G.Pulchra Growth Rate

[Agronesse]

When does a g.pulchra with a leg diameter of 2.5 cm become juvenile on average?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

No one can tell you a 100% accurate 'when', because there's key factors that varies (feeding scheduling, temperatures...) but one thing is certain: It's a quite slow growth species.

 

[viper69]

Next century

 

[Katie88]

My G quirogai is two and a half years old and is about 3 inches. Quirogai and pulchra are almost identical in case you were wondering why I was mentioning a quirogai. They are beautiful and totally worth the wait.

 

[DustyD]

Early last summer i bought a roughly 1.5 inch (3.75 cm) G. pulchra and a year later it is about 4 inches (10 cm). I bought a roughly 2 -2.5 inch female about two months after the first and it too is about 4 inches.

I think heat, humidity and food prompted this growth spurt. Temperatures were up to the mid 80s sometimes and humidity up in the 60s where I live. I also had been using superworms which apparently have a higher fat content than say crickets.

And i don't think I am the only one in this idea. Dave of Dave's Little Beasties (UK YouTuber) said last fall that his G. pulchras did better at higher temps and humidity levels and were more docile.

I am not suggesting that you do these things to speed up growth. That was not my intent with my Ts, just the results.

I also suspect that these Ts may have a period of growth spurts much like teen human beings. And we do know that as Ts get much older, the time between molts increases.

Having said all this, earlier this year I bought three G. pulchra slings each about a half inch. I keep them in 2 oz deli cups and I am having a ball with them! Yesterday, one of them leapt about its body length to get a small cricket, something my larger ones do not do.

 

[TechnoGeek]

I guess I can share my experience, I've kept multiple Brazilian black tarantulas. This one is pretty close to average, this is the most recent shot:

I have pretty big hands so you can say it's about 3.5b inches DLS.

For comparison, this is what the same spider looked like back in late May/early June 2021:

Comparing it to the mealworm it's feeding on, it was 1 or 1.3 inches DLS.

So in one year or so, it grew by about 2.2 to 2.5 inches. This is with temperature kept at around 78 to 82F and feeding once or twice a week on average.

This is one of the best pet Ts IMHO, but just like everything they have their drawbacks, and their relatively slow growth is defo a bummer. If you start with a 1" spiderling, and keep it at a warm enough temperature, and provide enough food, you should have a 5 inch spider in 3 years. But growth slows way down from there and I heard they take 2 more years to reach their full adult size of 6.5 to 7 inches.

It's well worth it tho!! And females live for upwards of 25 years from what I read.

 

[Katie88]

I guess I can share my experience, I've kept multiple Brazilian black tarantulas. This one is pretty close to average, this is the most recent shot:

I have pretty big hands so you can say it's about 3.5b inches DLS.

For comparison, this is what the same spider looked like back in late May/early June 2021:

Comparing it to the mealworm it's feeding on, it was 1 or 1.3 inches DLS.

So in one year or so, it grew by about 2.2 to 2.5 inches. This is with temperature kept at around 78 to 82F and feeding once or twice a week on average.

This is one of the best pet Ts IMHO, but just like everything they have their drawbacks, and their relatively slow growth is defo a bummer. If you start with a 1" spiderling, and keep it at a warm enough temperature, and provide enough food, you should have a 5 inch spider in 3 years. But growth slows way down from there and I heard they take 2 more years to reach their full adult size of 6.5 to 7 inches.

It's well worth it tho!! And females live for upwards of 25 years from what I read.

Very beautiful

 

[Dorifto]

Early last summer i bought a roughly 1.5 inch (3.75 cm) G. pulchra and a year later it is about 4 inches (10 cm). I bought a roughly 2 -2.5 inch female about two months after the first and it too is about 4 inches.

I think heat, humidity and food prompted this growth spurt. Temperatures were up to the mid 80s sometimes and humidity up in the 60s where I live. I also had been using superworms which apparently have a higher fat content than say crickets.

And i don't think I am the only one in this idea. Dave of Dave's Little Beasties (UK YouTuber) said last fall that his G. pulchras did better at higher temps and humidity levels and were more docile.

I am not suggesting that you do these things to speed up growth. That was not my intent with my Ts, just the results.

I also suspect that these Ts may have a period of growth spurts much like teen human beings. And we do know that as Ts get much older, the time between molts increases.

Having said all this, earlier this year I bought three G. pulchra slings each about a half inch. I keep them in 2 oz deli cups and I am having a ball with them! Yesterday, one of them leapt about its body length to get a small cricket, something my larger ones do not do.

She agrees, and most "arid" tagged Ts too.

 

[darkness975]

When does a g.pulchra with a leg diameter of 2.5 cm become juvenile on average?

As quickly as it takes a glacier to form.

 

[Marlana]

I’m jealous of the growth rate y’all are describing! I got my 2i pulchra last August and it just now molted for the very first time…10 months later. And it’s kept warm (78-80)!

 

[Dorifto]

I’m jealous of the growth rate y’all are describing! I got my 2i pulchra last August and it just now molted for the very first time…10 months later. And it’s kept warm (78-80)!

