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- Jan 19, 2014
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- 13,258
So last night I went to bed late, checked on everyone and all was well on every front. This morning I wake and check again to see that my 1" B. albo had molted, which I had been awaiting for a good week+. Happily I opened the enclosure to remove the little exo and noticed the newly molted sling, it looked great aside from being all scrunched up...turns out it had died sometime after molting successfully....devastating, but it CAN happen. I noticed the water dish, which had water last night, was now dry.
Thinking it was just a bad molt, I went around to check the others only to find my larger B. albiceps (the one that actually eats and molts) was also dead (just over an inch). Its water dish however, had a little water...this t had just eaten a few days ago and was exceptionally plump and appeared by all accounts to be quite healthy.
Nothing else changed, night temps were mid-60's and last night was also the warmest night in the last month only getting to the 50's outside. Neither sling had the shriveled or dimpled abdomen that a t might have if it were dehydrated. Ironically the other albiceps sling, which is far smaller and hasn't eaten in over 3 weeks and has been my "problem child" with regards to food intake and growth is just fine...so the one I had no concerns over is the one that I lost, which I find a bit odd. I REALLY liked this sling and was looking forward to its next molt...its a favorite species for sure.
Both were kept on dry sub, with a moistened area and a small water dish and a hide, which neither t ever used. Both were good eaters, the albo was actually a great eater.
I plan on setting up a heat bath like I normally do for my slings sometime this week. All the other slings, some of which are much smaller, are all still looking healthy and in great shape and showing no signs of any problems. All I can think of is the drier air from running the heat (heat's been on here for almost 2 months now) took its toll, but why the two that appeared the plumpest and most outwardly healthy were the ones to succumb is beyond me. Any ideas that would help me prevent this from ever occurring would be appreciated.
I'd hate to have another morning like this, until now I had only lost 2 slings in 14 years. I have to think these deaths must be somehow connected.
Thinking it was just a bad molt, I went around to check the others only to find my larger B. albiceps (the one that actually eats and molts) was also dead (just over an inch). Its water dish however, had a little water...this t had just eaten a few days ago and was exceptionally plump and appeared by all accounts to be quite healthy.
Nothing else changed, night temps were mid-60's and last night was also the warmest night in the last month only getting to the 50's outside. Neither sling had the shriveled or dimpled abdomen that a t might have if it were dehydrated. Ironically the other albiceps sling, which is far smaller and hasn't eaten in over 3 weeks and has been my "problem child" with regards to food intake and growth is just fine...so the one I had no concerns over is the one that I lost, which I find a bit odd. I REALLY liked this sling and was looking forward to its next molt...its a favorite species for sure.
Both were kept on dry sub, with a moistened area and a small water dish and a hide, which neither t ever used. Both were good eaters, the albo was actually a great eater.
I plan on setting up a heat bath like I normally do for my slings sometime this week. All the other slings, some of which are much smaller, are all still looking healthy and in great shape and showing no signs of any problems. All I can think of is the drier air from running the heat (heat's been on here for almost 2 months now) took its toll, but why the two that appeared the plumpest and most outwardly healthy were the ones to succumb is beyond me. Any ideas that would help me prevent this from ever occurring would be appreciated.
I'd hate to have another morning like this, until now I had only lost 2 slings in 14 years. I have to think these deaths must be somehow connected.