Small, hardy, fast growing T slings?

Mill da Pill · Oct 19, 2014

So I've got a G.concepcion (which I got at around 3 1/2 inch and now is 4inch) and hobby for Avic (got a 5inch now 6inch) and recently my first old world a 2 1/2 inch H.lividum

it loves me

wants to give love bites

Anyway so all the Ts I've got are of a decent size already and past the sensitive can die any second stage. I did get a versi sling (about 1/2inch) it made a web, humidity was good, tons of ventilation and fed several times. Then one day I checked on it and found it in a death curl. No idea what happened just seemed to drop down dead :/ after this I found out Avic slings are super sensitive and can just drop down dead which is why I made sure me next avic was of a decent size.

But now I'm thinking of trying a young sling again. So was thinking of a small, fast growing, hardy species species so it gives me the exp but get past the more delicate stage sooner then a slow growing species. At least that's my thinking...

I know obviously temps and feeding rate will effect growth rate. I feed my bigger animals (well all my current Ts) once every 2 weeks but thinking for a young sling once a week? sounds good? these are the species I'm thinking:

C.ritae from what I found grows to 2 inch and matures with in a year. bit skittish and makes a den
C.elegans same as above
H.sp Colombia grows around 3-4inch(depending on locality) fast growing and again skittish and makes a den
H.triseriatus same as above
And last but not least H.villosella an old world species can be kept communally, want 3inch of sub to make a den but also is a heavy webber and good display animal gets around gets a bit over 2inch and is skittish will go in threat posture if aggravated but mostly bluff.

That's what I found on these species. the average 24-26C for them and humidity a light spray once a week.

Anything else I need to know and what people think is best?
I don't handle my Ts apart from my Avic which is only handled to show friends and help them get over their fear

to move the others (if needed) I use a big paint brush and in the case of fast defensive ones *cough cough* Larry the lividum I use a paint brush in one hand and a foot long pair of padded tongs (don't grab it or anything use them the same as the paint brush to nudge it along

)

Anyway so what people think? any thing else I should know on these species?
Cheers in advance

Misty Day · Oct 19, 2014

Avics aren't sensitive, how did you keep the sling? Poor ventilation and moisture is a death sentence for these spiders. Most newbie people see the word humid on a useless care sheet and drown the enclosure in water. I've kept all my 4 Versicolor slings since 2nd instar on bone dry substrate and just a few drops of water for drinking (not humidity) once a week, few extra drops on the web during the premolt and post molt period, and you're good to go. . Never once misted or wet the substrate and they're all thriving and molting very well.

There's no such thing as "past the sensitive can die any second stage." It's just people's poor husbandry in which the spiders ending up losing their life in then people start blabbing on about "sudden avic death syndrome".

Anyway to answer your question, Nhandus, Lasiodora and acanthoscuria are always a good start. I don't have any experience with the t's you mentioned so hopefully someone else will chime in on those.

Mill da Pill · Oct 19, 2014

Tcks123 said:
Avics aren't sensitive, how did you keep the sling? Poor ventilation and moisture is a death sentence for these spiders. Most newbie people see the word humid on a useless care sheet and drown the enclosure in water. I've kept all my 4 Versicolor slings since 2nd instar on bone dry substrate and just a few drops of water for drinking (not humidity) once a week, few extra drops on the web during the premolt and post molt period, and you're good to go. . Never once misted or wet the substrate and they're all thriving and molting very well.

There's no such thing as "past the sensitive can die any second stage." It's just people's poor husbandry in which the spiders ending up losing their life in then people start blabbing on about "sudden avic death syndrome".

Anyway to answer your question, Nhandus, Lasiodora and acanthoscuria are always a good start. I don't have any experience with the t's you mentioned so hopefully someone else will chime in on those.

Substrate was slightly damp in the lower layers and dryish on the top. Had slightly damp moss which I would squirt some drops of water on with a pipette once a week. It had tons of cross ventilation and was in the path of the rooms fan (not right on top a good meter or so away) and fed on crickets once a week and was active and made a big funnel like web. It was just over 1/2 an inch.

When I asked on one of the other forms (this was all before I joined this one) I had like 10 people telling me it was some sudden avic death syndrome and not to worry about it too much.

This being my first sling and second T put me off getting slings for a while but I now what to try again with something a bit hardier.

