M. Gigantea sealed burrow in spring

[schmiggle]

I bet these sometimes randomly fast for no obvious reason, like certain T's or pythons. When you have a metabolism that slow (not identical, of course, but I've read that scorpions have a metabolism lower than a carrot's), you don't need to eat often at all.

 

[Lykoloo]

Yeah I'm relieved. Massively looking forward to seeing her out and about again once she's hardened up. It'll be interesting to see how much she's grown.

It's amazing that they go from a tiny hatchling to an adult in only 4 moults.

 

[basin79]

It's amazing that they go from a tiny hatchling to an adult in only 4 moults.

That can't be true can it?

 

[schmiggle]

That can't be true can it?

Ayup. The only thing that's not entirely clear from this source is whether there's an extra only that happens on the back of the mother (meaning five instars rather than four).
http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Mastigoproctus_giganteus/
Since they only molt annually even as subadults, they have to grow a lot at each molt.

 

[basin79]

Ayup. The only thing that's not entirely clear from this source is whether there's an extra only that happens on the back of the mother (meaning five instars rather than four).
http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Mastigoproctus_giganteus/
Since they only molt annually even as subadults, they have to grow a lot at each molt.

Bloody Nora. My little one shouldn't exactly be so little then when I next see her.