C. Veriscolor sling eating/drinking.....but not growing

[Paul H.]

Hello everyone,

I’ve been lurking here for quite awhile now and learning all I can as I get back into this hobby after many years. I currently have 4 tarantulas, and have been collecting them for about 4 months now. The Lasiodora Parahybana (sling), Brachypelma Albopilosum (juvenile), and the Brachypelma Boehmi (sling) are all doing very well and thriving. It’s my Caribena Versicolor that concerns me. It’s about a half inch sling, and in the 2 months that I’ve had it, it hasn’t molted. My other slings have molted twice in that time. It’s eaten several crickets, and I see it drinking water. The problem is that it’s abdomen hasn’t really grown at all. It's not deflated looking, but not plump either. Literally no change in appearance since I've had it. The strange thing though is, it kills the cricket, feeds on it for awhile, but then discards it while the cricket is still pretty juicy. The first time it did that to a cricket, I thought it might be in premolt and didn’t want a cricket wandering around it’s enclosure while it was molting, and basically took out the threat, but that’s been happening with several meals, though not all. Some crickets will be eaten off and on for a day or so until it’s deflated and clearly sucked dry. I feel that it’s in an appropriate sized enclosure for it’s size since it can easily find food and water. Substrate has been kept dry, except when a cricket got some substrate partially in the water dish a few days ago and wicked the water out. I was originally going to add more branches and leaves in there, but before I could, it webbed the top of the lid and likes it up there. Good spot as well since it doesn’t disturb the web when I open it up to refill water or toss a cricket in! The temp is kept between 75-80 degrees, and this little sling is pretty active and explores the enclosure for awhile every day before retreating back into its web. I’m kinda stumped here, and I’m not coming up with search results pertaining to this issue. I've tried other food items such as mealworms, but it's not taking to them. Crickets are what it pounces on. Could I please have some advice or ideas while I play this waiting game of growing/molting. I feel that this is a very long time for a sling to not have molted yet. I REALLY don’t want to come in one day and see a tiny blue death curl.

 

[MassExodus]

Hello everyone,

I’ve been lurking here for quite awhile now and learning all I can as I get back into this hobby after many years. I currently have 4 tarantulas, and have been collecting them for about 4 months now. The Lasiodora Parahybana (sling), Brachypelma Albopilosum (juvenile), and the Brachypelma Boehmi (sling) are all doing very well and thriving. It’s my Caribena Versicolor that concerns me. It’s about a half inch sling, and in the 2 months that I’ve had it, it hasn’t molted. My other slings have molted twice in that time. It’s eaten several crickets, and I see it drinking water. The problem is that it’s abdomen hasn’t really grown at all. It's not deflated looking, but not plump either. Literally no change in appearance since I've had it. The strange thing though is, it kills the cricket, feeds on it for awhile, but then discards it while the cricket is still pretty juicy. The first time it did that to a cricket, I thought it might be in premolt and didn’t want a cricket wandering around it’s enclosure while it was molting, and basically took out the threat, but that’s been happening with several meals, though not all. Some crickets will be eaten off and on for a day or so until it’s deflated and clearly sucked dry. I feel that it’s in an appropriate sized enclosure for it’s size since it can easily find food and water. Substrate has been kept dry, except when a cricket got some substrate partially in the water dish a few days ago and wicked the water out. I was originally going to add more branches and leaves in there, but before I could, it webbed the top of the lid and likes it up there. Good spot as well since it doesn’t disturb the web when I open it up to refill water or toss a cricket in! The temp is kept between 75-80 degrees, and this little sling is pretty active and explores the enclosure for awhile every day before retreating back into its web. I’m kinda stumped here, and I’m not coming up with search results pertaining to this issue. I've tried other food items such as mealworms, but it's not taking to them. Crickets are what it pounces on. Could I please have some advice or ideas while I play this waiting game of growing/molting. I feel that this is a very long time for a sling to not have molted yet. I REALLY don’t want to come in one day and see a tiny blue death curl.
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It doesnt sound critical yet..but your observations are worrying. Good on you for paying attention. All I can really say is: Hopefully its a slow growing female, just a slow starter, etc. The fact that it eats and drinks and behaves normally(except for half eaten meals) is encouraging, but to be honest, slings are the most prone to sudden death. Some just arent meant to make it. We all know its a waiting game, thats really the only consolation I can offer..I hope she molts and comes out ok, good luck.