I do like Nhandus and Lasiodora :3 and plan on getting some of those species at some point but I also would like something small as it will be something different and also as the smaller stuff generally grows faster I thought that might be an idea for a second go at a sling

gobey · Oct 19, 2014

Slings are easy peasy. I'm a newbie T keeper. 4 and a half months. Of my 16 Ts.10 are slings. Of which some I've had for months. They can be left on their own for as long as a week even from what I've seen. Not that I reccomend it as if you want them to grow you can feed about 2-5x a week depending on species.

Give a droplet here or there. Good to go.

It's a spider. They're rather hardy. If you're really looking for the quick growing unkillable, there's plenty of OBTs in need of a home. My 2 like OBT slings have been overwatered. My own fault. So much web and they're so spastic in those little cups. So to compensate they made web trampolines at the top that they live in. One has 6 legs even and does fine.

Anyways I'm still pretty fresh to be recommending species as I haven't grown any to adults.

But I'll tell you slings are no trouble. Just extra feeding. Which is what? 15 minutes total for my 10 each time.

Other than that they take care of themselves. They can be frustrating though if you get a burrower,

GG80 · Oct 19, 2014

+1 on Acanthoscuria and Lasiodora. My A. genic and Lp slings are doing great after 4 months with me. Both eat well (still on pre-killed as they will reject live food), in fact, with the Lp I have had to go from feeding every 3-4 days to once a week as he will munch on his food for up to 12 hours and his abdomen gets huge . Lp is almost double the size I got him and the genic showed a growth spurt on last molt. I don't worry too much about these two slings anymore, they are very capable of surviving as long as I give them the appropriate care. By the way, the genic is just over 1/2" and the Lp is just short of 1". Both DLS. Also last week the temps here in Ireland have dropped to about 13C-16C(55F-60F) and I had an issue with my heating so the room wasn't at recomended temperature for a few days, no problem to these little guys. Great species in my opinion.

Mill da Pill · Oct 19, 2014

Cheers everyone then I won't worry

I was only concerned as when I talked to some people about my first sling experience I was told slings are harder to keep and are more "delicate"

I won't worry too much then

The shop near me has a nice little H.triseriatus sling at the mo :3 so might get it

Cheers guys

Poec54 · Oct 19, 2014

Mill da Pill said:
as the smaller stuff generally grows faster I thought that might be an idea for a second go at a sling

Not following your logic, appears to be convoluted. From what you've described, you'll have more problems with dwarves, instead of fewer. Dwarf species usually have very small slings. Takes them longer to get up to the same size, and therefore they're at a 'delicate' size longer, and needing tiny/small prey longer. A large-growing species can be taking adult crickets in a few months and be 4-5" in a year. That blows away any dwarf species.

Rather then go in the opposite direction of where you want to be heading, you should actually get some 'hardy, fast growing slings.' Highly recommended are Pamphobeteus and Phormictopus. They start off much larger than dwarf species to begin with, and seem to molt (and grow significantly) after several good meals. They're tough, hardy, and always hungry. They have a very high survival rate. These will race past dwarves in growth.

Mill da Pill · Oct 19, 2014

Poec54 said:
Not following your logic, appears to be convoluted. From what you've described, you'll have more problems with dwarves, instead of fewer. Dwarf species usually have very small slings. Takes them longer to get up to the same size, and therefore they're at a 'delicate' size longer, and needing tiny/small prey longer. A large-growing species can be taking adult crickets in a few months and be 4-5" in a year. That blows away any dwarf species.

Rather then go in the opposite direction of where you want to be heading, you should actually get some 'hardy, fast growing slings.' Highly recommended are Pamphobeteus and Phormictopus. They start off much larger than dwarf species to begin with, and seem to molt (and grow significantly) after several good meals. They're tough, hardy, and always hungry. They have a very high survival rate. These will race past dwarves in growth.

I got ya

I was assuming that was the general pattern as the species I looked at it was saying they where fast growing so figured it was a dwarf thing in general

I'll look into those

had a quick google and Pamphobeteus look very nice :3

Poec54 · Oct 19, 2014

Mill da Pill said:
I got ya I was assuming that was the general pattern as the species I looked at it was saying they where fast growing so figured it was a dwarf thing in general

I'll look into those had a quick google and Pamphobeteus look very nice :3

Pamphos and Phormics are almost bulletproof. Any reasonable conditions work; they leap on prey and grow like weeds. That's what you want. With dwarves, you'd be creating the problems you're trying to avoid, by prolonging the delicate stage.

