# Raising a P.metallica sling, is it too much of a gamble?



## Ryanrs (Jan 7, 2010)

I am tempted to purchase a 1st instar P.metallica sling at the SEAS show however what greatly puts me off is the £ vs Mortality rate in slings and before i can make up my mind, i could do with some reassurance (if any!). 

I have a P.Regalis which i purchased as a juvi -about 2" and brought it up no problems for the past year; its about 7" now and doing fine. I would imagine the P.metallica to be similar to this in how to look after them?

T's i have brought up from sling are:
B.Smithi, started at 1cm now 2.5 years old & 4.5".
3 x Peru Purple Avics 1cm (one died but that was because my gf found them and i had no choice but to leave them in my car overnight and it was too cold, lucky i didnt loose all of them  ) The other 2 are nearly juvis now.

OBT from 1" now mature.

2x Avic versi. 2instar, 1 died randomly but i think i had the substrate far too wet, the other is now 1 3/4" and hypo as a monkey on speed! 

Would you say this is enough experience to guarantee that i can do all that i can to ensure a P.metallica sling has as much chance of survival as possible? Is there a big risk of these dropping dead like some do? 

The only major concern i have is that i have never been strict on climate with any of my spiders. Ie, i have never had them at the correct temp -always on the cold side, i try with humidity but find its an awkward one to regulate. Its not that i dont try, the problem was that my old house was very cold due to a structual problem and now i have moved in with my GF, shes terrified of spiders so they all live at my nans in a cupboard thats at a constant 20'c. However there is no power source in there for an additional heater. 

I do have 2 avics that i do keep with me tho, they are well hidden and live in a place where there is a constant 25'c +- 2'c heat, this is where i intend to keep the p.metallica sling. 

Sorry for jibbering on, but its a lot of money to throw away if i did something wrong!

Can anyone advise?
Thanks


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## geckodelta (Dec 11, 2008)

I was just about to post the same question :lol2: it's a lot of money if it's just going to die randomly :2thumb:


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## DannyB (Nov 8, 2009)

One of the German breeders is selling 3rd instar slings for an extra 10 euros, worth the extra money.


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## 8and6 (Jan 19, 2010)

every purchase is a risk

you could follow every guideline in the book and it still die due to unforeseen causes or circumstances, no matter if it's a spiderling or a fully grown adult.

however, if you can't keep one right then i'd advise you leave it on the wishlist until you can


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## Biffy (May 23, 2010)

I think that pokies are one of the easier slings to raise and they grow quite fast I've orderd a few off him.....if you can get the 3rd instar ones would cut the risk down: victory: out of 15 fasciata slings I got last year at first instar I have 10 juvies but all but one death I believe was down to canablism as I kept them in a colony.


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## OGRE1987 (Nov 24, 2010)

*Poecilotheria Metallica*

Mate its not as bad as you think,....Poecilotheria slings tend to be very hardy compared with other genus,s ive kept!!!!Ive bought 1st instar pokeys before and provided humidity and the right tempreture your fine!!!!They molt out pretty quick wen there that size about every 2 to 3 months!!!Another thing is you should,nt keep the slings at a set tempreture day and nyt!!!!There should be a tempreture drop at night along with the hours of light because tarantulas have to have some sense of day and nyt!!!!!: victory:I cant wait to start getting some data from these guys,...all my tarantulas ive kept i keep a little pocket diary telling me wen they have molted ,colour,size and changes and behaviour!!!!!ROLL ON S.E.A.S AY!!!!!!!!


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## becky89 (Nov 24, 2009)

The cost puts me off tbh but I wouldn't have thought you'll lose it that easily. Most of mine were bought as slings and they're all doing fine so far. From what I've heard on here avic slings die randomly so that could be what happened to yours...
If you go for it I'd personally pre kill it bigger meals until it moults a few times so you get out of the delicate sling stage quicker


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

I would save your money and buy a juvi or sub adult tbh


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## Lucky Eddie (Oct 7, 2009)

DannyB said:


> One of the German breeders is selling 3rd instar slings for an extra 10 euros, worth the extra money.


