Poec54
Arachnoemperor
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2013
- Messages
- 4,745
I currently have 6 Poecilotheria females sitting on sacs: 2 fascata, 2 regalis, and 2 tigrina. In the last year I've hatched out 2 regalis and 1 ornata sacs. In all of this activity, the norm is for the females to make a silk chamber under a cork slab, spin a thick mat on the bottom, lay her eggs on that, then roll up the silk and eggs into a ball. They tear down the silk chamber and can come out if they want (maybe for an occasional drink or snack). But not the tigrinas. Both females are still sealed in their silk chambers a couple weeks later. Never seen this before. I'm wondering if in their native habitat this is done to hold in moisture during the dry season, or to keep out predators. Or maybe because they'e one of the 4 Poec species whose slings have an extra instar in their development and they give them extra protection. Anyone else have their Poec females do this?
BTW, I take out their water bowls when they have a sac. Over the winter I had an ornata discard her sac into her waterbowl just before I was going to pull it at the 30 day mark, and drown all her EWL's. Broke my heart to see all those lifeless little spiderlings. After that episode, they lose their waterbowl priviledges while they have sacs. Not going to risk it again.
BTW, I take out their water bowls when they have a sac. Over the winter I had an ornata discard her sac into her waterbowl just before I was going to pull it at the 30 day mark, and drown all her EWL's. Broke my heart to see all those lifeless little spiderlings. After that episode, they lose their waterbowl priviledges while they have sacs. Not going to risk it again.