Tiny sling missing a leg, will it be ok?

[Andrea B]

Just got my first T. A tiny Caribena versicolor sling from Jaimes tarantulas. I put it in its enclosure and noticed it's missing a leg. Will it regrow? It's such a tiny, fragile little thing.

 

[Jones0911]

As long as its not constantly falling which I doubt it is, the leg should grow back within 2-3 molts.

 

[Andrea B]

As long as its not constantly falling which I doubt it is, the leg should grow back within 2-3 molts.

Thanks for the quick response. I have anxiety and it runs over to my pets to. I get very anxious about them. Lol.

 

[Jones0911]

That's quit normal

when I got my Stirmi pair, when I got one fully out of the packaging, I noticed a leg had came off.

It was still healthy and active and the leg grew back eventually

 

[jaycied]

They can self amputate, losing limbs is no big deal to them. There was an experiment where all the legs of a tarantula were removed, it was hand-fed, and regrew all of them the next molt. Not entirely, but they did eventually come back completely.

 

[miss moxie]

I've had a sling drop a leg after a rough molt, and it regenerated it the next molt and then the molt after that it was like it had never lost the leg at all. If it's very small, .5" or so, it might completely regenerate it next molt. It seems easier when they're smaller.

 

[OliverWhatever]

There was an experiment where all the legs of a tarantula were removed, it was hand-fed, and regrew all of them the next molt.

As awful as that is, I can't help but laugh at the idea of a tarantula without legs, especially the more aggressive spiders. Being threatened by a tiny little tarantula is hilarious enough as is.

 

[jaycied]

It

As awful as that is, I can't help but laugh at the idea of a tarantula without legs, especially the more aggressive spiders. Being threatened by a tiny little tarantula is hilarious enough as is.

It's definitely a dark bit of humor

 

[Andrea B]

Thanks for all the reassuring information. Right now she's hiding from me in her cork bark. I tried to take her picture and I swear she flicked hairs at the flash as tiny as she is. Lol.

 

[Venom1080]

Yes, it will most likely be fine.

More importantly, and not to be rude, what kind of set up is it in? These guys are pretty fragile as slings and die very quickly with the wrong care. And there is tons of misinformation out there about them.

Also, this genus can't kick hairs. They rub them.

 

[miss moxie]

Yeah while you're here, why not share the enclosure? I've got 10 itty bitty versicolors, all started at .5" and 5 are now around .75" maybe a smidge bigger. I love C. versicolors!

 

[Andrea B]

She's in the spiderling enclosure from Jaimes Tarantulas. Any care information is welcome. I'm new to the world of arachnids and inverts. So I need the help. I set up the enclosure as instructed from a YouTube vid by Jaime. And I lightly misted the inside of the enclosure. I have pinhead b. Lateralis roaches to feed, but I'm waiting a few days to let her get acclimated to her new home before I try to feed her.

 

[Venom1080]

She's in the spiderling enclosure from Jaimes Tarantulas. Any care information is welcome. I'm new to the world of arachnids and inverts. So I need the help. I set up the enclosure as instructed from a YouTube vid by Jaime. And I lightly misted the inside of the enclosure. I have pinhead b. Lateralis roaches to feed, but I'm waiting a few days to let her get acclimated to her new home before I try to feed her.

That will probably work. Keep it dry with a small water dish.

 

[Andrea B]

Where can I find a tiny water dish? She's itsy bitsy.

 

[miss moxie]

She's in the spiderling enclosure from Jaimes Tarantulas. Any care information is welcome. I'm new to the world of arachnids and inverts. So I need the help. I set up the enclosure as instructed from a YouTube vid by Jaime. And I lightly misted the inside of the enclosure. I have pinhead b. Lateralis roaches to feed, but I'm waiting a few days to let her get acclimated to her new home before I try to feed her.

That sounds fine. Misting is alright for offering them water on their webs to drink, but it can sort of freak them out and make them bolt. I'd imagine it's like a predator's breath. As for adding humidity, misting isn't a great option as it provides a short burst of humidity and then it's gone. But in the case of Caribena/Avicularia/Ybyrapora, high humidity can be a bad thing. Stuffy, overly humid enclosures kill these Ts with abandon.

I've heard mixed things on feeding Ts the day you get them, but I always offer a T a food item after re/housing them. Either they'll take it or they won't. I've usually never had a new tarantula snub an offered prey-item. I don't believe I've heard anything about it being a bad thing to offer it to them right away.

Regardless, the first time you feed, crush the head of the pinhead and if the T is in the open, gently hold it in front of it and let it brush against their leg. One of two things will happen-- 1. it will shy away and refuse to take it. In that case, leave the prey item overnight because they might be more comfortable scavenge-feeding. 2. it will readily take the food item and you'll know in the future that you might be able to feed this particular T live food. Out of my 10, it's a mixed bag. Some will readily accept it, some will only scavenge. Either way, do not leave the tarantula unattended with a living prey item. It could very well end up eating your tarantula instead of the other way around.

 

[miss moxie]

Where can I find a tiny water dish? She's itsy bitsy.

My .5" C. versicolor slings get a water bottle cap for a water dish. Don't worry about them drowning, they have hydrophobic setae and float across the water.

 

[Venom1080]

Where can I find a tiny water dish? She's itsy bitsy.

Tarantulas basically float on water, it's basically impossible for them to drown.

 

[miss moxie]

 

[cold blood]

As awful as that is, I can't help but laugh at the idea of a tarantula without legs, especially the more aggressive spiders. Being threatened by a tiny little tarantula is hilarious enough as is.

Two-legged Avic

• cold blood
• Oct 15, 2016
• 8
• avicularia avicularia avicularia missing legs pinktoe tarantula sling

A. avic 2 legs is better than none. Fully recovered now.

2 legs....next molt, all 5, albeit a little skinnier, but it was back to normalcy.

Formerly Johnny 2 legs

• cold blood
• Oct 15, 2016
• 3
• avicularia avicularia avicularia pinktoe tarantula sling

Formerly Johnny 2 legs. This is the recovered avic avic.

T. ockerti taking a dive....she dives in sometimes if spooked...quite funny, she'll sit like this for long periods of time...once for several hours.

diving ockerti

• cold blood
• Jun 3, 2017
• 3

T. ockerti

Not only a huge flicker, and a butt waver....but sometimes when startled she dives...

 

[miss moxie]

T. ockerti taking a dive....she dives in sometimes if spooked...quite funny, she'll sit like this for long periods of time...once for several hours.

diving ockerti

• cold blood
• Jun 3, 2017
• 3

T. ockerti

Not only a huge flicker, and a butt waver....but sometimes when startled she dives...

She looks like my L. klugi! Even though he has a hide, when I open the enclosure and he's 'too far' away from it, he'll run left-- then right-- then dives face first into the substrate. Tarantulas are such nerds.