Is my spiderling normal?

Love to Foxtrot

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 11, 2003
Messages
163
It will be two weeks this Sunday since I bought my spiderling. He (it?) is a G. rosea and could fit on a pencil eraser, is hairless, pink, and nearly immobile. He is past the ball-with-legs stage, but according to what I have read is only 1 molt past that stage. He can move around a little bit, but usually just sits in one place and waves his legs if I move the cup. (Cute!) I was told that sometime after I bought him his abdomen would darken, he would molt, and only then would he want to eat. His abdomen seems to be darkening and he is moving less. (When I bought him, his abdomen was white) I offered him some chopped mealworm pieces several days ago, but he took no interest in them. I was told that at this point he is still being nourished by the egg, and his abdomen is still round and fat, but two weeks seems like a long time. I am keeping his substrate moist for humidity. Does this seem like reasonable period of time for this life stage? I would hate to have him be hungry. Any suggestions? Aubrey
 

That_Guy

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
May 17, 2003
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92
Well, alot of my tarantulas just sit like stones....So if you wanted a moving T you should have gotten a curly hair or something. Or if you want one where you dont care for a T at all, you just care for dirt, go with the Cobalt.....Im going on, and on. Its fine in my eyes.
 

RugbyDave

Arachnoprince
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Apr 5, 2003
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1,428
i'd say maybe try a pinhead (crushed head) or a "flightless" fruit fly..

but if not, no worries. when the T is hungry, it will eat.. yes, even at that young of a stage..

and don't move the cup. even if you think its cute, imagine if your environment randomly kept shifting while you were trying to get some kind of holding, you know :)

but dont worry, keep the temp slightly above what it should be, and a teensy bit more moist... you don't to have it real damp if its a rosea sling.

Some people may be into the whole KEEP ALL SLINGS WET, but not me. Its more of a dry species, so just elevate the humidity a little bit.

we tend to treat slings a bit different than the adults.. just for nourisment and health purposes.... we want them to grow up big and strong! =D

don't worry, though!
what temp do youhave it at? raising the temp can help to stimulate the feeding reponse, but i think your sling is getting enough nourisment...

peace
dave
 

Love to Foxtrot

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 11, 2003
Messages
163
temp

My room stays a little warmer than the rest of the house, probably about 74 at night, and between 76-78 during the day. On the chillier nights, I put his cup on my skink's wire mesh tank lid after I turn her heat light off so the spider can get some of the radiating warmth. I also put my baby Egyptian Mantis's tank on the cage lid for warmth at night. I make sure that I put them far enough from the hot end of the tank that they don't get too warm, but they still get a little extra heat. I think I'll offer a little more food today. Thank you for the help! Aubrey
 

RugbyDave

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
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Apr 5, 2003
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well i'd say just keep an eye on it and try some diff foods..and def try to give it some time to adjust and warm up ..

good luck
peace
dave
 

D-Man

Arachnochicano
Old Timer
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Feb 27, 2003
Messages
356
If your sling is past the "ball with legs" stage, or post-embryo stage, it is not getting any nourishment from an egg because it molted from it. This is what you call a 1st instar. I'm with Dave on this, keep the temp on the high side. I keep mine in the 80's to keep them active and kick up their metabolism. If the abdomen is darkening it may be in pre-molt and will not eat. But offer it some mashed food anyway. After each molt with slings, wait at least a few days before offering food. They need to complete "tanning," or hardening their exoskeleton before they can safely eat.

Good luck!

Dario
 
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