So here is a little challenge : :dad

Mission : To document a tarantulas growth with notes and pictures everytime it molts!

How it works : Start your own topic called GC : [Your Name] - [Species Name] eg : GC : Dimitri - G rosea

You will then need to reply to your topic with your documentation after every molt. You should contain date of molt and picture as well as any other notes like male matured etc...

You need to start the documentation as early as possible. The breeder should be able to assist with egg - 1st instar - 2nd instar pics.

Important : Create a paper template. Take a A4 clear page write a heading if you want and maybe mark or highlight the size of the spider then when it matures you have the whole record on one piece of paper.

When creating the topic use the category "Tarantula Growth Challenge"

Let me know if you guys have any other ideas to add but i am sure this could have an awesome outcome.

I would even include your documentation on that species tarantupedia page! shouting

Have fun :happy:

Damn, am I sorry I threw away all the recent molts now! I love this idea, long term thing though. Will do a page with each of my sling files for sure.

Just a question, should one measure from molt to molt? I have an idea that a spider is quite a bit bigger after a molt, but don't they shrink again at pre-molt stage?

It would be best to use a A4 page as the measuring means. Start maybe from the bottom left corner of the A4 page and make marks on the page to keep track.

I just think it would be awesome to track the growth and rate of different species! Never mind having pics of all stages of its life!!!

Would also be nice if somehow we were able to have lifesize pics at every stage. I'm thinking as I write, you could download pics and re-size them and print them out at the right size and then stick them to the growth chart as they progress ! That would be really cool !

You can do whatever you want. If we start it then others will catch on and start adding more ideas. Now we just need to start. So Deon be the first I am sure you have a very young sling.

Yup, have a few and a S.hoffmanni of 1.5 cm on the way. Will definitely make this my special project from the start. Can the dried out molt be preserved for a long time? If it's stuck down on paper with clear tape or better yet, laminated? Or will it disintegrate after a few years ?