When to separate spiderlings

[Trace]

I have a sac of Poecilotheria fasciata that I have been incubating for the last month. All the "eggs with legs" are molting now into tiny little replicas of spiders. They don't have any color pattern and are barely covered in fur. I am pretty sure this is their first molt, would that make them 1st instars or 2nd instars? When should I start separating them into pill bottles?

 

[stonemantis]

I have a sac of Poecilotheria fasciata that I have been incubating for the last month. All the "eggs with legs" are molting now into tiny little replicas of spiders. They don't have any color pattern and are barely covered in fur. I am pretty sure this is their first molt, would that make them 1st instars or 2nd instars? When should I start separating them into pill bottles?

When they start dispersing is a good time to seperate them unless you're willing to lose a few to canniblism. I would take mom out before doing so because you don't want her to escape during the "chaos" of rounding up hundreds of spiderlings going several different directions.

That's just what I would suggest.

Brian

 

[Trace]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have stated that these have been removed from the sac and are in an artificial incubator. They are all still yellowish and have a large abdomen, do you think they are still living on their yolks?

 

[stonemantis]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have stated that these have been removed from the sac and are in an artificial incubator. They are all still yellowish and have a large abdomen, do you think they are still living on their yolks?

Those sound like they're 1st instar. That means they passed the eggs with legs stage but still are living off of the yolk. Do you have any pictures?

 

[Scott C.]

Just my method, but I don't separate them until 2nd instar.

 

[prey]

In the same situation

I have 20 or so H. lividum that have now molted into spiderlings who can only just now flip themselves over efficiently and really crawl around. The shed exoskeletons look like empty eggs-w/legs. There used to be a few wispy bits of skin and husk around days before, when they seemed to have gotten a tad bigger, then, too. So I don't know if this is their 2nd instar or their 1st real one. Their abdomens still look quite full of yellow yolk, but are more of an abdomen shape, even w/light markings. The rest of the slings bodies are blue.
Time to separate from each other or let sit longer?

 

[Becky]

I wouldn't seperate any while they're still living off of the yolk.. wait til they moult once more i guess. I don't think cannibalism will start until they haven't got the yolk to live off of anymore...

Prey i'd just keep an eye on them.. they're in the middle by the sounds of it lol

Good luck to the both of you x

 

[Inverted]

Once they have molted past the eggs with legs stage is a good time to separate them. You can keep them together longer but remember that cannabalism is one problem but so is speed. They get stronger and faster and are much more difficult to contain once the incubator is opened. Very few species are successfully kept together communally even for short periods. Once they begin to feed they will start feeding off each other.

 

[prey]

ty

Thanks for the advice, Inverted, & all.
Okay, I'm going to assume my intact-looking-eggs-w/legs' blatant husks (very distinct/intact "legged-egg exoskeletons") represent 1st molt. There had been shriveled, husky bits and shards floating around in the clutch, and I didn't know if I were to presume they were remnants of a first instar's molt, or if I (we) were into the second.
At any rate, my H. lividum are baby blue and fully formed after having been laid ~Jan 3 and just molting nights ago (tonight is Mar. 17). Their abdomen are very yellow but show markings and fuzz. They have spiderling dexterity and easily right themselves.
Looking forward to separation, but not wanting to move specimens prematurely...?
After all, I will be leaving for 3 days