How do you care for Heteropoda slings once they hatch?

[LycanTheWolf]

Hello everyone!
I've been owning a Heteropoda Davidbowie for about 3 months now and as of last week she laid an egg sac and is now "brooding" it. At first I thought it's an infertile egg sac so I contacted the place I got it from. They said it's a wild caught one and that it's definitely possible that it's a fertile egg sac.
Now I have no experience with baby spiders or dealing with just hatched spiders. The closest thing is raising a Tarantula as a very young sling but I think it's probably nothing like that. What I should prep for and how I'm supposed to go about this, also how long it will take till the babies hatch. I don't know if it's a great idea that someone without experience would even attempt it but I kind of want to. So if anyone has experience please help.

 

[ForTW]

Heteropoda davidbowie is not the easiest IMO.
They need a decent airflow so you need higher humidity with very good ventilation.

What you do need in advance is a good Drosophila melanogaster culture and some springtails.
Within three weeks they should hatch, up to four/five weeks.

Since they are very fast you have to Devise how you want to raise them. I would take away the Egg sac after End of week three, if fertile, incubate it in the right Container. Otherwise you will end up with some in you home .

 

[LycanTheWolf]

Alright, thank you! I will get started on the fruit flies and springtails ASAP

How big of a container would I need for them? and when and how should I seperate them because I'm pretty sure that the slings are cannibalistic right?

 

[ForTW]

Alright, thank you! I will get started on the fruit flies and springtails ASAP

How big of a container would I need for them? and when and how should I seperate them because I'm pretty sure that the slings are cannibalistic right?

From 2. Inst they can eat eachother. I don't See the point in seperating them pre 4 Inst, if they take down the weak, it's better. Survival rate isn't 100% and they are a nightmare to seperate, do yourself a favor and keep them together.

500ml+, small airholes , mesh top highly recommended.

 

[LycanTheWolf]

Alright I will do that! What would be the best way to monitor the instars? size? Because I think having an overview on how often they moulted is kinda hard lol.

As a top could I use a fine mesh pantyhose like you use for fruitflies?

 

[ForTW]

Alright I will do that! What would be the best way to monitor the instars? size? Because I think having an overview on how often they moulted is kinda hard lol.

As a top could I use a fine mesh pantyhose like you use for fruitflies?

In the beginning the molt +/- the Same Day.

Eggs with legs
L2 is a Spider with a large abdomen
I1 is a fully developed spider with a small abdomen, provide some food.
I2 They are cannibalistic when no food provided
I3 Missmolts and poorly developed spiders get eaten
I4 Developement starts to bring larger individuals and the smaller ones are considered prey.

You can use nylon but the Way they cover fruit flies will be a nightmare when feeding. You should consider making a cut in the Container and glue it. I use aquaristic silicone, some people hot glue Stuff, no idea how good this works with nylon.

I will give you some pictures, with davidbowie i think you have to go with the textile/vlies top ones. Or mesh/nylon.

 

[Tarantuland]

Rehouse them over a flaming pit of lava. Jk

The speed of these is humbling

 

[ForTW]

Rehouse them over a flaming pit of lava. Jk

The speed of these is humbling

Bathtub and an expirienced friend of mine had a nice idea. He places various hides around his working place, so whenever one takes off, it rushes towards the shadows provided by the hide. He has great success seperating viridasius using this techniques. I always work with a headlight and whenever a sling decides to go for it, they run for the backside of the cup to dodge the lights.

They don't get far just good at dodging your Vision and hide under the next spot out of your sight.

Anyways, a clean working area is a must have! Or a controlled messy one.

 

[viper69]

If you play Bowie music they will move in unison.

 

[LycanTheWolf]

In the beginning the molt +/- the Same Day.

Eggs with legs
L2 is a Spider with a large abdomen
I1 is a fully developed spider with a small abdomen, provide some food.
I2 They are cannibalistic when no food provided
I3 Missmolts and poorly developed spiders get eaten
I4 Developement starts to bring larger individuals and the smaller ones are considered prey.

You can use nylon but the Way they cover fruit flies will be a nightmare when feeding. You should consider making a cut in the Container and glue it. I use aquaristic silicone, some people hot glue Stuff, no idea how good this works with nylon.

I will give you some pictures, with davidbowie i think you have to go with the textile/vlies top ones. Or mesh/nylon.

Thank you very much! This helps a lot and I'll get to prepping as soon as possible. I hope that everything will go well and that I'll have some healthy babies (if the egg sac is in fact fertile). Is there a measure on how long it will take for them to reach 4th instar? Like a rule of thumb or is it completly random?

 

[LycanTheWolf]

If you place Bowie music they will move in unison.

