GBB - how long between molts?

[SpooderSpinner]

I suspect the answer is "it depends", but I'd love to get some sort of general idea. The seller I got my adorable new greenbottle blue from says it's most likely on its third or fourth instar, but they bought it as a sling so aren't sure when it was born. I am curious about tarantula growth in general, but I will cheerfully admit that I'm mostly asking this so I can assign it a birthdate and throw it tiny spider birthday parties ;-)

If it's at its third or fourth molt now (and has a little bald patch on its abdomen so maybe it's getting ready for another?), am I looking at June for a likely birthdate? January? 2019? I'm also trying to get a sense of how fast I can expect it to grow now if I keep it reasonably well stocked with tiny roaches.

 

[ThatGuy83]

usually bald spots are due to stress and flicking hairs. Usually, when they are getting ready to molt, the abdomen will swell and turn dark and shiny. Though, my GBB sling who just molted didnt have a dark and shiny abdomen. So it was a bit of a surprise. The time between this last molt was 78 days. I generally keep in the upper 70s and feed a red runner once a week.

 

[SpooderSpinner]

Thanks!

 

[Arachnoclown]

Ive never seen a bald patch on a Gbb in all the years ive raised them. Its probably urticating hairs your seeing. They have multiple types of hairs that many think are bald patches. Please post a photo though...Id love to finally see a bald patch.

 

[Arachnoclown]

As for age...if they bought it as a sling it was 2nd or 3rd instar. Typically slings aren't ready for the pet trade until they eat a couple times at 2nd instar. @ 2nd instar you are looking at approximately 90 days old from the time momma mixed the sperm and eggs in the sack. Thats a rough guess though...temperatures and other things can dictate actual time. Each molt after that is determined on feedings and temperatures. At a certain point this doesn't play a role anymore and they just molt when they are ready. Only the spider knows...

 

[ilovebrachys]

As for age...if they bought it as a sling it was 2nd or 3rd instar. Typically slings aren't ready for the pet trade until they eat a couple times at 2nd instar. @ 2nd instar you are looking at approximately 90 days old from the time momma mixed the sperm and eggs in the sack. Thats a rough guess though...temperatures and other things can dictate actual time. Each molt after that is determined on feedings and temperatures. At a certain point this doesn't play a role anymore and they just molt when they are ready. Only the spider knows...

I recently saw a post where someone was complaining they never got a 'birth certificate' with there sling? @Arachnoclown do you do this when you produce slings!?!

 

[Arachnoclown]

I recently saw a post where someone was complaining they never got a 'birth certificate' with there sling? @Arachnoclown do you do this when you produce slings!?!

Yes....I give a actual date of conception If I produced them. Its accurate within 1-2 days of noticing when the sack was dropped.

 

[ilovebrachys]

Yes....I give a actual date of conception If I produced them. Its accurate within 1-2 days of noticing when the sack was dropped.

You go the extra mile @Arachnoclown

 

[SpooderSpinner]

Is this just how their abdomens look at this stage or due to the different types of hairs or what?

 

[Arachnoclown]

View attachment 50308

Is this just how their abdomens look at this stage or due to the different types of hairs or what?

Yes thats just urticating hairs.

 

[SpooderSpinner]

Got it; thanks again!