I purchased a pink toe and within a few weeks I noticed she had an eggsac. She stopped eating but according to my tarantula books that is normal. Never having done baby spiders, or even knowing if she was fertile, i decided to leave the eggsac with the mom rather then remove it as my books suggest. Yesterday, at 7pm I walk up stairs to whole bunch of baby spiders. The mom is still down in the bottom of her burrow, and I fear shes dead. I have to remove all the babies and pull the cage apart to get to her to know for sure.
According to my books, the new born spiders should be transparent, and hairlesss, 2nd instar should have some color, and at this point the yolk sac is absorbed, and they would soon begain eating food..
my babies have lots of hair, and color.. So question #1.. how old are my babies? Did they hatch earlier and we just didnt know about it? Or do they not physcially leave the egg sac till this age?
(see attachment for the photos)
Question #2 - At the size they are, I assume they should want to eat bugs.. I put fruit flys in today, and they ran from them. Perhaps they have been eating each other and are not hungry?
Question #3 - I went and purchased small plastic cups and lids. At their size/age should i sepearate now, or leave them togeather a bit longer. I have no problem with them eating each other down to a slightly smaller colony size, but im so lost on the age of them now, im not sure what to do.
Question #4 - Best way to maintain temp/humidity in the cups. I'm in chicago, and my house is freezing. Currently all my babies are sitting on the side of the bowl shaped web nearest the heat lamp, so they definally want the warmth. I'm thinking the easyest way would be to put the cups all in a sweater box, but im unclear as to how people heat them.. i would assume herp heat tape or a herp heating pad.. but how do you ensure consistant heat thru the whole box. And using a sweater box method, are you better off with lots of air holes in the cups and keeping humidity up in whole box, or individal misting of each cup.
Thank you so much for any help. I want to make sure these little guys survive.
-Kim
According to my books, the new born spiders should be transparent, and hairlesss, 2nd instar should have some color, and at this point the yolk sac is absorbed, and they would soon begain eating food..
my babies have lots of hair, and color.. So question #1.. how old are my babies? Did they hatch earlier and we just didnt know about it? Or do they not physcially leave the egg sac till this age?
(see attachment for the photos)
Question #2 - At the size they are, I assume they should want to eat bugs.. I put fruit flys in today, and they ran from them. Perhaps they have been eating each other and are not hungry?
Question #3 - I went and purchased small plastic cups and lids. At their size/age should i sepearate now, or leave them togeather a bit longer. I have no problem with them eating each other down to a slightly smaller colony size, but im so lost on the age of them now, im not sure what to do.
Question #4 - Best way to maintain temp/humidity in the cups. I'm in chicago, and my house is freezing. Currently all my babies are sitting on the side of the bowl shaped web nearest the heat lamp, so they definally want the warmth. I'm thinking the easyest way would be to put the cups all in a sweater box, but im unclear as to how people heat them.. i would assume herp heat tape or a herp heating pad.. but how do you ensure consistant heat thru the whole box. And using a sweater box method, are you better off with lots of air holes in the cups and keeping humidity up in whole box, or individal misting of each cup.
Thank you so much for any help. I want to make sure these little guys survive.
-Kim
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