update on B albo slings

[Immortal_sin]

well, I just wanted to update everyone on the status of the curlyhair slings that I kept, due to problems molting into their 1st instar. Out of 22, 16 have sucessfully molted again. Most of them are missing (numerous) legs, and palps. One of them now has 3 legs total, and only 1 palp. The one I thought I killed the other night is still alive and looking well (except for the missing appendages).
I am feeding them all pre killed mini mealworms, as alot of them would have trouble with anything else.
Now, I am wondering about some things. I know none of them would have survived in the wild...so...is it because the conditions were not right in captivity, or might these be the 'runts' and unhealthy ones in the eggsac anyway?
I guess it's an impossible question, but it certainly bears thinking about. The other question then becomes: should these 'problem' babies ever be bred? Is this the weaker genetic stock?
Any thoughts on this?

 

[looseyfur]

fate

I beleive in fate and find fate and natural selection to sometime enter twine. Sentient animals (us) make decisons that impact the ecosphere all the time. Hobbyests choose to severly inbreed cats and dogs to get some of the quality sought after species we have today (ie. smaller and smaller dogs) so out of this comes the genetic expierment for tiny tarantulas which of course would last about .012 seconds in the wild. do they have weaker genetic sequences the odds of ever finding out seeing as the only way you would have to study it would take you years, and about 1000000 punnet squares. Common sence prevail and fate does its thing and we will see interesting twists to the captive raised T population, weither or not it stems from decisions like your faced with as a hobbyest ,and how you choose to handle it , is anyones guess..

wow I didnt help at all did I??
E.

 

[Alonso99]

All slings are doing fine here, eating chopped cricket.

 

[Joy]

Originally posted by Immortal_sin
I know none of them would have survived in the wild...so...is it because the conditions were not right in captivity, or might these be the 'runts' and unhealthy ones in the eggsac anyway?
I guess it's an impossible question, but it certainly bears thinking about. The other question then becomes: should these 'problem' babies ever be bred? Is this the weaker genetic stock?
Any thoughts on this?

I'd say give it the benefit of the doubt and attribute it to environment rather than heredity. Assuming none of them exhibit similar difficulties down the road, I would see no problem with their being bred unless it be the super-abundance of B. albopilosum already on the market

Joy

 

[Chris]

This is the exact reason a lot of breeders choose to leave the spiderlings together for a longer period of time. The most basic law of nature is that only the strong survive... Out of an eggsack of lets say 800 eggs... you can expect a certain percentage to be duds... a certain persentage won't hatch out properly... and a certain percentage will hatch out as inferior specimens.

The inferior specimens will be eaten by their siblings (we all know what predators do to sick/wounded/lame animals) I think this is a natural method of feeding the population of babies.

 

[ArachnoJoost]

Wouldn't you have a higher percentage of males if you do that? This because I've heard it mentioned more than once that males are supposed to grow faster, thus having the edge on the female siblings when it comes to survival.

 

[Joy]

Originally posted by ArachnoJoost
Wouldn't you have a higher percentage of males if you do that? This because I've heard it mentioned more than once that males are supposed to grow faster, thus having the edge on the female siblings when it comes to survival.

Yes, I've heard this, too. Supposedly it's the reason why female L. parahybana are relatively rare (and expensive) despite its being a relatively common and inexpensive species.

Joy

 

[Immortal_sin]

those were my thoughts as well.
I DO have a communal group of the B albo slings as well...LOL
I am doing all kinds of experiments here. There are about 12 of them that share an extremely deep vial. I have noticed no predation, but there are some that are MUCH larger than others, and also, some that don't seem to eat, or get a chance to eat, like some of them do.
That brings up a whole nother set of questions though.
These little ones are on their 3rd instar, so we'll see when they start munching on each other.

 

[kosh]

my slings are doing fine but i have noticed several of the ones that increased their burrowing have now dug "backdoors" to their burrows...and they seem to frequently sit in one of the entrances to their double-doored burrows and have just a few legs hanging out....
since i am currently working in a larger city now im going to hit some of the local pet shops that sell T's/reptiles and see if i cant find an alternative food to crickets while im here (mealworms or something....Petsmart, Petco, and a few smaller ones that sell T's/reptiles)....

 

[galeogirl]

I lost one sling for no visibly discernable reason. The rest are feeding well and growing steadily. I converted over to the ways of beef heart to make feeding them and my small Lasiodoras simpler. $2.00 is pretty cheap for the months of meals that I'll be getting out of the heart I bought.