Lol that would be awesome! Luring them away Pied Piper of Hamlin style

 

[ForTW]

Not really...for ex. a seven legged sling will take 3 weeks extra to get into the next Instar.

3-4 weeks Till hatch, what i can say is that unlike tarantulas that take minimum 4 weeks, my record was a P. regius hatch that only took 2 weeks. I'd say true spiders are most likely a little faster (in all aspects, thus they need more care) another 2 to get in a eating stage, from then on every two weeks extending from molt to molt.

A total of three months probably.

Anyways, i wish you good luck, a pleasure to hear about Heteropoda sp., the most advanced, coolest all time favorite of mine.

 

[LycanTheWolf]

Not really...for ex. a seven legged sling will take 3 weeks extra to get into the next Instar.

3-4 weeks Till hatch, what i can say is that unlike tarantulas that take minimum 4 weeks, my record was a P. regius hatch that only took 2 weeks. I'd say true spiders are most likely a little faster (in all aspects, thus they need more care) another 2 to get in a eating stage, from then on every two weeks extending from molt to molt.

A total of three months probably.

Anyways, i wish you good luck, a pleasure to hear about Heteropoda sp., the most advanced, coolest all time favorite of mine.

Thank you! I just quickly wanted to ask if this is good enough for the babies?

 

[ForTW]

Not bad to begin with!
Just a screwed top, well, imagine having 100 babies in there, you need to be quick to fill in some fruit flies because they will be fast, for sure .

To minimizenthis Risk, provide AS many hides AS possible. Maybe throw in some more leaf litter or sticks?

 

[LycanTheWolf]

Not bad to begin with!
Just a screwed top, well, imagine having 100 babies in there, you need to be quick to fill in some fruit flies because they will be fast, for sure .

To minimizenthis Risk, provide AS many hides AS possible. Maybe throw in some more leaf litter or sticks?

Well if the babies are as active as momma at daytime I don't worry about them running off.

And sure I'll do that, I have plenty of leaf litter, thanks

 

[LycanTheWolf]

Not bad to begin with!
Just a screwed top, well, imagine having 100 babies in there, you need to be quick to fill in some fruit flies because they will be fast, for sure .

To minimizenthis Risk, provide AS many hides AS possible. Maybe throw in some more leaf litter or sticks?

I have one last question, how would I go about removing the egg sac? I tried to do it right now and she sunk her fangs into it and grasped onto it with her pedipalps, I left her now so she calms down but how can I go about this without her running away with it? Just be quick?

 

[ForTW]

I have one last question, how would I go about removing the egg sac? I tried to do it right now and she sunk her fangs into it and grasped onto it with her pedipalps, I left her now so she calms down but how can I go about this without her running away with it? Just be quick?

Just be brutal if it doesn't go the easy way. Better than stressig her out and trying for hours.

Second attempt after beeing gently and distracting her:
Grab the sac on a side to not harm any eggs and pull it through an opening she doesn't fit through.

Third attempt if she doesn't let go.
2 cups
A pieces of cardboard
Catch her in one Cup, put the other Cup on top. Flip her over until she lets go the sac. Push the piece of cardboard inbetween the two cups.


Ofc you don't have to break her or the sac but go for it.

 

[LycanTheWolf]

Just be brutal if it doesn't go the easy way. Better than stressig her out and trying for hours.

Second attempt after beeing gently and distracting her:
Grab the sac on a side to not harm any eggs and pull it through an opening she doesn't fit through.

Third attempt if she doesn't let go.
2 cups
A pieces of cardboard
Catch her in one Cup, put the other Cup on top. Flip her over until she lets go the sac. Push the piece of cardboard inbetween the two cups.


Ofc you don't have to break her or the sac but go for it.

I tried all of that but she really isn't letting go of it, her fangs are deep in the egg sac and no matter what I do they don't move out even a tiny bit. I don't want to hurt her so I'm not being too harsh

 

[ForTW]

I tried all of that but she really isn't letting go of it, her fangs are deep in the egg sac and no matter what I do they don't move out even a tiny bit. I don't want to hurt her so I'm not being too harsh

Aye, usually works if you pull in the right moment.
Any chance she fits in that Container for a week?
Another question, if she build the sac last week, don't you want to give it atleast another week?

 

[LycanTheWolf]

I kinda messed up my time there. As of tommorow it will be 3 weeks since she's started building/built the egg sac. Because 3 weeks ago she just disappeared and a week later I checked where she was and boom, found her on the eggsac. Now I don't know how much time went into building or if it was there before she decided to sit on it. soo yeah.

She def fits in the container. Will she be ok if I would put her in that?