P. murinus sling

[stryder05]

I've had a P. murinus sling now for about a month now and while in my care, hasnt molted and only eaten twice since I've had her and that was within the first week. At first I was feeding her micro crickets and now I've changed over to roach nymphs. They are about the size of her abdomen but she just doesnt seem to care for them, she just sits in her webbed burrow and watches it pass by. At first I'm like "she must be about to molt then". But its now been 2-3 weeks and nothing. Anyone have any experience with p murinus slings and with how long it takes for them to molt as a sling? I got a s.cal at the same time and that sling has molted no probs.

Her enclosure is fine aswell as its pretty much the same as the s.cal, h.mac and p.fasciata I have and they are all fine.

 

[dopamine]

I've said it before, i'll say it again, P. murinus + eating + molt = i wish. These spiders will leave you wondering, "when?" all day.

 

[robd]

If the waiting is killing you, you could always buy a heat pad, put it on the backside of a 10g, put your sling(s) in there and they'll molt quicker.

I prefer this method in regard to sling upbringing and it's actually worked out great so far. The sooner your T gets past being an itsy bitsy spider, the better as their chances of making it to being an adult. Those chances increase by the molt, of course.

Also, I know a lot of people don't water their slings cause they just go with the idea of: "slings get their water from their prey". Put a droplet in there if you can. I bet you it finds it and starts drinking. It doesn't matter that it's an OBT either. They need water and will be glad to see it. I learned this lesson a few months back. I hadn't been giving my slings much water and then I changed that trend and guess what happened? They all molted in a relatively short time thereafter.

 

[micheldied]

Also, I know a lot of people don't water their slings cause they just go with the idea of: "slings get their water from their prey". Put a droplet in there if you can. I bet you it finds it and starts drinking. It doesn't matter that it's an OBT either. They need water and will be glad to see it. I learned this lesson a few months back. I hadn't been giving my slings much water and then I changed that trend and guess what happened? They all molted in a relatively short time thereafter.

agreed.
i always provide my slings with water by misting some of the substrate,they molt almost immediately after refusing food.

 

[Projecht13]

I have 4 obt slings check it out.

i keep them warm, around 85 degrees. I mist their enclosure every 4 days or so. They go right after the water and drink on it and massacre anything that comes close to them. Ive had them for about 4 weeks now and they have all molted once. Obt's will refuse food in premolt tho so if they are not eating make sure they have access to water and they will be fine. Just dont let them get that hot with no water or food bc they will dry out.

 

[TomM]

I got a .5" OBT sling in January and at first it barely ate anything. The more it webbed up the enclosure the more "comfortable" it probably got with its home and it's been eating like a champ since. It's around 1" now and getting ready to molt again. Temps around 78ºF.

 

[stryder05]

Well I mist the enclosure around twice a week, and the temp is probably sitting at around 70-75F. She's only webbed up a certain bit of the enclosure and just sits in there waiting at the entrance. Got no idea what she is doing really :S

 

[sjn01]

i guess the first ting that would come to mind would b smething about the temp or humidity not being comfortable. Maybe you could try sqashing a larger cricket or locust so that some of the puss comes out and see it the spider takes it away.
I had that prob for a bit wit a sling but now for the mo itseems to be solved

 

[gumby]

I think Michael Jacobi says it best in this article called Tarantulas cant read: http://www.exoticfauna.com/arachnoculture/4/AC-i4a8-p1.html
No matter how much we think we know about our Ts or what they should or shouldnt be doing according to their genus and species we have to make sure we dont force that information on our Ts they are going to act how they want and do things very different then what a book might say sometimes.

 

[stryder05]

No worries now, she molted last night and has came out of her little burrow. Hopefully she'll feel up to eating within the next couple days

 

[sjn01]

that was a really funny article, thanks for the link