I wouldn't get your hopes up, but I reckon that may be a typo. I would have thought 165 euros more likely for 4th instar.

Back on topic, I have had 3 from 1st/2nd instar. One has died, the other two are fine.
My son has one left from two purchased.

Both deaths have ocurred in the molt where the sling has formed a hammock of silk and ended up strangling itself.

I guess you pays your money and takes your choice.


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## durbans (Sep 16, 2009)

Not speaking from personal experience but I know somebody who got 7 P. Metallica slings last year and he's only got 3 left if I remember right due to bad moults and random sling deaths. It's just a risk you take unfortunately...


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## Craig Mackay (Feb 2, 2009)

Lucky Eddie said:


> I wouldn't get your hopes up, but I reckon that may be a typo. I would have thought 165 euros more likely for 4th instar.


You've been getting majorly ripped off if thats what you pay. You can get an adult female for around £200!


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## OGRE1987 (Nov 24, 2010)

*P.Metallica 1st Instar*



selina20 said:


> I would save your money and buy a juvi or sub adult tbh


I can see whot ur saying sel by buying a more developed P.Metallica,..but your going to be paying at least £100 upwards for a juvi,...or in excess of £200 upwards for a AF!!!For the price of a juvi you could buy 2 P.Metallica slings(1st Instar),...thats pre-ordered slings with a 15% discount from michael!!!!For someone that has kept and raised them from first instar before its better to take that risk and end up with 2 P.Metallica,s for the price of one juvi!!!!!All down to the keeper i think,....most of my
collection ive grown on from slings,....where some keepers will only buy SA,...AF!!!!(All down to personal preference,...thats whot makes the world a interesting place!!!):lol2:


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## 8and6 (Jan 19, 2010)

Craig Mackay said:


> You've been getting majorly ripped off if thats what you pay. You can get an adult female for around £200!


unfortunately thats not the case at the mo

i'v been on the hunt for UK based metallica AF's in the UK for months now....very few and far between...ie almost non existant :lol2:

and if you check on the european prices now AF have shot up to around 450euro average in the last couple of weeks


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## naturechris (Apr 23, 2009)

why has the price gone up? high mortality? low female sex ratio?


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## OGRE1987 (Nov 24, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> unfortunately thats not the case at the mo
> 
> i'v been on the hunt for UK based metallica AF's in the UK for months now....very few and far between...ie almost non existant :lol2:
> 
> and if you check on the european prices now AF have shot up to around 450euro average in the last couple of weeks


Really 450 EUROS???IVE GOT A 4" FEMALE MIGHT HAVE TO SELL HER OFF!!!Nar i couldnt part with her,..ive watched her grow and blossom,..plus shes my BITCH!!!!:lol2:


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## 8and6 (Jan 19, 2010)

i dont know but it would happen when im trying to expand the gene pool :lol2:


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## DannyB (Nov 8, 2009)

Lucky Eddie said:


> I wouldn't get your hopes up, but I reckon that may be a typo. I would have thought 165 euros more likely for 4th instar.


50 euros price increase per molt? Seems a bit steep even for a P.metallica, I brought a third molt one in england for less then that and i paid well over the odds compared to German prices.


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## Lucky Eddie (Oct 7, 2009)

DannyB said:


> 50 euros price increase per molt? Seems a bit steep even for a P.metallica, I brought a third molt one in england for less then that and i paid well over the odds compared to German prices.


The quote was 55euros for 1st instar and 65euros for 4th instar, full colour. I just didn't think it looked right, since spiders that size at the BTS show were £125 each.

I think a SAF from the same bloke is around 260 euros.

I'll be there Sunday. I will be well chuffed if I am wrong, but I think my comment is realistic! I still think it is a typo! 65 just seems too cheap.


