Mortality rate

recluse

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 3, 2003
Messages
307
Hi everyone, I have been keeping T's for about 6 mos. now. I did extensive research before getting into the hobby. I think I baby all of my T's. Out of the 24 T's that I have purchased I have had four slings die for no apparent reason ( H. longipedum, C. huahini, P. Irminia, and A. moderatum). Do you guys think this is excessive, am I doing something wrong? Thanks.
 

chuck

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 1, 2003
Messages
775
24 Ts in 6 months?!?!?! lucky #$@#$

i dont think 4 slings dead in 6 months is all that bad. Ts give birth to 100+ slings so that they have a better chance to survive, meaning that some will die.

were these your only slings? maybe if all your slings are dying then youre doing something wrong
 

Jeff_C

ArachnoAddicted
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 10, 2003
Messages
449
Recluse,

I too have wondered about my loss rate.

In the year that I have been keeping Ts I have had 41 slings in my care. Of those, 8 have died. And, except for my recent loss of my E. cyanognathus :( , the rest were either A avic (4) or L parahybana (3) slings.

That being said I think our experienced mortality rates are comparable. So there is some comfort in that.

Anyone else keeping score?


Regards,
Jeff
 
Last edited:

rapunzel

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 17, 2003
Messages
750
ive had,

14ish slings in one year, and I had one die..p.scrofa. the rest have done great.
 

L_mactans

Arachnolush
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 9, 2002
Messages
159
I have been keeping tarantulas off and on for 12 years, and in that time I have only lost 3 tarantulas. All 3 were A. avicularia. Most of the Ts that I have were an inch or smaller when I got them.
In the last 5 years, when I have been keeping more consistantly, I have only lost 1, and she was a 1/2" at the time.
I currently have 35 Tarantulas.

Kelly (L_mac)
 

Palespider

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
May 30, 2003
Messages
680
How are you keeping your slings?

I have raised and cared for close to 100 slings (over half of them were A. avicularia) in the past year and my only loss had broken legs when I got him, which had molting problems due to the broken legs.

No special secret, but I do keep ALL of them on somewhat moist substrate. Whether they're tropical or desert tarantulas (obviously a little more moisture for the tropical ones). And a decent amount of ventilation, enough to where I have to rewet the substrate every 4-5 days.

Jim B.
 

L_mactans

Arachnolush
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 9, 2002
Messages
159
I am just jinxed with A avics
:rolleyes:

I have an A versicolor and an A purpurea, and both are going strong, and they were in the same habitat and same food source and same everything. So I know it isn't a general Avic habitat issue. Well, maybe the first 2 were. I was a teenager, it was the early 90s, no information...

But other than those, I have had no casualties (knock on wood)

Kelly (L_mac)
 

dennis

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 2, 2003
Messages
770
I've had 2 A. metallica sling die on me, probably too many ventilation. Also some I. hirsutums and E. cyanognathus died (not sure of the total numbers) but I guess that's just the way it goes...

Dennis
 

Andrew vV

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
May 11, 2003
Messages
325
I have found Avics more prone to "sudden death syndrome" than any other genus.
 

Longbord1

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 13, 2003
Messages
1,217
i have had 1 avic sling die and one parahybana sling
which makes a total of 2 slings im so upset ive had to buy like 10 parahybana slings cuz they all die!!!
mike:mad: =D
 

MizM

Arachnoprincess
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 13, 2003
Messages
4,915
Originally posted by dennie
I've had 2 A. metallica sling die on me, probably too many ventilation. Also some I. hirsutums and E. cyanognathus died (not sure of the total numbers) but I guess that's just the way it goes...

Dennis
I don't think they can get too much ventilation. I keep all of my slings very moist and very warm. Since they molt so often, I think humidity is infinitely more important to them than to adult Ts.
 

vulpina

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 26, 2003
Messages
1,943
Sorry to hear about your losses, but sometimes slings just die for no apparent reason. That would be the reason for the large number of offspring produced, granted they have a better chance of surviving to adulthood raised in our care as opposed to nature but unexplained things do occur.

Andy
 
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