 

[Tnoob]

I have 5 slings I've owned in that same time with no molt either. I'm not to worried though. They will decide when it's time to do their thing.

 

[Paul H.]

It doesnt sound critical yet..but your observations are worrying. Good on you for paying attention. All I can really say is: Hopefully its a slow growing female, just a slow starter, etc. The fact that it eats and drinks and behaves normally(except for half eaten meals) is encouraging, but to be honest, slings are the most prone to sudden death. Some just arent meant to make it. We all know its a waiting game, thats really the only consolation I can offer..I hope she molts and comes out ok, good luck.

Thanks for the encouraging words. Yeah, it’s definitely a waiting game. I’ll just keep on doing what I’m doing with regular feedings and making sure water is always available. Fingers and toes crossed that it’s just a slow starter.

I have 5 slings I've owned in that same time with no molt either. I'm not to worried though. They will decide when it's time to do their thing.

That does make me feel a bit better about the situation. It’s just a MUCH slower growth rate than my others, and just doesn’t follow the pattern of growth from what I’ve been reading about with other people’s slings. Well, let’s just hope for chunky abdomens and molts for all of our slings sooner than later.

 

[RonC]

If it's eating and drinking a is well. They set their own schedule. Arboreal's abdomens don't get as plump as terrestrials. Too much to carry while climbing.

 

[Jess S]

Hi there @Paul H. Is there side ventilation on that enclosure? I can't tell looking at the photos. If not, I would definitely add some holes on the sides (smaller than its carapace), because they thrive much better with cross ventilation.

The only other thing I would do different (and I am no expert and do not even own one, this is just going off everything I have learnt) is add some corkbark and some more foliage. I know it has webbed it's tube but they like to hide + move amongst cover.

From what you say, it sounds like it's doing well in there though. How big are the crickets your feeding it?

 

[Paul H.]

Hi there @Paul H. Is there side ventilation on that enclosure? I can't tell looking at the photos. If not, I would definitely add some holes on the sides (smaller than its carapace), because they thrive much better with cross ventilation.

The only other thing I would do different (and I am no expert and do not even own one, this is just going off everything I have learnt) is add some corkbark and some more foliage. I know it has webbed it's tube but they like to hide + move amongst cover.

From what you say, it sounds like it's doing well in there though. How big are the crickets your feeding it?

Hi there! In this enclosure, there is no cross ventilation. The one it came in had some, but the enclosure was like 6 times the size as this one and couldn't find its food. I figured that between the two, this one would be best. Especially since most small sling enclosures that I see only have top vents. I do not allow it to get stuffy in there or anything. I keep a real close eye on that. I did however purchase a dremel over the weekend with several small drill bits for making (holes in) enclosures, so I may add some. I had some other sticks and foliage in there previously, but it was really disturbing the spider trying to remove the water dish and cricket corpses with all that in this little enclosure, not to mention pretty cumbersome for me. Since this sling prefers to just walk the outer perimeter of the enclosure, and not on the foliage, I took most of it back out. The crickets I'm feeding are just a bit smaller than its abdomen and carapace, although it's eaten some slightly bigger. It just spent the last day and a half eating one. Pretty cool looking as it had used 2 anchor points to keep the cricket hung on the side of the enclosure, much like Spiderman would leave a criminal hanging there so the cops could come and take them. So yeah, this is one of the crickets that got sucked completely dry before it cut the anchor points and let the cricket drop to the floor. This little Versicolor seems to be doing ok, even though it's non growth/molting is causing a bit of stress for me. I just want it to thrive, and I keep hoping to walk in one morning to see that it had slithered out of its old skin.

 

[menavodi]

If you say you may add some holes you did not read the advice others gave you here... @Paul H.

 

[Paul H.]

If you say you may add some holes you did not read the advice others gave you here... @Paul H.