I just got some Phormic cancerides slings. 2 feedings and they molted, and doubled in size. Ferocious eaters. 2 or 3 more feedings and they've molted again. How can you not love that?

HungryGhost · Oct 19, 2014

GG80 said:
+1 on Acanthoscuria and Lasiodora. My A. genic and Lp slings are doing great after 4 months with me. Both eat well (still on pre-killed as they will reject live food), in fact, with the Lp I have had to go from feeding every 3-4 days to once a week as he will munch on his food for up to 12 hours and his abdomen gets huge . Lp is almost double the size I got him and the genic showed a growth spurt on last molt. I don't worry too much about these two slings anymore, they are very capable of surviving as long as I give them the appropriate care. By the way, the genic is just over 1/2" and the Lp is just short of 1". Both DLS. Also last week the temps here in Ireland have dropped to about 13C-16C(55F-60F) and I had an issue with my heating so the room wasn't at recomended temperature for a few days, no problem to these little guys. Great species in my opinion.

I never heard of a 1 inch LP sling that would reject live food. They are garbage disposals that will take prey their own size.

GG80 · Oct 19, 2014

HungryGhost said:
I never heard of a 1 inch LP sling that would reject live food. They are garbage disposals that will take prey their own size.

I know, I thought the very same but he just runs away from the prey. And it's not as if he's not hungry, everytime I give him pre-killed he's all over it. I'll try him again after his next molt.

Formerphobe · Oct 19, 2014

Fast growing and "bullet proof"... Species which come to mind: Brachypelma vagans, Acanthoscurria geniculata, Psalmopoeus cambridgei, Nhandu chromatus, N. coloratovillosus, N. tripepii, Pterinochilus murinus.

cold blood · Oct 19, 2014

Mill da Pill said:
Cheers everyone then I won't worry I was only concerned as when I talked to some people about my first sling experience I was told slings are harder to keep and are more "delicate"

This "delicate" belief (especially with Avics), along with the accompanying sudden avic death syndrome, comes mostly, if not entirely, from care sheets out there on the net (IMO). Most, if not all talk about number specific humidity being absolutely required, as well as very specific temps. People then continually mist or moisten the sub, or worse, get a hygrometer and spend too much time watching it and wetting everything until it reads the number they are looking for, not taking into account the inherent unreliability of the equipment, especially in smaller enclosures like we keep spiders in. Then they add heat to all this moisture to get that number to match the care sheets, all of which causes condensation or simply conditions that are far too muggy for a tree dwelling spider used to constant breezes (airflow) and quickly drying conditions. This all adds up to dead avics and a made up syndrome simply to account for the difficulties people have when following stupid, worthless care sheets.

Lots of people also believe they have excellent airflow, but really don't...we see that on a regular basis, especially with those set on using glass aquariums that don't allow for proper cross ventilation.

Dry sub, a water dish (this is for humidity and is all that's needed), and an occasional few droplets on the webbing once a week (for drinking) and bi-weekly feedings and there won't be issues. Taking this to heart, I have had zero issues with my versi slings, which were my first avics. They quickly grew from 1/2" to almost 1.5" in just 4 months.

I think you need to up your feedings a touch, especially with slings...they are all about growth at small sizes, oblige them.:wink:

I also agree that larger growing species, such as Acanthoscurria, Phormictipus, Pamphobeteus, or Lasiodora sp (for example) all eat like pigs, and grow out of sling stage much faster if fed well...and these species simply don't refuse meals, they're eating machines...oblige them and they will reward you with quick molts an growth with each molt that dwarfs couldn't dream of. Plus dwarves are small, making them potentially better escape artists...not to mention they are all really quick and capable of easily disappearing should one bolt on you enexpectedly.

Poec54 · Oct 19, 2014

Tcks123 said:
Avics aren't sensitive, how did you keep the sling? Poor ventilation and moisture is a death sentence for these spiders.

Actually, Avis slings are delicate until their 4th or 5th instar, even under good conditions. If you know what you're doing, you can keep losses to a minimum, but they're nowhere as hardy or as flexible as most terrestrials.

