Heteropoda sling care

[paumotu]

Anyone here have experience raising up small slings of the heteropoda genus? (specifically species like boiei, lunula, davidbowie, thai caves)
I hear the slings can be quite finicky and are prone to dieoff. If anyone here is experienced raising them from sling to adult I'd definitely like to hear about it. Thanks

 

[8 legged]

The enclosure must be adequately ventilated and must never dry out completely (damp, NOT wet!). Other than that, heteropoda are hard to kill. Since they have a high metabolism, you are welcome to feed them 3 times a week. If they are to grow adequately, 25°C is quite reasonable...
Common causes of death in slings: Dried up or moldy!

All my heteropodas are raised in the following enclosures:

 

[paumotu]

The enclosure must be adequately ventilated and must never dry out completely (damp, NOT wet!). Other than that, heteropoda are hard to kill. Since they have a high metabolism, you are welcome to feed them 3 times a week. If they are to grow adequately, 25°C is quite reasonable...
Common causes of death in slings: Dried up or moldy!

All my heteropodas are raised in the following enclosures:
View attachment 413612

What do you find are the best feeders for small slings? (first few instars) Also, what do you recommend for molting surfaces?

 

[8 legged]

Drosophila, then microcrickets. In an emergency, springtails are sufficient at the very beginning. Microcrickets are also captured when the spider's body is slightly smaller than that of the cricket.
The animals only molt themselves upside down, i.e. hanging, so there should be some space left in the enclosure. The spider secures itself with spider threads on all Kinds of surfaces, whether wood, glass or plastic. If it falls, it dies. It is therefore worth taking a look inside the rearing enclosure before moving it!

 

[ForTW]

Well, they're not all the same.
Davidbowie and lunula tend to die off, venatoria or Thai caves are easy to handle. Thai caves are just difficult as adults. High need for humidity and bad eaters.

Right now i have 10 slings of h. sp. "Deep red"., good ventilation, humid enviroment.

Drosophila hydei/springtails
3-4 Inst Drosophila melanogaster
From then on i go with freshly hatched grasshoppers or cockroaches.

 

[paumotu]

Well, they're not all the same.
Davidbowie and lunula tend to die off, venatoria or Thai caves are easy to handle. Thai caves are just difficult as adults. High need for humidity and bad eaters.

Right now i have 10 slings of h. sp. "Deep red"., good ventilation, humid enviroment.

Drosophila hydei/springtails
3-4 Inst Drosophila melanogaster
From then on i go with freshly hatched grasshoppers or cockroaches.

Do you have any advice for bowies or lunula?

 

[8 legged]

Do you have any advice for bowies or lunula?

I can only share my own experiences. I keep and breed H. dawidbowie and lunula just like any other Heteropoda species. It works well for me. But you are on a safer side, when you buy those species not in instar 2 or 3....

 

[paumotu]

I can only share my own experiences. I keep and breed H. dawidbowie and lunula just like any other Heteropoda species. It works well for me. But you are on a safer side, when you buy those species not in instar 2 or 3....

Most vendors sell them at instar 2-3 unfortunately, which is why I felt the need to ask. Many people pick them and only to have them inexplicably perish.

What is breeding them like too?
Do you need to slow down the males growth to be able to pair them?

 

[8 legged]

I'm reluctant to give this information, but no. Males mature earlier than females but last long enough to induce mating. Basically, I don't breed siblings and get the depth of different lines for breeding projects... which I also recommend here.

 

[paumotu]

I'm reluctant to give this information, but no. Males mature earlier than females but last long enough to induce mating. Basically, I don't breed siblings and get the depth of different lines for breeding projects... which I also recommend here.

How long do mature females last after the final molt?

 

[ForTW]

Bowies? Mine refused to eat and died (I2) from bad molt....
Lunulas, as i said, both of those are not the "weheee i attach to a tripple my size insect and let my poison do the job"-spiders.
Even the larger ones refuse to eat a grasshopper one molt to big. This is the expirience i make. Therefor i recommend to have Food in a propriate size.

They are fast growers and have a good metabolism, feed them smaller prey but frequently.

H. venatoria is more resistant to dryness and a more agressive eater.

And AS always, teleportation speed. All of them, lunula and bowies are just more chilled during the daytime.

Regards

 

[8 legged]

You will find a wide variety of information on the Internet, which is also the reality. For example, I had females of H. sp. flores who were almost two years old, but also those who have only reached one year. It's very different in general! Males, on the other hand, leave the living world before their one-year anniversary...

 

[8 legged]

All of them, lunula and bowies are just more chilled during the daytime.

Regards

I can confirm that, but I would NEVER rely on it.

And, the two are actually worse eaters than their relatives, but I can't personally confirm a higher failure rate. But I don't give the animals away until after the 4 or 5 FH, because otherwise many of them won't survive the shipping in one piece...

 

[paumotu]

Bowies? Mine refused to eat and died (I2) from bad molt....
Lunulas, as i said, both of those are not the "weheee i attach to a tripple my size insect and let my poison do the job"-spiders.
Even the larger ones refuse to eat a grasshopper one molt to big. This is the expirience i make. Therefor i recommend to have Food in a propriate size.

They are fast growers and have a good metabolism, feed them smaller prey but frequently.

H. venatoria is more resistant to dryness and a more agressive eater.

And AS always, teleportation speed. All of them, lunula and bowies are just more chilled during the daytime.

Regards

Are boiei also poor eaters?

 

[8 legged]

Are boiei also poor eaters?

Nope!

Just recorded; from this size (note, these are cm specifications!) the slings are - in my opinion - sufficiently stable!

 

[ForTW]

I skipped those but what i heared from larger breeders, the are more in the easy side.
I wouldn't say Poor eaters to lunulas, just picky.

 

[paumotu]

I'm reluctant to give this information, but no. Males mature earlier than females but last long enough to induce mating. Basically, I don't breed siblings and get the depth of different lines for breeding projects... which I also recommend here.

I’m looking to start breeding huntsman’s. What size breeding groups do recommend?

 

[8 legged]

Theoretically, one breeding pair is enough, since you will usually be rewarded with several egg sacs. Either you buy adult or sexed animals (2.2 to be on the safe side) or enough slings. Personally, I usually get at least one breeding pair with 5 animals. If you can get 10 for a good price, take 10. In Germany it's a bit easier, which we usually exchange with each other. One hand washes the other, so to speak...

 

[paumotu]

I

Theoretically, one breeding pair is enough, since you will usually be rewarded with several egg sacs. Either you buy adult or certain animals (2.2 to be on the safe side) or enough slings. Personally, I usually get at least one breeding pair with 5 animals. If you can get 10 for a good price, take 10. In Germany it's a bit easier, which we usually exchange with each other. One hand washes the other, so to speak...

Ah, I see. In America, they are usually only available as early instar slings, not as adults, so they are more delicate and not able to be sexed. What are the issues with inbreeding them?

 

[8 legged]

There are none actually proven. Sometimes - mainly male animals - have limited function in their legs (the movement sequences seem uncontrolled). Whether this is related to incest is not proven. You can dare, but on occasion you should bring a new line in...
But if the current situation doesn't allow it, you can dare a sibling pairing. This also happens in nature!