Incubator questions

[CommanderBacon]

Yoooo I searched and could not find exactly what I needed so I would like to ask some advice regarding egg sacs and incubators.



Woo! Today's the day! I'm very excited.

It has been 30 days, and I'm pulling my first sac (heh heh heh-!) of Avicularia avicularia eggos this evening. I did as much research as possible regarding the incubator, reviewing AB threads and watching many videos. It seems incubator styles are a matter of preference, so I set up a 16oz deli cup nested in a 32oz deli cup with some small ventilation holes drilled in the side, which seemed like a clean and sensible set up I observed in one video:

(obvs I will add water when I put the eggs in)

A person with some breeding under their belt mentioned that they don't put so many holes in their incubators, though. Is this much ventilation bad for developing baby spiders, or is this setup okay? I also have a ventilated top, but I could use a top without holes in it and tape up some of the holes in the water reservoir if that's more ideal.

I am in southern California and it's generally very dry here, fwiw.

I prefer exhibiting an overwhelming abundance of caution to just winging it, so thanks for bearing with me here. Any advice from experienced breeders is much appreciated.

 

[Colorado Ts]

Let me preface by stating that I have never incubated eggs before. I have a female A.hentzi on an egg sac right now, I'm documenting that event in a different thread.

My plan was to use the exact same design that you are showing in your image. So....I'm very excited that you are ahead of me and I can follow your lead. This is awesome...thank you so much for starting this thread.

I'm hoping that you continue this thread and document the whole process, as I'm about 30 days behind you at this point.

Aphonopelma hentzi breeding!

Hey everyone my name is matt and I am new to the forum I don’t tend to use many resources like this as there is a lot of google experts and keyboard warriors. So hopefully I will find this site more pleasant and friendly. so I paired my A. Hentzi back in early February and the female is...

arachnoboards.com

 

[CommanderBacon]

@Colorado Ts lol thanks! I'll do my best! I checked the Tarantula Keeper's Guide and I didn't see anything about airflow or ventilation, which makes sense because I think that the book was partially responsible for a lot of captive Avic deaths due to its lack of an emphasis on ventilation, if I remember correctly-?

Anyway, It sort of makes sense to me that in an eggsac, there would not be a lot of airflow, and that these would still be in eggs in nature, but my brain is screaming "BUT AVICS NEED AIR FLOW!" so I'm torn on what is correct here. I hope someone with experience can chime in.

I love this design, though. It's so clean looking and has a small footprint. The incubators with moist paper towels bother me in a way I can't put into words.

 

[Colorado Ts]

Lacking any personal hands on experience...this is all I have.



I’m thinking temperatures of 78-80 degrees F, and ventilation holes in both the water reservoir container and the hatching container...including the lid of the hatching container...you should be fine.

The main thing is the ability to exchange fresh air for the developing EWLs (eggs with legs), maintain a high humidity, and maintain a stable temperature. Those are the big 3 in incubating...most anything actually.

 

[CommanderBacon]

@Colorado Ts A little more than what I have! But I think I'll be able to put the pieces together okay.

I'm going to feel so bad when I take her sac! We'll see how it goes!

 

[Colorado Ts]

@Colorado Ts A little more than what I have! But I think I'll be able to put the pieces together okay.

I'm going to feel so bad when I take her sac! We'll see how it goes!

Yeah...that might be a street fight. That's why I want you to video it...

 

[CommanderBacon]

I'm panicking. They all look dry. I've got them in the incubator but I don't know what to do.



Any recommendations?

 

[cold blood]

They look ready to molt to EWLs.

 

[CommanderBacon]

They look ready to molt to EWLs.

Do they not look a little dry? Whenever I see photos, they never seem to be this dark, and they usually look a little moister to me.

 

[viper69]

Lacking any personal hands on experience..

Cmon man, just go watch a video!


Thanks for showing the books! I hadn't seen those 2 before. Now that I have, I have all the experience I need.

 

[cold blood]

Just before they become EWLs, they look kinda raggity, even dry, its fine...you can see several that seem to have molt skin on them...those are actually molting to EWL, look close, the pattern is of the legs.