Ultum4Spiderz · Oct 20, 2014

Mill da Pill said:
So I've got a G.concepcion (which I got at around 3 1/2 inch and now is 4inch) and hobby for Avic (got a 5inch now 6inch) and recently my first old world a 2 1/2 inch H.lividum it loves me wants to give love bites

Anyway so all the Ts I've got are of a decent size already and past the sensitive can die any second stage. I did get a versi sling (about 1/2inch) it made a web, humidity was good, tons of ventilation and fed several times. Then one day I checked on it and found it in a death curl. No idea what happened just seemed to drop down dead :/ after this I found out Avic slings are super sensitive and can just drop down dead which is why I made sure me next avic was of a decent size.

But now I'm thinking of trying a young sling again. So was thinking of a small, fast growing, hardy species species so it gives me the exp but get past the more delicate stage sooner then a slow growing species. At least that's my thinking...

I know obviously temps and feeding rate will effect growth rate. I feed my bigger animals (well all my current Ts) once every 2 weeks but thinking for a young sling once a week? sounds good? these are the species I'm thinking:

C.ritae from what I found grows to 2 inch and matures with in a year. bit skittish and makes a den
C.elegans same as above
H.sp Colombia grows around 3-4inch(depending on locality) fast growing and again skittish and makes a den
H.triseriatus same as above
And last but not least H.villosella an old world species can be kept communally, want 3inch of sub to make a den but also is a heavy webber and good display animal gets around gets a bit over 2inch and is skittish will go in threat posture if aggravated but mostly bluff.

That's what I found on these species. the average 24-26C for them and humidity a light spray once a week.

Anything else I need to know and what people think is best?
I don't handle my Ts apart from my Avic which is only handled to show friends and help them get over their fear to move the others (if needed) I use a big paint brush and in the case of fast defensive ones *cough cough* Larry the lividum I use a paint brush in one hand and a foot long pair of padded tongs (don't grab it or anything use them the same as the paint brush to nudge it along )

Anyway so what people think? any thing else I should know on these species?
Cheers in advance

Curly hair, OBT , GBB, Mex redrump. Small T as in usualy under 7" inches?

Misty Day · Oct 20, 2014

Poec54 said:
Actually, Avis slings are delicate until their 4th or 5th instar, even under good conditions. If you know what you're doing, you can keep losses to a minimum, but they're nowhere as hardy or as flexible as most terrestrials.

I understand that they're not as hardy as terrestrials and other various arboreals, but IMO they're not nearly as sensitive/fragile as people make them out to be once they're kept dry.

Mill da Pill · Oct 20, 2014

Thanks for the feed back everyone

didn't know vagans grow fast? I've had it rammed down my throat more or less from day 1 that Brachypelma are slow growers and take forever to grow?

I'll look into all these species people have suggested

BobGrill · Oct 20, 2014

It's normally true for species like smithi, emilia, and boheimi. Red rumps and curly hairs seem to be somewhat faster growers.

MagicalLobster · Oct 20, 2014

From my experience, Lasiodora parahybana have been my fast-growing and hardy terrestrial. My two went from 1/2" to 4" in one year and under warmer conditions they likely could have grown more. It's too bad they're both dudes. I think they cost me $9 a sling, though, so LPs are really an unbeatable species in price, growth rate (debatable once you get into arboreals like Psalmo), and hardiness. They will take down prey as large as they are with no problems and I've kept them on dry or wet substrate and it doesn't seem to matter to them.

The downsides for me are looks and hairs. In my opinion, they are not my most beautiful tarantulas at all. Not even close. On top of that, one of mine has lined his entire enclosure with a light layer of web and setae. I cannot open it without having itchy hands for 10-20 minutes and my skin is not what you'd call sensitive. Their temperament is spotty at best and both have lunged to attack paint brushes and tongs--presumably because they thought it was food.

Poec54 · Oct 20, 2014

Mill da Pill said:
I've had it rammed down my throat more or less from day 1 that Brachypelma are slow growers and take forever to grow?

A tarantula's growth is greatly impacted by temps and food. Some people keep their slings at 70 degrees and feed them once every two weeks. Growth is going to be slow. Keep them 80-85 degrees and feed them 2 or 3 times a week, and they'll grow a lot faster. Brachys aren't going to keep pace with most tropicals, but they don't have to be painfully slow. Some people make it worse than it has to be, because procuring small prey is inconvenient or because of an irrational fear of 'power feeding'.

Small, hardy, fast growing T slings?

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