Grammostola pulchra Sling Color Changes

[jmyers494]

Hello everyone!

I purchased a G. pulchra in January 2023 as a well started ~1” DLS sling. Since then this little beauty has molted twice in my care, and I noticed some cool color changes.

The first time my sling molted it came out looking like a mini adult! After this most recent molt it has a black abdomen but the carapace and legs are brown. Has anyone else seen this with their G pulchra?

I am suspecting that this spider is a male. “He” is all hardened up too with black fangs, and got a big cricket last night! Love this spider!


01/19/2023 (first received the spider)


7/15/2023


7/22/2023

 

[vicareux]

Its normal, after a few more molts it will blacken permanently

 

[jmyers494]

Its normal, after a few more molts it will blacken permanently

That’s awesome!! Thanks so much! I love watching the slings grow up.

 

[TechnoGeek]

Very normal. Colors vary a bit in adults too. Freshly molted they're a dark velvety black, and in premolt they're a bit more brownish.

 

[cold blood]

I am suspecting that this spider is a male.

what makes you suspect this? There is absolutely no way to be able to tell this by just looking at it.

 

[viper69]

I heard COVID can make them turn color

 

[jmyers494]

what makes you suspect this? There is absolutely no way to be able to tell this by just looking at it.

When I was looking at the most recent molt with my microscope I couldn’t see any evidence of a spermatheca at all. I am going to check again with a larger molt though.

 

[viper69]

Give it time, your T is small.

 

[TechnoGeek]

When I was looking at the most recent molt with my microscope I couldn’t see any evidence of a spermatheca at all. I am going to check again with a larger molt though.

Just like most animals, Ts need time to develop sexual organs, or they could be way too small and underdeveloped for you to notice. Give it time, many people told me my (currently adult) female pulchra who's about to breed in a month was a male at one point because her spermatheca wasn't very obvious back then and she was probably bigger than yours in these pics.

 

[jmyers494]

Give it time, your T is small.

Yes I agree, it really is so tiny still!

I really do love looking at their molts under the microscope and practicing identifying their structures. I think their sucking stomachs are so cool looking.

 

[jmyers494]

Just like most animals, Ts need time to develop sexual organs, or they could be way too small and underdeveloped for you to notice. Give it time, many people told me my (currently adult) female pulchra who's about to breed in a month was a male at one point because her spermatheca wasn't very obvious back then and she was probably bigger than yours in these pics.

That’s really great advice. I definitely will take that into consideration when looking at molts in the future! I was under the impression that you could see sexual organs on a T that size under a microscope, but I’m glad that’s not always the case! I know some people here have super duty microscopes though, but my cheapo one off Amazon is most likely not the best! Thank you so much.