How often do salmon pink birdeater slings molt???

[Wolf135]

So I just received a salmon pink birdeater sling (lasiodora parahybana) who's 1/3 of an inch long and was wondering how frequently I should expect it to molt?

 

[kingshockey]

around once every month give or take a week/days or so its easier to read up and learn pre molt signs(use search function) with the time between molts longer as it gets bigger/older

 

[A guy]

Lots of factors

 

[Wolf135]

Lots of factors

Which factors would increase the rate of molts?

 

[HooahArmy]

My mum has a gang of these fellows that she's been raising. Here are what she states are the top factors for molting/ aging:

1. The temperature! During winter months, Ts naturally slow down due to lower temperatures and both eat and move less. Her LPs have never molted between late fall to early spring when temps were in the 60s. (except for a few persistent oddballs). They molt almost monthly to every 3 months as slings and juvies during warm seasons. If you want a faster growing friend, ensue that their location is cozy. If you're cozy without needing long sleeves or the heat on, they're happy. LPs seem to like it a bit warmer than the average T, with temperatures in the mid to high 70s.

2. Your feeding frequency! This is a species that grows at lighting speed, versus an an A. chacodes for example. Mum feeds slings every 4 days, juvies every 5 days to a week, and adults every 1-2 weeks. With the fast metabolism, active climbing natures, and rapid growth rate, they'll need the food to bolster growth. Some people say these dates are too soon, but all feeding schedules depend on the T and their activity/growth levels. She feeds crickets, dubias, and sometimes mealworms when the LPs are looking a bit slim.

3. Activity level! My mum has a ton of these little guys. She had noted that those who love to walk around, web, and be active tend to grow faster and be larger than those who frequently hide. Activity could be building aracho-muscle and boosting metabolism, so this is likewise a factor for growth. Assess your girls/guy and consider their activity level.

4. Moisture! These fellows like mid humidity the most where we live. Having a full water dish is perfect, and mum had noted that those who tip/fill their water dishes often tend to be the runts. A Ts body is mostly water, so it's no kidding they need to be juicy to grow and expand. Keep an eye on your buddy's water. We also use a spritzer to moisten the substrate in a corner of their enclosure when it looks dry.

 

[A guy]

Which factors would increase the rate of molts?

Temperature
Feeding(frequency, size of prey)

Just to name a couple

 

[WhiteMoss]

I have 3 slings I got at 1/4" and between the 3 of them I've done about 5 feedings total and have seen them about the same amount of times. The rest of the time they've been blocked off in they're burrows. All 3 have molted once and I believe are on they're second molt (since I got them in May this year).

I can't speak for the adult specimens, but as for slings it seems they spend more time in premolt/molting than they do out looking for prey or just out in general lol

 

[A guy]

3. Activity level! My mum has a ton of these little guys. She had noted that those who love to walk around, web, and be active tend to grow faster and be larger than those who frequently hide. Activity could be building aracho-muscle and boosting metabolism, so this is likewise a factor for growth. Assess your girls/guy and consider their activity level.

Activity level? Active climbing nature? Arachno muscle?
You do know that these aren't mammals or like any other animals right?
These things don't correlate with tarantulas.

 

[HooahArmy]

Activity level? Arachno muscle?

Yes, I am aware that arachnids don't 'work out' like humans do, but I post less scientific jargon to keep all my info friendly for beginners who might also be reading this post. I should have said "Arachno muscles" to indicate that I was joking and that they don't have muscles like mammals or other vertebrates. Studies have however shown that spiders do indeed have muscles, just powered by their hydraulic system of hemolymph.
However, activity level is quite a thing. Some Ts are just more active than others and those who tend to move around more did have better growth rates among my mum's army of LP slings. Fir every creature, activity level can translate to health, vigor, and immunity. As a bio-researcher, I have witnessed this in everything from drosophila larvae to mice, even dogs.
I hope this helps and clarifies! Sorry for the confusion!

 

[A guy]

Yes, I am aware that arachnids don't 'work out' like humans do, but I post less scientific jargon to keep all my info friendly for beginners who might also be reading this post. I should have said "Arachno muscles" to indicate that I was joking and that they don't have muscles like mammals or other vertebrates. Studies have however shown that spiders do indeed have muscles, just powered by their hydraulic system of hemolymph.
However, activity level is quite a thing. Some Ts are just more active than others and those who tend to move around more did have better growth rates among my mum's army of LP slings. Fir every creature, activity level can translate to health, vigor, and immunity. As a bio-researcher, I have witnessed this in everything from drosophila larvae to mice, even dogs.
I hope this helps and clarifies! Sorry for the confusion!

Yes, some tarantulas are more active than others but this does not correspond to growth. Unfortunately, mice or dogs are not built like tarantulas. Tarantulas are naturally ambush predators, only moving when needed to conserve energy as much as possible. That's why their anatomy has evolved that they have slow metabolism because they don't use or need that much energy.

 

[HooahArmy]

Ts do naturally have slow metabolisms, but among their numbers within a same species or even a brood, some just like to walk about more than others, while others remained denned up all day. My mum has about 37 LP juvies and we both can visibly see that those who were out and about more often tended to be the big guys.
There's a scientific explanation behind this now that you've gotten my mind going. I theorize that the fellows who were out more were noted by my mum to be larger in the start, hence she gave them larger prey in observing their size, as she adjusts feeding per individual. As time passed, the larger and outgoing Ts grew even larger due to the larger prey mum was offering. Those who were very shy might not have ventured out and found their roach or cricket, resulting in her removing them after 24 hours, ultimately causing them to skip a meal.
I wish all the Ts here acted like ambush predators as a norm! While some of them are very true to species and hide in their burrows, others simply galivant all around; redecorating, climbing, tunneling, and doing whatever it is that they like. Much has to do with the individual. If all my own personal T-pals tried to conserve their energy more, I'd have way less water dishes to unearth!

