) babies! Some dried eggs that never developed, but no mold or anything else nasty. They are now in a manual hammock style incubator. Here are some pics. What instar would you consider these?

 

[ScorpDemon]

1st instar.. looks like the abdomens are starting to darken a bit.. they should molt into 2nd instars in a week or maybe less.

 

[TTstinger]

nymphs, they will be 1st instar next molt

 

[Talkenlate04]

No those will be 2nd instar on this coming molt. You can seperate them if you want but i'd just keep them in one container with moist paper towels. Congrats one the sac!
Oh hey I just saw you are using the hammock method...... honestly I would move them to wet paper towels in a container. Put a few holes in the lid small ones cause they will molt soon into full fledged slings! :clap:

 

[Varden]

Heh, I'd very gently and carefully seperate them now. I guarantee there's no show quite like the one you'll put on if you decide to wait until after they molt into second instar and have their running legs on. You may as well get yourself an Indy 500 soundtrack and plan for your 60 slings to go from nothing to 90 mph in 60 different directions.

 

[Talkenlate04]

Aint that the truth!

First time I bred versi I left them all together, that was such a nightmare. They were hopping and running like their world was ending and they had to win the 100 yard dash to live another second. I'd open the lid to get one and 10 would get out before I could get the lid safely closed.

 

[TTstinger]

No those will be 2nd instar on this coming molt. You can seperate them if you want but i'd just keep them in one container with moist paper towels. Congrats one the sac!
Oh hey I just saw you are using the hammock method...... honestly I would move them to wet paper towels in a container. Put a few holes in the lid small ones cause they will molt soon into full fledged slings! :clap:

those are N2 next molt will be 1st instar first instar in when they need too feed

 

[Mina]

They are adorable!!!!! I've haven't had a successful sack yet, but I would go with Ryan, you don't want them to be able to run away from you to fast. Do it before they can, less trauma for you and less chance of injury or loss for them.

 

[Becky]

I'd leave them til they moult into spiderlings then seperate them into vials.

I saw on a thread on another US forum that someone sent a regalis at this stage of development. In the UK (where i am) this is frowned upon and unheard of... We always leave them together until spiderling stage (next moult) then seperate them off.

 

[MindUtopia]

Thanks all for the insight and advice. I decided this morning to go ahead and seperate them since I'll be away quite a bit in the next couple weeks and may not have time to do it for a while. Many of them are starting to get blue-ish legs, so I'm guessing the next molt is coming very soon. Altogether, there are 75. One looks like it's legs are stuck together so I have it on moist paper towel hoping that loosens it up. But either way, I have 74 that are perfect. Woo-hoo!

 

[Talkenlate04]

That is so awesome Congrats on the 600 new legs soon to be running around your place. :clap:

 

[ShadowBlade]

nymphs, they will be 1st instar next molt

You are using European terminology, which we do not use in the American hobby. These are first instar, will molt into second.

I saw on a thread on another US forum that someone sent a regalis at this stage of development. In the UK (where i am) this is frowned upon and unheard of... We always leave them together until spiderling stage (next moult) then seperate them off.

It is here too. But as I'm sure you have in the UK, there are people in the US that do it anyway.

-Sean

 

[Varden]

I'd leave them til they moult into spiderlings then seperate them into vials.

... We always leave them together until spiderling stage (next moult) then seperate them off.

It is here too. But as I'm sure you have in the UK, there are people in the US that do it anyway.

-Sean

Is there a particular reason for this? :? If it's just personal preference, that's one thing, but off the top of my head, I can't think of any reason to leave them together until they molt again.

 

[ScorpDemon]

Is there a particular reason for this? :? If it's just personal preference, that's one thing, but off the top of my head, I can't think of any reason to leave them together until they molt again.

Communal feeding, then separation. Saves a little time in having to separate them, then feed them at separate times. Thats what Swifty does anyway.

 

[ShadowBlade]

Is there a particular reason for this? :? If it's just personal preference, that's one thing, but off the top of my head, I can't think of any reason to leave them together until they molt again.

My response was to the quote:

I saw on a thread on another US forum that someone sent a regalis at this stage of development. In the UK (where i am) this is frowned upon and unheard of...

Which I was referring to shipping them out at first instar. Seperating them is up to the preference of the breeder.

-Sean

 

[Vanisher]

I have an A. versicolor egg sac that was laid on June 2nd. So it's nearing 60 days. I want to pull it and open it up since I really don't want the slings to hatch out in the tank (it's an odd set-up and it would be a real pain to try to collect them from there). My question is: how will I know they will be ready to be seperated into individual vials? When they look like regular slings? Or is it safe/possible to do it earlier?

It is absolutely no problem to do it earlier. I always separate them when they are still nymphs, I think it is much easier because then they are slow. When they are slings they are much more mobile and faster. I think you should open the sack and have a look. /Johan