G. rosea; Egg Sac or Molt?

Tarantella 8

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 23, 2006
Messages
27
I returned home after a vacation to find that both of my spiders have been very active in my absence.
P. murinus had modified his existing hide of web into an almost opaque tunnel and canopy next to a petrified wood shelter, and has not left this area since. Also, most of his water dish was gone. I herded two crickets into his lair and he devoured them in sequence.

More interesting was my G. rosea terrarium. There is a football shaped collection of vermiculite that is bigger than the T himself (herself?). It is somewhat more massive than a golfball, about the size of the water dish. I am familiar with Ts encasing their molt in such a manner, as my baboon attacked his molt en transfer, but this seems different. It is eating ravenously as well.
However, there is no snow white coloration, just a surface layer of bedding.

It (the rosie) doesn't appear any larger, though its spinerets appear banded. Could this be a post molt? The T hasnt had any contact since I purchased her, and I'm not going to dissect the sack for fear of disturbing potential eggs.

Sorry, I can't post pictures. Any surefire way to differentiate between the two?

EDIT: I scratched at the surface of the sack, and it is a very thin, a sliding layer of silk and vermiculite, beneath is something that supports this.
 

Windchaser

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Messages
2,996
That sounds like an egg sac. Does it look like a silk ball? If so, it is an egg sac. It sounds a bit large for your basic "garbage" ball made up of leftovers and junk.
 
Top