Need advice about baby A. Anax

Rayven

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 7, 2010
Messages
25
Hello. I incubated an Aphonopelma Anax sac and my babies are currently molting to second instars. I was expecting them to be all brown and furry after molting but they don't look much different than they did as first instars. They are still white with a black patch of urticating hairs. (They had the black patch before molting to second.) Their legs are a tad bit longer than they were as a first instar, but they haven't changed dramatically. They are much faster though, and more responsive. I saw one throw a threat posture towards a fruit fly. LOL

I placed a few fruit flies in with the ones who have molted but I have not seen any of them eat yet. (I waited a few days after they molted.) Most tarantulas will eat at second instar so I assumed they'd eat.

Have any of you breed A. Anax? If so, when did the babies begin eating? When did they turn brown and hairy? I know Anax are slow growers but I didn't think they'd still be white at this point. I would appreciate advice anyone who has breed Anax would care to offer. Thanks.

(Fyrefly, if you see this thread, have your babies molted yet? How are they doing?)



Pics...

a new Second Instar



Notice my finger, they are still so small




Molting to second



As an early First Instar




Egg with legs




Mother (Peanut) and a male I was breeding her with. She has a better cage now.


 

Hanes

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
52
A lot of new world slings look very similiar as 2i, for instance: brachypelmas, lasiodora, grammostola to name a few. I'm don't own any aphonopelmas but I would imagine it would take a few molts before becoming "brown and hairy"
 

Mack&Cass

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Messages
1,574
Most NWs will be the light brown with black urticating hair patch on their abdomen. They'll probably start darkening up at about 1.5", but I've never raised A. anax from a sling so I'm not completely sure. I've found that's when most NW slings start getting darker and look more like a tarantula.

Cass
 

Fyreflye

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
271
(Fyrefly, if you see this thread, have your babies molted yet? How are they doing?)
I thought that may have been you, not too many people raising anax these days. I was actually going to email you soon to give you an update.

I'm fairly certain that one of my little ones has passed away trying to molt. I've left him alone and given him a couple days, but there has been no movement or response to being touched. :( I expected that they might not both make it.

The other got tangled in his molt and had it stuck to his back leg for a day before i tried to intervene. The leg was all twisted at odd angles, and i had to 'amputate'- pinched it off with tweezers. It will grow back. I have not offered food yet, as his abdomen is still fairly large and round. I will get some fruit flies soon, and try them pre-killed.
 

Rayven

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 7, 2010
Messages
25
I'm sorry to hear that. A few of the ones I have here died while trying to molt. I waited until they grew moldy or started looking like they melted before tossing them, just to be sure.

Two of them looked dead but pulled through. I was going to toss them out, then I got busy making a dart frog cage. When I got back around to checking on them they had molted and were okay. Weird. They had stayed *dead* looking for two days and had stopped responding to my touching their legs. I thought for sure they were dead. Don't throw yours out just yet, it might surprise you and molt. If it gets melty looking or fuzzy though, it's surely dead.

If one or both don't make it, let me know and I'll replace them with ones who have already molted. I am not sure if any of them have eaten yet though. A few of the fruit flies have disappeared in the cups, but I am not sure if they were eaten. They may have escaped through the air holes. I ordered some small crickets and will try those when they arrive. If the tarantulas run from the crickets I'll have to remove them and try something else or keep trying every few days. If Anax don't eat at second instar I don't want the crickets injuring them.

Thank you everyone for your advice. If anyone here has bred this species I would love to hear how they raised the slings.


I thought that may have been you, not too many people raising anax these days. I was actually going to email you soon to give you an update.

I'm fairly certain that one of my little ones has passed away trying to molt. I've left him alone and given him a couple days, but there has been no movement or response to being touched. :( I expected that they might not both make it.

The other got tangled in his molt and had it stuck to his back leg for a day before i tried to intervene. The leg was all twisted at odd angles, and i had to 'amputate'- pinched it off with tweezers. It will grow back. I have not offered food yet, as his abdomen is still fairly large and round. I will get some fruit flies soon, and try them pre-killed.
 

mickey66

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 27, 2009
Messages
207
Most NWs will be the light brown with black urticating hair patch on their abdomen. They'll probably start darkening up at about 1.5", but I've never raised A. anax from a sling so I'm not completely sure. I've found that's when most NW slings start getting darker and look more like a tarantula.

Cass
I have 2 aphonopelma sp. paysoni slings maybe 1/4" or a tad bigger and they are dark grey at this size.
 
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