Oh I definitely read the advice, and I'm not ignoring it. So you're thinking the lack of holes in the side are the primary reason for its slow growth? Like I said, from what I've seen, the greater majority of sling enclosures, especially the small containers/vials only have top vents, and no issues. If it's dry in there except for a water bottle lid full of water, and the tarantula can eat, drink, and not look stressed, does it sound like a ventilation issue? For what it's worth, every rehousing from here on out would most certainly have cross ventilation. I was just under the assumption from all that I've read that the small sling enclosures didn't require them.

 

[menavodi]

Oh I definitely read the advice, and I'm not ignoring it. So you're thinking the lack of holes in the side are the primary reason for its slow growth? Like I said, from what I've seen, the greater majority of sling enclosures, especially the small containers/vials only have top vents, and no issues. If it's dry in there except for a water bottle lid full of water, and the tarantula can eat, drink, and not look stressed, does it sound like a ventilation issue? For what it's worth, every rehousing from here on out would most certainly have cross ventilation. I was just under the assumption from all that I've read that the small sling enclosures didn't require them.

I think cross ventilation is very important. If everything is right and you think your spider is not growing, I would definitely try the one thing that is left to do...

 

[Jess S]

Hi again. Nope, I don't believe that the airholes are the primary cause, but it could cause an issue at some point down the line, so it's worth getting the cross ventilation right asap. So I'm with @menavodi on this.

They do moult more slowly (someone correct me if I'm wrong) and have a more streamlined appearance than say, your terrestrial T's. Mind you, 2 months is a heck of a long time, but is it completely unusual? I'm not sure, I'm afraid.

My only other thought, which is probably clutching at straws - if there a possibility that the prey is being discarded too early because the T is being disturbed in some way? If you think there may be a remote possibility of this, maybe worth adding a bit of extra cover so it can tuck itself away.

Hopefully, you'll find that it has molted soon. I'm crossing my fingers for you.

 

[Arachnoclown]

I'm chiming in a little late but I'll comment anyways. Versicolor are slow growers. I have 1/2- 3/4" slings that haven't molted in a few months while everything thing else in my collection was molted a few times. No worries man...I would however add cross ventilation to your enclosure though.

 

[Paul H.]

Thank you all for the advice. I really appreciate it! As far as the spider dropping it's prey due to being disturbed, I do not think that's the issue. My tarantulas are in a room of their own, so they're not getting foot traffic, noise, or people constantly peering in, and they just get ambient light from a window that has the the blind slats slightly open and angled upward so they don't hit the enclosures.

It seems that the cross ventilation is the definitive recommendation. The next rehousing enclosure already has them, but I'll see what I can do with what it's in now. My only hesitation has been due to the fact that I've never drilled tiny holes in plastic like this. I did just recently buy a dremel with small drill bits, but I'm worried I might mess up and destroy the only enclosure I have of that size. I think I'll practice on a few other larger (and empty) plastic enclosures and then give it a go. It is also nice knowing that they are fairly slow growers compared to others. Makes me not worry as much.

 

[Jess S]

Thank you all for the advice. I really appreciate it! As far as the spider dropping it's prey due to being disturbed, I do not think that's the issue. My tarantulas are in a room of their own, so they're not getting foot traffic, noise, or people constantly peering in, and they just get ambient light from a window that has the the blind slats slightly open and angled upward so they don't hit the enclosures.

It seems that the cross ventilation is the definitive recommendation. The next rehousing enclosure already has them, but I'll see what I can do with what it's in now. My only hesitation has been due to the fact that I've never drilled tiny holes in plastic like this. I did just recently buy a dremel with small drill bits, but I'm worried I might mess up and destroy the only enclosure I have of that size. I think I'll practice on a few other larger (and empty) plastic enclosures and then give it a go. It is also nice knowing that they are fairly slow growers compared to others. Makes me not worry as much.

Glad your mind has been put to rest. And thanks @Arachnoclown, @menavodi and everybody else for your solid info.

Yeah, I would definitely Google a how to on adding holes to acrylic. There's loads online about that, I am only presume because it's very easy to mess up lol