Growing Pains

[Rookie]

Hey all,
I never thought to ask this question before...but now that I've started wondering, the search for the answer is killing me. Does a T (I'm thinking s'lings in this case) get bigger without a moult? Do they get a little bigger, then they have a moult, then they get bigger still? Or do they only grow larger at the end of a moult?
Thanks,
Paul

 

[jwb121377]

I may be wrong (wouldn't be the first and I'm sure won't be the last) but I've read that tarantulas only grow longer after a molt. I know they can get heavier any time though.

 

[Tranz]

I know mine's belly has gotten a lot bigger with all those crickets devoured without a trace.

 

[ArachnoJoost]

A spider's abdomen grows between molts, but the legs and cephalothorax-area does not grow, since it is hard exo-skeleton. When a spider molts, the cephalothorax and legs grow, but the abdomen stays the same size (I think). Its abdomen fattens up before the next molt, and the cycle starts over again.
greetz,
Joost

 

[MrDeranged]

the only part of the exoskeleton pliable enough to allow for growth between molts is the abdomen. Legs and cephalothorax will only grow with a molt.

Scott

 

[Rookie]

Scientific terms

That helps a lot, thanks guys. I was just curious because people have been telling me Peso looks better, though he's only had one cricket leg, and one cricket abdomen.
Can you guys give me a link to a scientific diagram (with labels) of a T? Obviously I know the abdomen, and I think I know the palps (i could guess the booklungs), but sometimes you people use terms that I don't understand.
There sure is a lot to learn about these arachnids.
Paul

 

[Tranz]

How large is your spider? Put a live cricket in there that's nearly as big as he is and see what he does in a few minutes - you might be surprised

 

[Wade]

Rookie-

The books "The Tarantula Keeper's Guide" by Shultz and Shultz and "Tarantulas and Other Arachnids" by Marshall both have excellent diagrams of the parts of a tarantula. atshq.org has a downloadable invertebrate glossary of nearly all relative terms.

Wade