My 10 P. scrofa :)

[FaaFaa]

I finally got around to taking a picture of each of my 9 P. scrofa slings. I statrted with 10, but sadly lost one. Along with the 9 slings I have one Sub-Adult Female. Hopefully my planning will pay off and in 2 short years I will have a breeding project!

I just LOVE this species! They are docile, good eaters, out in the open, and curious! Did I mention curious? Don't be caught off guard with these guys. All 9 slings head for my hand (not happy about this) every time I open their enclosures. My bigger female also heads for the top of the enclosure when I take her lid off.

We will start with my female, Lucy.







None of the slings have names. For now they are identified by numbers. These guys were hard to get a decent picture of. They are always moving!

#1



#2



#3



#4



#5



#6



#8



#9



#10



#3 molted for me 2 weeks ago. The rest of the slings look as if they could molt at any time. I'm really surprised there has been a 2 week lag between #3 and the rest of the slings. I have other sac mates and they molt within days of each other.

I will do my best to update this thread as the slings, and mama to be, molt and grow.

 

[Enn49]

They all look so cute. I hope your plans work out well and we have lots of new babies pics in a few years.

 

[FaaFaa]

Thanks Enn! They are pretty cute little buggers!

 

[spidey noob]

nice looking Ts, especialy lucy

 

[FaaFaa]

Thanks spidey noob! I hope that all the slings end up as pretty as Lucy. My collection has always included a scrofa, or two. I think their beauty and their curious personality is what keeps me coming back to them.

 

[FaaFaa]

Well, I am livid this morning! 5, yes 5, more P. scrofa slings are dead! That makes 6 of the 10 I ordered dead!

There is NO WAY this is my doing. I am sure that there is probably something wrong with the genetics of this bunch. This was supposed to be a breeding project. At this point I have no idea if I should ever go there with these scrofas.

My husbandry is good. I have been keeping Ts far too long and have never had anything like this happen to me.

Do not ask me who the breeder was. This is a good person and I have never had an issue with anything from them in the past. I'm sure this was a fluke. This doesn't make me any less upset though.

I just hope the other 4 hold on!

 

[Enn49]

That's awful, I'm so,so sorry. Have you spoken to the seller to see if there have been other deaths from that sac too?

 

[FaaFaa]

I have contacted the breeder. I am just waiting to hear back.

 

[FaaFaa]

Well, I had 3 more scrofas die on me after the last bunch of slings. So, now I have one P. scrofa sling.

Sorry I haven't been around. I've been angry and questioning myself about this whole situation.

The breeder says that if they have more scrofa slings the next time I place an order they will chuck in a few for free. I don't plan on buying from them again.

 

[Enn49]

Terrible news. He really ought to replace them now free of charge or refund the money you paid.. Is Lucy ok?

 

[Poec54]

Do they have water bows? At that size, I give mine water bowls. They don't drown and it provides humidity without moistening the substrate (which can be too much moisture).

 

[FaaFaa]

Terrible news. He really ought to replace them now free of charge or refund the money you paid.. Is Lucy ok?

Yes, Lucy is fine and so is the one remaining sling. The breeder doesn't have to do anything. They can always say that it was my husbandry that did it. I don't believe it was b/c all my other slings are in the same nursery kept under the same conditions. You never know though.

Do they have water bows? At that size, I give mine water bowls. They don't drown and it provides humidity without moistening the substrate (which can be too much moisture).

All my little sling enclosures are too small for dishes. As I move them up they get dishes.

 

[Enn49]

Yes, Lucy is fine and so is the one remaining sling. The breeder doesn't have to do anything. They can always say that it was my husbandry that did it. I don't believe it was b/c all my other slings are in the same nursery kept under the same conditions. You never know though.



All my little sling enclosures are too small for dishes. As I move them up they get dishes.

Sorry, I just reread your first post and realised you'd got them a few weeks before so no you're right he doesn't have to do anything. It does seem very odd that so many should die and frustrating that you can't get a PM done to find the cause.

I'm with you on the water too. Mine get a squirt down the side every couple of days until the move to larger containers.

 

[Poec54]

All my little sling enclosures are too small for dishes. As I move them up they get dishes.

I give my tiniest slings moist long fiber sphagnum moss for drinking, laid on top of part of the substrate. When they're 1/2" DLS, they all get a small water bowl. The tiny slings (1/8 to 1/4") start off in a 3 oz soufflé cup (same kind I use for water bowls), and get moved up to a 8 oz or 16 oz deli cup when they're 1/2" (the size cup is dependent on how fast they can run).

 

[swimbait]

Did the seller ever let you know if other sacmates have died? Did you raise lucy from a sling? Is it possible there was some requirement you were missing for this to happen? Were they eating fine before they died? Would they get sluggish first or was it just random death?

 

[Denny Dee]

I give my tiniest slings moist long fiber sphagnum moss for drinking, laid on top of part of the substrate. When they're 1/2" DLS, they all get a small water bowl. The tiny slings (1/8 to 1/4") start off in a 3 oz soufflé cup (same kind I use for water bowls), and get moved up to a 8 oz or 16 oz deli cup when they're 1/2" (the size cup is dependent on how fast they can run).

Ditto this. Do you use a whole room humidifier? I find the moss helps retain the humidity levels as well. I use these:

http://www.jamiestarantulas.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=1003

If I had to bet, these guys may have died from desiccation. It can happen very quickly on slings and true spiders. I have lost several species due to missing a day or three during travel times especially during the harsh winters here in Chicago (My humidity in my spider room drops below 30% without a room humidifier. Sorry to hear about your loss. It is a horrible feeling (as I lost a few scorpion slings this way recently).

 

[FaaFaa]

Just an update. I figured out why so many of my slings died off. Not just scrofas, but across the board. I suffered HUGE losses. Anyway.

NOOBS PAY ATTENTION!!! If you ever use an incubator, USE A BACKUP THERMOMETER! I did not. My temps were WAY too high. That's what caused all my loss. I'm sure of it.

 

[Enn49]

Just an update. I figured out why so many of my slings died off. Not just scrofas, but across the board. I suffered HUGE losses. Anyway.

NOOBS PAY ATTENTION!!! If you ever use an incubator, USE A BACKUP THERMOMETER! I did not. My temps were WAY too high. That's what caused all my loss. I'm sure of it.

I'm so sorry that you lost so many but at least you now have an idea why and can rectify matters next time.

 

[Denny Dee]

Just an update. I figured out why so many of my slings died off. Not just scrofas, but across the board. I suffered HUGE losses. Anyway.

NOOBS PAY ATTENTION!!! If you ever use an incubator, USE A BACKUP THERMOMETER! I did not. My temps were WAY too high. That's what caused all my loss. I'm sure of it.

Ugh. Sorry for your losses. What does not kill us only makes us stronger. Mistakes are the best way that I have learned over the years. Hope you don't give up hope. Next batch will be even better.

 

[Jason/JB]

Oorah T's! Those are pretty sweet.