# Spider growth Spurt



## lestatsluver666 (Mar 3, 2009)

I have a.juvenile tarantula, who has been growing rather slowly (tho, being my first, I have no idea how fast it should grow?)
It took it almost two years to double it's size....
But during this unusaly hot, victorian summer, It has doubled it size. 

Is this normal? Or an indication I should be keeping it under heat?


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## trogdor1988 (Mar 3, 2009)

Around 24-26 degrees is a good temp for T's, some species naturally grow slower though, also it depends on the amount they eat as to how much they grow. But then again the more you feed them it lessens there lifespan. Sounds pretty normal though, they get bigger between moults in there older age, usually around 1cm each moult depending what species and such, do you know what kind it is?


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## trogdor1988 (Mar 3, 2009)

Oops, and in answer to your question, you dont need to heat it but with heat it will grow quicker.


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## lestatsluver666 (Mar 3, 2009)

Not really. It was sold under the title of 'Bird eating spider'....not really very discriptive.
I have an old post where I posted a picture, hopeing to get it cleared up a bit...but it's still too young apparently


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## trogdor1988 (Mar 3, 2009)

Get a pic up now if you can, 2 years old is heaps old enough for an i.d.


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## lestatsluver666 (Mar 3, 2009)

It's underground in it's tunnel.....I don't really want to disturb it, as it has fineally made one against the glass, so I can see her. If it's anyhelp, this was taken about 2 months ago


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## trogdor1988 (Mar 3, 2009)

Ahh an arid species, they take ages to grow. My first tarantula was a Selenotholus sp "gemfields" and still looks like your one does there. Though mine isnt 2 years old, maybe a bit over 1 but. Nothing to worry about, but it will grow quicker with heat set to about 26 and with more food. But if you powerfeed it all the time to make it grow big quick it shortens there life as they grow alot quicker then they normally would. Your spider is a Selenotypus or Selenotholus species, Not sure which one as when there young alot look exactly the same almost, and to properly i.d it you would need macro shots of the setae on its front legs and stuff.


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## lestatsluver666 (Mar 3, 2009)

Can I safely assume it is female?
And not interested in power feeding. I want to watch it grow, and as long as it is healthy, I am quite happy whatever size it may be. She may be a 'look, don't touch' pet, but I don't keep it to say 'wow, you should see my HUGE pet spider!'


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## trogdor1988 (Mar 3, 2009)

Hehe, i occasionaly hold mine but only when necessary as i feel scaring them into a little container while cleaning is worse then letting them walk up your arm, although i run the risk of getting bitten and feeling like crap for the rest of the day. They are really very interesting animals, and not to sure if its female. Im not that great at sexing them id wait till its a bit bigger to ask that though as the smaller they are the harder to tell it is. But yeah watching em grow is great even if it sometimes takes along time.


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## lestatsluver666 (Mar 3, 2009)

It'll probably outlive me...haha

I couldn't put myself near it....I'm clearly not afraid of spiders, but I treat them with too much caution to let it on me,....I'd worry I'd jerk, and let it fall and damage/kill it
Not to mention, I have a phobia of getting cobwebs/web on my skin and clothes...I dunno why....just typing this makes me want to throw up/claw my skin off. The trail webs they leave would be too much....makes no sense...lol


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## trogdor1988 (Mar 4, 2009)

lol if you looked at that "mmm delicious spider" thread i made, after she had been crawling all over my head i was covered in web, as they walk it just trails all out behind them everywhere so yeah.. had quite a bit on me lol. I have a picture somewhere of me poking a sydney funnelweb in the face even though she was just a baby im sure if she had of bitten i could have been in serious pain/trouble but she was such a cute lil shy thing. When you caught her outta her hole and poked at her or did anything near her she would curl up in this lil black ball and you were all "awwwwwwww " lol. Never had a problem with spiders really. Although i understand the worrying about them falling and hurting themselves bit especially as tarantulas can really move when they want to lol.


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## lestatsluver666 (Mar 4, 2009)

-_-;....nope...couldn't do it


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## trogdor1988 (Mar 4, 2009)

lol thats ok, each to there own. Ill get a pic of my first tarantula she looks just like your one hold one a sec


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## trogdor1988 (Mar 4, 2009)

There ya go, _Selenotholus_ sp "gemfields"






Sorry for the wait, she got in my pocked and i had to get her out.


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## lestatsluver666 (Mar 4, 2009)

Yeh, looks similar to mine....with the darker strip down the abdomen


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## trogdor1988 (Mar 4, 2009)

Oh all slings have that, and even as they get bigger when there real fat or close to moulting it will become noticeable to, thats there heart. Well what you can see of there heart from the outside.


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## Maree (Mar 14, 2009)

All the males I have seen have much smaller abdomens compared to leg size so it looks like a female to me. You should buy a young male the year before you think it is old enough to breed.
The males are usually only good for one breeding season I believe.


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