Rough night, any ideas as to why?

[cold blood]

I agree. Slings are more delicate than adults, and I don't want mine getting below high 60's. Mid 60's makes me nervous; parts of the room may be below that. They're going to be weaker pre and post molt. Maybe a belly full of food is an issue too, like it is for reptiles when their metabolism drops from cool temps. Snakes regurge food they can't digest, spiders can't. For an adult that's slowed down and fed lightly over the winter, that's probably not a big concern. For a sling/juvenile that's eating and molting more often, cool temps may catch it a vulnerable point and cause some problems.

I use a thermometer-controlled space heater in my main spider room. Worth the peace of mind.

Very good points, and ones I hadn't considered. I figured temp was the most likely trigger, everything under 3" is now heated to 78-80 degrees, just re-adjusted. You're right slings are more sensitive, the ones I lost were the only 2 in the pre-molt/molting stage, I should have given that more consideration, previous to this year, I always heated slings...just not quite this early in the year.

I WILL be getting a room heater this winter as well after this. I was REEEEAAAALLLLY looking forward to the colors finally coming out in that albiceps, too.

jigalojay, they're all kept in my spare bedroom along with my fishing equipment, two turtles and a red-bellied piranha, literally nothing else in that room except pictures on the walls. That room has the best windows and is always a few degrees warmer than the rest of the house, which is why I gave to the animals. I did realize this afternoon that the storms were not dropped into place (there's only the one window), it can get windy here by Lake Michigan, maybe a small bit of cold draft was able to seep in, entirely plausible I guess.

 

[Poec54]

I did realize this afternoon that the storms were not dropped into place (there's only the one window), it can get windy here by Lake Michigan, maybe a small bit of cold draft was able to seep in, entirely plausible I guess.

As a reformed Michigander, I know how cold windows can be in the fall/winter, especially without storm windows on. I bet that cooled down parts of your room more than you realized.

 

[jigalojey]

jigalojay, they're all kept in my spare bedroom along with my fishing equipment, two turtles and a red-bellied piranha, literally nothing else in that room except pictures on the walls. That room has the best windows and is always a few degrees warmer than the rest of the house, which is why I gave to the animals. I did realize this afternoon that the storms were not dropped into place (there's only the one window), it can get windy here by Lake Michigan, maybe a small bit of cold draft was able to seep in, entirely plausible I guess.

I guess it was the temperature, I'm not too comfortable blaming temp but there doesn't seem to be much else to blame.

 

[cold blood]

As a reformed Michigander, I know how cold windows can be in the fall/winter, especially without storm windows on. I bet that cooled down parts of your room more than you realized.

I'd put $$ on it!

I agree jey, I believe that's the best answer and maybe the only one....I'm kicking myself, I had planned to heat them last week.

 

[jigalojey]

I'd put $$ on it!

Put him in an ICU :wink:

 

[cold blood]

Put him in an ICU :wink:

OK, I'll hurry up and do that...will that bring them back from dead? :/

 

[jigalojey]

OK, I'll hurry up and do that...will that bring them back from dead? :/

Haven't you heard mate? ICU's are the answer to everything, I heard making one will make you a born again christian.

 

[gobey]

Haven't you heard mate? ICU's are the answer to everything, I heard making one will make you a born again christian.

They'll help you lose 20 lbs. I'm a nationally certified personal trainer and instructor. I should know.

 

[BobGrill]

They'll help you lose 20 lbs. I'm a nationally certified personal trainer and instructor. I should know.

Whoah really? Is there a brand of ICU you can recommend to me?

 

[gobey]

Whoah really? Is there a brand of ICU you can recommend to me?

Any brand as long as it's an ICU isolate and not ICU concentrate.

 

[Poec54]

I'm in Florida, but it does get in the lower 40s sometimes during winter.

40's? I'm a lot farther south than you, and we get into the high 20's occasionally.

 

[Dalix]

Back to OP on water dish emptying out overnight... I've had a lot of trouble with water wicking up and out of water dishes, especially the cheap glazed ceramic ones you find at your LPS. Basically if you don't keep them spotless (beyond reason) minerals build up and the surface becomes extremely hydrophilic. Webs and substrate near the edges of the dish don't help either. My GBB had an inaccessible water dish and 30 minutes after filling the thing it would be bone dry and teh substrate beneath it soaked. All I could do was use less water more often so there'd be some left in the webbing if he wanted it. He did fine, and recently matured, so I guess no problem for him, but other species are at their water dishes much more often than he was. Anyway, worth a thought.

 

[cold blood]

I'm aware of the "wicking effect", but its still good info because I think that trips people up often. It was clean and off the sub just a bit, and the area around wasn't wet, so it wasn't that, it was a pretty small "bowl", not the usual cap I should have been using.

 

[Calloway]

Sorry for your loss. Nothing more frustrating than when you lose a seemingly healthy spider to some unknown factor :/

 

[horanjp]

I rarely reply but I want to share my own albo failed molt experience with you...
I had the same keeping conditions- and the individual was a sexed female from anastasia, fantastic spider. She took a long time to molt the first time in my care, as brachys will do, and her next molt was sure to show the true adult coloration. I was so excited. I saw she had made her mat and was very dark one evening before bed, and I was looking forward to waking up to a beautiful dream come true. I awoke, and she was in the same position, no separation of the carapace, nearly 8 hours later. I assumed she was in trouble as she had not flipped, though I've been told that this does occur successfully sometimes. I was late for work....1 hour commute. Desk job...I gently put her in the ICU and she never even began. I moved her again 3 days later just to confirm the sad truth, and I was severely disappointed. Loved this species. Still do, have a lonely sling myself, feebly picking up the pieces of my hopes. *plays little violin* I wonder now if this species has an aspect of care that we may be missing. Interesting that yours died in 2 different manners, and between us both, 3 varied cases of albiceps STDS (sudden tarantula death syndrome). Bad genetics present in currently available stocks? Keeping nit-wittery? I'd like to know, as I learned little from her death.
Anywho, very sorry to hear about your loss. I've felt your pain.

 

[lalberts9310]

Sorry for your loss Cold:cry:

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Yeah I lost Ts a few Winters when temps dropped under 65. Sorry for your loss, but you do sound like you rarely lose Ts.
Sometimes bigger slings die from cold, It often makes no since.

Wet sub sometimes can kill Ts also if it is too cold , if temps drop to low always have a heater on.
Bad genes might kill off the weaker Ts, also.