Tarantula Growth Rates

[BnBattaglia]

So a while ago I bought my first ever tarantula, a B.Smithi sling. But I've read that theyre one of the slower growing species. Being impatient, I want to get another species that will grow much quicker. Obviously I'd rather a more docile species but if you know roughly how long any species would take to grow from a 1cm sling to full size, then please let me know!

 

[Hobo]

Why don't you just get an adult tarantula? Then you can watch one grow and have one at full size.

How fast a species grows depends greatly on the temperature, and how much (or how little) you feed it.
Keep it hot and feed 'em a lot, and even slow growers gain size fairly quickly.

 

[fnydm4]

The L. Parahybana is one of the fastest growing tarantulas, with some reaching maturity in as little as 2 years. That means it could go from 1cm to 4-5"+ in that time span if, as Hobo eluded to, you elevate the temps and power feed it.

 

[MarkmD]

Yeah it really depends on the species of T and temps/feeding etc, the more you feed a sling the faster it (usually) molts, a slow growing T will always take longer, now L,parahybana as mentioned do grow pretty fast usually every 2-3 weeks for smaller slings and 4-8 weeks for 1"+ slings, then to juvies 3-5"+ can be 4-7 months depending on feeding/heating routine, I also agree with Hobo as get a Juvie/adult T and watch the sling grow.

 

[TarantulaGuy84]

I've had a C. Darlingi as a sling in January and he hit his final molt in less than 8 months. Sucks because I've never really seen him, he was alway hiding in his burrow.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Introvertebrate]

I'm pretty sure P. murinus is the fastest grower in the hobby.

 

[Poec54]

I'm pretty sure P. murinus is the fastest grower in the hobby.

Which meets the docile requirement that the OP asked for...

 

[nicodimus22]

The bite history on the Orange Bitey Thing scares me a bit, after having read through it. No offense to anyone who has one...they just aren't for me.

 

[Kazaam]

I heard Acanthoscurria's and Nhandu's grow pretty fast.

 

[Poec54]

The bite history on the Orange Bitey Thing scares me a bit, after having read through it. No offense to anyone who has one...they just aren't for me.

Understandable. Beleve me, we don't want to get bit either. That's why it's great that there's so many species of tarantulas in captivity now, because there's some to fit everyone's tastes and skill level. You can make a nice collection just focusing in on a few genera that appeal to you.

 

[Kazaam]

I don't find P. murinus that bad at all....

 

[Thistles]

I don't find P. murinus that bad at all....

My first one was a pussycat. The rest I've had live up to their name. They're each individuals!

 

[aracnovenom]

yeah,i am quite careful whenever i go into my room as i have alot of pokies,psalmo's and a p.cancerides,which all grow fast,but the fastest growing docile tarantula that comes to mind is probably anything in the avicularia or lasiodora genus,but as said before,keep 'em hot and feed 'em alot,then almost everything grows quickly

 

[prairiepanda]

Temperature and feeding are key. My G pulchra is supposed to be a slow growing species, but she's been molting far more often than my much smaller A versicolor. They are kept in the same room, so same temperature, but the pulchra definitely eats more. The versi rarely eats.

But I agree with others here that an LP might be a good choice for you. Many of them don't have a temperament for handling, but they're docile enough to not intimidate you And yes, they grow crazy fast and never turn down food unless in premolt.

 

[reunsch]

I also bought a B. smithi sling as my first, and then started to look for some bigger ones. I got a mature Heterothele villosella (Tanzanian Dwarf Chestnut) female, an unsexed Hapalopus sp. Colombia Large (Pumpkin Patch - these have incredible colour, showing at 2nd instar if I remember correctly) sling, two Acanthoscurria geniculata (Brazilian Giant White Knee juveniles), which grow pretty fast based on the discussion I had with the breeder - he showed me two juveniles that came from the same sac but were raised at different temperatures and the one at the lower temperature was probably half the size of the one at a higher temperature, two Brachypelma vagans (Mexican Red Rumps) slings and a Brachypelma albopilosum (Curly Hair) juvenile. Now I have a nice assortment of T's at different stages, so I can enjoy them all and watch them grow.