What's up with my T?

[Fraido]

This is my first, I got it mid August. I'm still learning, so I'm not sure what's up with his/her light spot on the back there. I did notice it when I first received him/her, when he was maybe half the size he is now, it appeared more as a very shiny spot at that time. Now it looks more like a white, bald spot. Though I can confirm there are longer hairs over it.

My first assumption was flicking hairs, rubbing that spot bald, but I have never witnessed the action, and I don't overhandle him/her. Maybe once a month aside from feedings. I have him/her in a deli cup right now, I had switched to one of those cricket containers;

I figured he/she could use an upgrade, but it stopped eating around that time. So I assumed it wasn't ready and switched back to the deli cup, he/she still didn't eat for a couple weeks so I placed him/her in a dark drawer, and it ate! That was a few weeks ago, hasn't eaten since.


He/she is also growing at a significantly slower rate than my dad's, which he got at the same time from the same person as me. My dad's is easily 5 times the size of mine right now, growing like a weed! My dad says mine looks FAT compared to his, though.

Any insight from the experienced?

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[Mitsmaster9]

It looks like your T is in the pre molt stage. Growth rate has a lot to do with feeding, temp, and sometimes the humidity. Keep you spider in area also that it can get sun during the day but is dark at night while maintaining the temp and humidity level. Look up your species on Google to find those requirements. Beautiful spider tho! Here is one of my wife's T's.


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[Fraido]

Thanks! I shall do that. I absolutely love the colour of your wife's T! It's gorgeous.
My guy is a Chaco(sp?) Golden Knee, very chill and I hope he or she stays that way!

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[Mitsmaster9]

Yeah we have 30 Ts she love the spiders and I love the snakes lol we feed one another's addictions if you wanna get another cool T look at the Avicularia Avicularia Metallica or the Avicularia versicolor Her are pics or her and these ones are very easy to handle too.


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[Fraido]

I really like the second one, there. I love the vibrant coloured guys, and the big hairy ones... hahaha. It's funny, I'm freaked out by spiders, but I really enjoy Ts as long as they're the big scary hairy ones, lanky spiders are what freak me out. *shudders*

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[Mitsmaster9]

Right lol can understand that lol


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[John1982]

You may not see it flicking hairs because you have a calm new world species. Even if they don't flick at you, they still use those urticating hairs to cover home base as a deterrent against predators. The bald spot is perfectly normal and once your tarantula molts it will be full of hairs again. If you notice the bare area getting darker that's normal too and just indicates your spider should be molting soon. Try to steer towards females if lanky spiders freak you out - males get quite a bit leggier on their ultimate molt. Sadly, surviving a post ultimate molt is rather rare so you get a bit of a visual warning that the end is nigh for those mature males.

[Fraido]

I didn't even take that into consideration! I guess since I don't notice the hairs at all.

Thanks! I have no idea if I have a male or female, I read it's difficult to tell when they're small? I've had a couple molts, I couldn't tell from them, and that was a few months ago so I can't even remember what it is I'm looking for. Haha I'll have to do some more research.

In a few months I'd like to get some more, and really get into the hobby, they're neat.

Do females and males generally grow at a different rate?

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[John1982]

I didn't even take that into consideration! I guess since I don't notice the hairs at all.

Thanks! I have no idea if I have a male or female, I read it's difficult to tell when they're small? I've had a couple molts, I couldn't tell from them, and that was a few months ago so I can't even remember what it is I'm looking for. Haha I'll have to do some more research.

In a few months I'd like to get some more, and really get into the hobby, they're neat.

Do females and males generally grow at a different rate?

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Well, my males always seemed to mature out faster than the females. The main difference is females live 10, 20, 30, 40 years longer than males. You can control the speed a fair bit with temps and food intake. Check out arachnoboards.com sometime for a good source on tarantula info. They also have a sexing forum where you can post the appropriate pictures(spermathecae or fusillae) and get help figuring out whether you have a male or female.

[Fraido]

Awesome, will do. Thanks!