You are quite knowledgeable and I've seen and read many of your posts across the forum both in the present and back when I was a guilty lurker. How long have you been raising inverts and where did you gain such remarkable knowledge?

 

[A guy]

Ts do naturally have slow metabolisms, but among their numbers within a same species or even a brood, some just like to walk about more than others, while others remained denned up all day. My mum has about 37 LP juvies and we both can visibly see that those who were out and about more often tended to be the big guys.
There's a scientific explanation behind this now that you've gotten my mind going. I theorize that the fellows who were out more were noted by my mum to be larger in the start, hence she gave them larger prey in observing their size, as she adjusts feeding per individual. As time passed, the larger and outgoing Ts grew even larger due to the larger prey mum was offering. Those who were very shy might not have ventured out and found their roach or cricket, resulting in her removing them after 24 hours, ultimately causing them to skip a meal.
I wish all the Ts here acted like ambush predators as a norm! While some of them are very true to species and hide in their burrows, others simply galivant all around; redecorating, climbing, tunneling, and doing whatever it is that they like. Much has to do with the individual. If all my own personal T-pals tried to conserve their energy more, I'd have way less water dishes to unearth!

You are quite knowledgeable and I've seen and read many of your posts across the forum both in the present and back when I was a guilty lurker. How long have you been raising inverts and where did you gain such remarkable knowledge?

That's it. So activity has nothing to do with it. Some just readily take larger prey.

Maybe 12 years or so. Reading research papers, books, articles , watching documentaries focused on tarantulas and talking to people who have more experience than me

 

[HooahArmy]

Maybe 12 years or so. Reading research papers, books, articles , watching documentaries focused on tarantulas and talking to people who have more experience than me

Very nice! This board has certainly been enjoying your insight and I look forward to reading more from you in the future!

 

[Wolf135]

Yes, some tarantulas are more active than others but this does not correspond to growth. Unfortunately, mice or dogs are not built like tarantulas. Tarantulas are naturally ambush predators, only moving when needed to conserve energy as much as possible. That's why their anatomy has evolved that they have slow metabolism because they don't use or need that much energy.

In my experience the active ones growing faster does seem to be true, I had two white knees at one point who were the same size when I got them and the active one got about an inch bigger than the other within a year.

Maybe it has something to do with how much energy they have or how efficient their metabolism is.

 

[A guy]

In my experience the active ones growing faster does seem to be true, I had two white knees at one point who were the same size when I got them and the active one got about an inch bigger than the other within a year.

Maybe it has something to do with how much energy they have or how efficient their metabolism is.

Unfortunately, that doesn't hold water. I have 10 Theraphosa blondi, they're all like pet rocks but varies so much in growth. I also have 5 T. apophysis, some stay in their burrows motionless for the majority and some dig and wander around the enclosures but all have the same growth rate. All of them always molted within the same week.

If active tarantulas grow faster then my T. blondi group should have similar growth rates and my apophysis group should have different growth but it's the complete opposite of your theory.

 

[Liquifin]

There is way too many factors to determine how fast or slow a specimen will grow. You can keep 100+ specimens (even of the same species) at the same time and some will grow faster or slower even with the same care/feeding. Just enjoy what you have and have fun raising a little sling into a beautiful adult.

 

[Wolf135]

Unfortunately, that doesn't hold water. I have 10 Theraphosa blondi, they're all like pet rocks but varies so much in growth. I also have 5 T. apophysis, some stay in their burrows motionless for the majority and some dig and wander around the enclosures but all have the same growth rate. All of them always molted within the same week.

If active tarantulas grow faster then my T. blondi group should have similar growth rates and my apophysis group should have different growth but it's the complete opposite of your theory.

Can you compare different species though?

You said your T blondi varies in growth, so maybe there's a reason for that.

 

[Liquifin]

You said your T blondi varies in growth, so maybe there's a reason for that.

Specimens will vary, even those of the same species. I have 3 G. pulchripes that are sac mates that were hatched out in 2016. Today, one specimen is about 4.5'', the second specimen is about 4.25'', and the third one is only 2''. Care, feeding, temps are pretty much the same all year round. So specimens can and will vary in terms of growth rate. Don't compare and just enjoy what you have.

 

[A guy]

Can you compare different species though?

You said your T blondi varies in growth, so maybe there's a reason for that.

You compared your A. geniculata to Lasiodora parahybana, agreeing that active tarantulas do grow faster.

I'm sure there's definitely a reason but they are all kept in identical condition. Same feeding, temperature, etc.

 

[Marlana]

I don’t think it’s necessarily because they are more active but better eaters and it’s because they are less fearful. From what I’ve noticed at least. I buy 3-5 slings frequently, of species I like. I’ve noticed the ones that are out of the hide and not bothered by me, are usually better eaters. They will take bigger prey. They don’t get spooked by the feeder. They don’t get spooked by me opening their container and refuse to eat because they are scared. It’s interesting because that isn’t necessarily what would keep them alive in the wild. These fearless slings grow way faster than siblings but in the wild they likely wouldn’t be alive long.

So I don’t think it really has to do with health. I don’t think their activity level is linked to how fast they grow nor how healthy they are. I think the fact that they are out is because they aren’t as fearful as others which in turn means they will take risks the others won’t when comes to eating.