When they molt too 1i and 2i, they blacken, don't let that alarm you.

 

[CommanderBacon]

Just before they become EWLs, they look kinda raggity, even dry, its fine...you can see several that seem to have molt skin on them...those are actually molting to EWL, look close, the pattern is of the legs.

When they molt too 1i and 2i, they blacken, don't let that alarm you.

Thank you! I very much appreciate your assurances. I thought it was a skin of some sort but when I have seen ewls before I don't remember it being like that. It looked like they had dried up.

I've got them in an incubator over warm-ish water for now. I hope they continue to progress!

 

[cold blood]

In your pic, top middle, third row (basically), you can see two almost fully formed EWLs next to one another. To their left is one pulling out.

 

[CommanderBacon]

In your pic, top middle, third row (basically), you can see two almost fully formed EWLs next to one another. To their left is one pulling out.

I saw them! But they looked super dry and I panicked!

I just want to sit and look at them. I hope they all make it through, although from what I hear I will likely have losses.

How often should I check on them?

 

[cold blood]

I check daily, just to catch anything asap...death breeds death, so any deaths or mold should be dealt with promptly. Sometimes you have losses, other times you may lose none...I'm working on back to back to back sacs without a loss, the one before that was a disaster.
.
I will say, be prepared with another incubator style just in case....we all have something that we find that worked for us, but its through trial and error...I know many who use your incubator style, I cant win with them......usually your own trial and error will help in the future, first sacs commonly do see greater than average losses though, so dont beat your self up if that happens, just adjust and learn from it.

This, was a recent sac i pulled....when opened they looked all dry and crusty..

A few days later they looked like this...

 

[viper69]

another incubator style just in case....we all have something that we find that worked for us, but its through trial and error...I know many who use your incubator style, I cant win with them.

This is new to me. Why do you think this is the case?

 

[cold blood]

This is new to me. Why do you think this is the case?

No, i'm sure there are many individual variables.

 

[Colorado Ts]

I'm panicking. They all look dry. I've got them in the incubator but I don't know what to do.
View attachment 348467 View attachment 348468
View attachment 348469

Any recommendations?

I.m seeing 19 EWLs and there looks to be development in almost every egg. This is so cool.

 

[CommanderBacon]

I will say, be prepared with another incubator style just in case....we all have something that we find that worked for us, but its through trial and error...I know many who use your incubator style, I cant win with them......usually your own trial and error will help in the future, first sacs commonly do see greater than average losses though, so dont beat your self up if that happens, just adjust and learn from it.

I have been thinking about this. I selected it because it seemed like a good option, but after speaking to an experienced breeder (I panicked quite a bit and a friend suggested that I reach out to him), I have taped up almost all of the vent holes. I think they will lose too much moisture with that many holes, and if I think about it, it makes sense that the moisture would be contained inside of the actual sac. LA is usually extremely dry, so I want to err on the side of caution. What's the climate like where you are?

The breeder also suggested that I warm the water a little, so I warmed it to 85 f and have the incubator sitting on top of the refrigerator for the warmth.

I hope all of this works out and I end up with some spiderlings. I take losses pretty hard.

I'm relieved to see that your eggs all molted successfully! I might have tossed out eggs that looked like that, but I admittedly have no experience with this. What made you hold onto them?

 

[cold blood]

have taped up almost all of the vent holes. I think they will lose too much moisture

While you dont want it ventilated too much, i always have a bunch and have never worried about such restriction.

LA is usually extremely dry, so I want to err on the side of caution. What's the climate like where you

In winter, its crazy dry, in summer its crazy humid....i use the same incubator.

The breeder also suggested that I warm the water a little, so I warmed it to 85 f and have the incubator sitting on top of the refrigerator for the warmth.

Well thats not necessary....ive never warmed an incubator....now my room is heated, there are times where the room is only around 70f, and while things may develope slower, i havent noticed it effecting survival rates.

successfully! I might have tossed out eggs that looked like that, but I admittedly have no experience with this. What made you hold onto them?

nothing looked dead (off colored) and they werent hard.