Needs topsoil and plants...

Do you keep her on the dry side or moist (partially) side?

 

[Agronesse]

I guess I can share my experience, I've kept multiple Brazilian black tarantulas. This one is pretty close to average, this is the most recent shot:

I have pretty big hands so you can say it's about 3.5b inches DLS.

For comparison, this is what the same spider looked like back in late May/early June 2021:

Comparing it to the mealworm it's feeding on, it was 1 or 1.3 inches DLS.

So in one year or so, it grew by about 2.2 to 2.5 inches. This is with temperature kept at around 78 to 82F and feeding once or twice a week on average.

This is one of the best pet Ts IMHO, but just like everything they have their drawbacks, and their relatively slow growth is defo a bummer. If you start with a 1" spiderling, and keep it at a warm enough temperature, and provide enough food, you should have a 5 inch spider in 3 years. But growth slows way down from there and I heard they take 2 more years to reach their full adult size of 6.5 to 7 inches.

It's well worth it tho!! And females live for upwards of 25 years from what I read.

If I feed it 5 days a week instead of twice a week, will I get good results for fast growth?

 

[Marlana]

Needs topsoil and plants...

Do you keep her on the dry side or moist (partially) side?

It’s got a moist corner but definitely on the dryer side.

 

[Arachnophobphile]

In the link I provided scroll down to the second post by @AphonopelmaTX. He explains what the minor difference is from a pulchra.

G Pulchra vs Quirogai

So I bought what was labeled as a G Pulchra from Jamie's Ts, but now I have seen a couple videos, Tom Moran being the main one that makes me believe its a Quirogai, how do i know which it is? I'd like to know anyway. It's a wee little sling though.

arachnoboards.com

 

[Dorifto]

It’s got a moist corner but definitely on the dryer side.

Any possibility to add a bit of moisture at the bottom? This way the top layer stays more drier, as they tend to like "drier" substrates, not too dry, neither too moist. Too dry and they close their burrows, too moist and you obtain the same .

I'd do it gradually, as they are a bit sensitive to sudden changes.

 

[TechnoGeek]

If I feed it 5 days a week instead of twice a week, will I get good results for fast growth?

Possibly. If you keep it at 80f, you might. Growth rate also depends on the genes but invariably more feeding and higher temperature result in quicker growth.

 

[xguard]

Bought a G pulchra a week ago and was told it refused to eat 2 weeks prior. So now, That is a total of 3 weeks in that it won't eat! I already saw some shrinkage in her abdomen. I tried prekilled crickets, live superworm, pre killed superworm. It just has no feeding response and was even scared of the moving superworm. I've read that they can go on hunger strikes but I do not see a sling doing that for a month! Or am I wrong? I need help, she's stressing me out. She's still 2.5 inches DLS and has zero feeding response....

 

[Gevo]

Bought a G pulchra a week ago and was told it refused to eat 2 weeks prior. So now, That is a total of 3 weeks in that it won't eat! I already saw some shrinkage in her abdomen. I tried prekilled crickets, live superworm, pre killed superworm. It just has no feeding response and was even scared of the moving superworm. I've read that they can go on hunger strikes but I do not see a sling doing that for a month! Or am I wrong? I need help, she's stressing me out. She's still 2.5 inches DLS and has zero feeding response....

At 2.5 inches, they can go on long fasts. I have one that's about 2 inches, and he fasted for nearly 5 months last winter before he ate 2 or 3 times, fasted again for about a month, ate once more, and then molted.

If you just got yours a week ago, she might still be settling in and just isn't ready to eat. They are homebodies that sometimes need to "map" the feel of their environment and know where their safe spots are before they feel really comfortable. I'd give it another week or two before trying again. Make sure she has water and an appropriate hide. A little shrinkage in the abdomen is of no concern as long as it's still overall a healthy size (1-1.5 times the width of the carapace is fine).

Some also need a bit of time to hunt because they get agitated by you opening the enclosure to feed them. As long as a molt isn't imminent, it can help to leave a cricket in there for a few hours so that it has a chance to move around and get the spider's attention (don't do that with superworms or mealworms, of course--those will burrow if not prekilled).

 

[xguard]

I see. Although I have also heard crickets can bite back? I've been looking to just do everything pre killed but what if it does not recognize it's food just because it is not moving?

 

[Gevo]

I see. Although I have also heard crickets can bite back? I've been looking to just do everything pre killed but what if it does not recognize it's food just because it is not moving?

A tarantula of that size is more than capable of taking down a cricket. Crickets will nibble on tarantulas who are molting and unable to defend themselves or who have recently molted and are still soft, before their exoskeleton has hardened up. They are not dangerous to tarantulas that are not in that vulnerable state.

A 2.5-inch tarantula is also fully capable of managing mealworms and superworms, but the issue with those feeders is that they will burrow if not snatched up right away, which is why they should have their heads crushed or removed prior to feeding.

Prekilled prey are necessary for very small slings, but they are very adept hunters and don't need prekilled prey once they're slings with a bit of size on them.