My L. parahybana doesn't grow much...

AneesasMuse

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 31, 2006
Messages
838
I got my little L. parahybana last year ... she was 1/2 inch or so, barely. I was feeding her every week for awhile until I realized she was wasting more bugs than she was eating... so I feed her every couple weeks now. She moults fine. She burrows fine. She eats when I feed her. She just doesn't grow as fast as I expected.

What do you think?





That's a 2" flower pot, btw... or maybe it's 3" ? :)
 

AneesasMuse

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 31, 2006
Messages
838
When I was feeding her more, she wasn't eating as often... hence the lesser feedings.

Do they normally grow this slow? Are some slower than others within the same species? I have no idea.

Ahh... maybe it's a temp thing, then. Hmmmm..
 

AneesasMuse

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 31, 2006
Messages
838
My room is in the 75-80 range more often than not... and it drops a good 10 degrees at night.

If this is not warm enough for her, how do I provide more heat for her? She's soooo small.

Thanks!
~Aminah
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Messages
8,656
No that is plenty you are doing fine with the temps........... I would move her to a smaller tank. Like 1/3 of what she has now. And offer food every few days, try different things to. crickets, roaches, mealworms. superworms. Anything to get her to try and put on some weight.
 

Hamburglar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 25, 2007
Messages
585
I have had my sling for over two months now and no signs of a molt. Mine is kept in a vial with similar temps. However, I do feed more often... every couple of days or so. I forgot to mention that it is a half inch or so..
 

Mushroom Spore

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 14, 2005
Messages
4,588
I think these people acting like you should panic are silly. :D Like you said, everything's fine, she's just got her own pace. And a lean diet is better for them than overfeeding, since she looks round enough and seems to be molting okay, so she's not exactly having problems.

I got a 1/4" or 1/2" or so para sling myself, January '06. MAYBE 2" now. Nothing wrong with it, just taking its time. Fast-metabolism species already don't live as long, I see no reason to complain if mine grows a little slower. I'll have him/her longer. :)
 

Daniel_h

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Messages
202
i would probably try feeding it more....i feed my blondi quite often and it takes the food the moment it lands in the tank...seems to be growing quite fast
 

David Burns

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 18, 2003
Messages
1,681
IME L.parahybana are slow growers until they get to about 2 inches. There might be aprox.8 molts from 1/2" to 2". Feeding more might help and if you can keep them at the high end of those temps without dropping it at night. After they reach 2" they will grow faster. I hatched an egg sac of this species last year (1600 slings) and the ones I kept are only 1 1/2" right now.
 

Moltar

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
5,438
Perhaps this is irrelevant to this thread but that substrate looks awwwwful moist. Bordering on swampy even. Had you just watered the corner in the background when you took the pic? I thought parahybana liked it on the dry side. Maybe this is stressing the lil bugger which could be contributing to the problem.
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Messages
8,656
It looks like a recent misting. There is water on the T too. I have had only one sling and if I get another Ill keep it wetter then I did the first time. Mine seemed to waste away in dryer conditions.
 

AneesasMuse

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 31, 2006
Messages
838
Thanks Everyone... this is interesting..

She's in the smallest KK they make... I moved her from a 2x2 cuz she seemed cramped. She's moulted 4 times. I mist her little viv 2x a week unless the temps get to 90+ outside... resulting in fans ablaze in here, and drying everyone out faster. (No a/c) Her abdomen is quite plump all the time, too. And she's pretty active... she either skee'daddles off when I open her viv or she poses for me {D At her tiny size, the threat pose is hilarious... but I try to act accordingly and not all out laugh at her. :rolleyes:

I'll try one of my baby dubia's again and see if she'll take it before it burrows down in her substrate. I've never seen any mealworms or superworms small enough to give her. I did give her a tiny little silky a couple weeks ago, but I had to dig around before finding that ONE little bitty one. I usually just give her crickets.

Will she still take "pieces" of bigger prey? I mean, can I slice up a mealworm and give it to her? How big are Phoenix worms... anyone know? Being Spring, I'm pretty sure I can find quite a few prey items online for her.

Thanks again!
~Aminah & L'il SeMoNi


P.s. Yes, it was a recent misting... right before I took her pics. :)
 

Hamburglar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 25, 2007
Messages
585
I dismember crickets for my sling and it takes them just fine... it has a big belly and refused food for the first time so I think I am ready for my first molt soon...
 

omni

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 30, 2007
Messages
382
I tried cutting up mealworms and crickets for my little 1/2" paras, if they don't eat the mealworm soon, it gets too hard for them. I think more cricket bits get eaten than mealworms. I'm gonna start them on pinheads soon, i think theyre active enough now to catch 'em. Out of 5 siblings, I see one is bigger than the rest.
 

KaineSoulblade

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
177
I got my little L. parahybana last year ... she was 1/2 inch or so, barely.
So that is how big it is after a year?

I got my L. Para about 7 weeks ago. It was almost 1/2'' when I got it and looked much like your pictures. Almost a see-through brownish in coloration. Now just seven weeks later she has molted twice, is about an inch and a half going on two and has darkened to almost black.

I keep her small temporary home misted and there is always atleast 2 pinheads in there. She doesn't seem to over-eat. I would average about 5-9 pinheads devoured a week. I hold her atleast twice a day and she has never given me any attitude or threat postures. Once in awhile when I open the lid she will scurry to her little burrow, but once stroked, comes out for handling.
 

Mushroom Spore

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 14, 2005
Messages
4,588
there is always atleast 2 pinheads in there. She doesn't seem to over-eat. I would average about 5-9 pinheads devoured a week.
Just so you know, this is powerfeeding, and speeds up the tarantula "aging" process, meaning she won't live as long if you keep this up. Also you should NEVER have crickets in there "at all times" as it stresses out the spider. They are quite capable of hurting or killing her, especially if she molts with them in there.

I would also debate that she is "coming out for handling." More like investigating a possible threat or prey item. {D Handling twice a day isn't likely good for her, but I guess as long as she's still eating you aren't actively causing her harm. Tarantulas are not social animals, they are not wired to want, enjoy, or understand interaction with other life forms beyond "predator, prey, or mate."
 
Top