What am I doing wrong??

[eagansmom]

Ok, so around 12/19 my regal jumper laid a nice egg sack. I haven’t mated her but I did purchase her from a store who could have so I just thought maybe she was ready to lay her last sac. The first thing I noticed was that the sac detached from the top, so she was sitting it squished in the sack. I really did not want to disturb her at all… I would mist the cage and offer food if she was half way out of the web sac. Then a week ago I saw her not in the web at all, I thought to myself ok they must be infertile. Today I come home to her consuming the sac, well I believe she is doing. She is sticking her large fangs in the bottom. Weird thing is from the top it looks like they hatched. I don’t know! Any advice ?

Extra note: i actually spotted 2 live babies crawling away from the sac so I removed the entire sac. I don’t know what to do now. Mama is ok, she ate a meal worm right after I removed the sac.

 

[Thearachnidaddict]

So it’s not normal to eat the kid after birth? If that’s the case than I have made a terrible mistake

 

[eagansmom]

So it’s not normal to eat the kid after birth? If that’s the case than I have made a terrible mistake

LOL well I mean this is probably normal for her... maybe I should have removed the sac sooner?? What did I not do to make her eat them??

 

[Thearachnidaddict]

LOL well I mean this is probably normal for her... maybe I should have removed the sac sooner?? What did I not do to make her eat them??

Normal for her? Are humans not supposed to do that? Since when was infant cannibalism abnormal?

 

[The Snark]

Any advice ?

Avoid eating singing food? Seriously, sounds like a learning lesson. Maybe you can share ongoing events with us.

 

[octanejunkie]

I think what the established hobbyists here are saying is this is normal behavior, nature is all about balance

 

[Nicole C G]

Completely normal.

 

[eagansmom]

What I am trying to ask is if my spider did this because of something I did not provide or something that I may have done whether it be temperature or humidity issues. I was hoping someone may have experience with Phiddipus Regius and their behavior regarding egg laying. I understand her consuming the egg sac is a part of nature. I read somewhere that if the eggs were infertile that they will consume the sac. So really, I was expecting it... What I was not expecting and found odd was that the eggs weren't infertile! The little babies were running away from the egg sac protein shake she was making.

 

[Nicole C G]

What I am trying to ask is if my spider did this because of something I did not provide or something that I may have done whether it be temperature or humidity issues. I was hoping someone may have experience with Phiddipus Regius and their behavior regarding egg laying. I understand her consuming the egg sac is a part of nature. I read somewhere that if the eggs were infertile that they will consume the sac. So really, I was expecting it... What I was not expecting and found odd was that the eggs weren't infertile! The little babies were running away from the egg sac protein shake she was making.

I doubt it was caused by anything you did or didn’t do.

 

[8 legged]

What I am trying to ask is if my spider did this because of something I did not provide or something that I may have done whether it be temperature or humidity issues. I was hoping someone may have experience with Phiddipus Regius and their behavior regarding egg laying. I understand her consuming the egg sac is a part of nature. I read somewhere that if the eggs were infertile that they will consume the sac. So really, I was expecting it... What I was not expecting and found odd was that the eggs weren't infertile! The little babies were running away from the egg sac protein shake she was making.

You had 99 percent no influence on what you described above. Absolutely normal, everyone gets to know over time!

 

[eagansmom]

I appreciate those of you who were kind and gave confirmation that there was nothing I could have done. There really isn't a lot of straight forward information on this situation that I could find. Thank you again for the help. For those who felt the need to use sarcasm on a simple question... way to welcome a new member. Then one of you finding me on another board to only further repeat the sarcasm for no reason. Please find something better to do. My question was neither stupid or pointless, this was my first egg sac and wasn't even intentional. Isn't this forum for the purpose of discussing spiders and questions? If you don't have something constructive to say... don't say anything.

 

[Nicole C G]

I appreciate those of you who were kind and gave confirmation that there was nothing I could have done. There really isn't a lot of straight forward information on this situation that I could find. Thank you again for the help. For those who felt the need to use sarcasm on a simple question... way to welcome a new member. Then one of you finding me on another board to only further repeat the sarcasm for no reason. Please find something better to do. My question was neither stupid or pointless, this was my first egg sac and wasn't even intentional. Isn't this forum for the purpose of discussing spiders and questions? If you don't have something constructive to say... don't say anything.

Arachoboards has a lot of people who are very sarcastic and make a lot of jokes. Just assume they mean well. (I don’t know what you are referring to specifically, they could be being mean but idk?)
If people aren’t answering directly it usually means that “there’s nothing you can do” or “it’s perfectly fine/normal”

 

[PhoenixFyre]

I appreciate those of you who were kind and gave confirmation that there was nothing I could have done. There really isn't a lot of straight forward information on this situation that I could find. Thank you again for the help. For those who felt the need to use sarcasm on a simple question... way to welcome a new member. Then one of you finding me on another board to only further repeat the sarcasm for no reason. Please find something better to do. My question was neither stupid or pointless, this was my first egg sac and wasn't even intentional. Isn't this forum for the purpose of discussing spiders and questions? If you don't have something constructive to say... don't say anything.

I'm so sorry that someone found it necessary to do that to you on another forum.

That was uncalled for and not at all typical of the long-time members here.

I'm new to the hobby as well, albeit tarantulas. But from the day I arrived, I quickly learned that most members here were kind, patient, and extremely knowledgeable. They had no reservations in sharing what they knew and I have never been told that my questions were stupid, silly, or anything along those lines. This is the main reason I became a supporter and gave up visiting any other boards.

Yes, there are sarcastic responses for some threads from members I truly respect - but their sarcasm has no malicious intent behind it. You'll come to learn that yourself and probably laugh along with the rest of us.

Others...well...I ignore. You'll come to learn that too.

As for your issue, all I can say is from what I've learned in tarantula keeping. Females will eat their egg sac and sometimes cannibalize their babies. Why? No one really knows, but it happens. That's why most keepers remove the sac. But, in doing that you will need to learn how to care for the sac (enclosure, temps, etc.) and of course for the slings that will eventually come from it.

It is not your fault that your spider did it - you did nothing wrong. It's nature and how She is. Even the most experienced keepers have this happen, so you're not alone.

I urge you to read all that you can here. There is a wealth of information to be learned.

And don't let one member discourage you from asking questions, you really are in the right place to learn.

P

 

[The Snark]

@eagansmom and everyone else. This thread has two excellent examples for us to keep in mind.

OP, you got some seemingly flippant, annoying or testy replies for a reason. There are very few spider enthusiasts here who haven't been driven nuts by their animals strange behavior. One T immediately fills the water dish with dirt while it's sibling in the neighboring enclosure insists on sitting in the dish. The keepers always wonder if they are doing something wrong. Thus the replies were in fact, Welcome to the crowd of keepers trying to do everything right and their animal is determined to send them round the bleedin pipe regardless of their efforts.

One common aspect is a spider having a sac then suddenly eating it. What the heck? Nobody knows for sure why. Can be any number of reasons. And your spider decided to do a variation on the theme, hatching out some young and munching the sac. We are collectively shaking our heads, not at you but the spider, thinking 'Well, that's ..... different.'

Our three cats just demonstrated the weird is the norm with animals. I just went out the door to my office. Cat #1 has decided to be a speed bump in my road of life, trying to get me to trip over her. Cat #2 goes freak out and dashes downstairs and cat #3 lurks on the towel cabinet in the hopes I will get close enough for him to jump on my shoulder. So what am I doing wrong?