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

I say save your money and buy like 7 Ts for the price of that one? Sorry but to me I can't justify spending that much money on 1 T. :blush:


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## Craig Mackay (Feb 2, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> unfortunately thats not the case at the mo
> 
> i'v been on the hunt for UK based metallica AF's in the UK for months now....very few and far between...ie almost non existant :lol2:
> 
> and if you check on the european prices now AF have shot up to around 450euro average in the last couple of weeks


You have to remember that they're not always gonna be widely available throughout the year though. It's obviously a desirable spider to many people so when they get one they're not gonna sell it unless they are in a desperate situation. You could buy one at anytime of the year but when there aren't many about your more likely to need to pay silly money (ie 450 euros) to prise one from someones hands. I think to get an adult female for a fair (relatively) price its less of a search and more a case of being in the right place at the right time. 



Lucky Eddie said:


> The quote was 55euros for 1st instar and 65euros for 4th instar, full colour. I just didn't think it looked right, since spiders that size at the BTS show were £125 each.


65 sounds about right to me. Lots of people do charge closer to what you suggested but thats only happens because some crazy people will pay that kinda money!


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## Craig Mackay (Feb 2, 2009)

vivalabam said:


> I say save your money and buy like 7 Ts for the price of that one? Sorry but to me I can't justify spending that much money on 1 T. :blush:


How is spending the money on 7 spiders saving it? :lol2:

I agree though. As nice as they are there are much cooler spiders out they're for a fraction of the price.


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Craig Mackay said:


> How is spending the money on 7 spiders saving it? :lol2:
> 
> I agree though. As nice as they are there are much cooler spiders out they're for a fraction of the price.


Well, you can do either or, save money or spend it on lots more. :lol2: Yeah exactly, I'd be too scared of it dying, I mean it's horrible enough let alone thinking goodbye £200.


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## jaykickboxer (Feb 11, 2008)

Therefore in the classified for 200 quid at the minute


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## Nick Masson (Nov 8, 2010)




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## mythicdawn07 (Jun 18, 2009)

In my opinion buying any sling is a gamble.


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## Sylvi (Dec 30, 2008)

I think some people enjoy the challenge of raising a beautiful sling and watching it grow. Even if it turns out to be male it's still a beautiful spider. And if it dies..... there has been some enjoyment in looking after it and some knowledge aquirement for next time. And after all, a lot of people would blow that much money and more on a night out with their mates and have nothing more to show for it than a headache.


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## FOREST FLOOR (Nov 3, 2009)

I very rarely buy an adult of any species, I currently have a large collection of slings on the grow, from OBT to b.smithi, h.maculata and more.. I took a risk and bought m.balfouri slings at £70 each a while back and I didn't lose any, I now have some beautiful juve's. Buying slings is always a risk in fact one of my previous threads was about h.gigas that I just cannot seem to grow on from a sling.
I would advise the OP to spend the money on getting their current collection into a more ideal set up and then trying for a rarer species as the risks are greater if the set up & situation is not ideal TBH.


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## Blurboy (Feb 9, 2007)

I'm so glad I got my juvenile for £65 :2thumb: I would be so so worried about paying that much for a sling but it looks like there's been some success and so I guess it's just how the way the cookie crumbles with any sling really.


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## Sylvi (Dec 30, 2008)

I think the male metallica are fab. Mine is out all the time, he is a total nutcase, and makes me laugh. I'd much rather risk the money and have him, even if he will only live a few years.


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## Brandan Smith (Nov 17, 2010)

i suppose it depends on what you trying to achive within the hobby if i had the money id probs buy a pair but thats just because pokies interest me in general


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## OGRE1987 (Nov 24, 2010)

*P.Metallica*

Cool pics of the male mate!!!!He,s really colourful compared to my friends MM!!!!My friends MM is a lot more darker in colour,...and is more black than blue!!!Is it that in the wild P.metallica from different colonys differ in colour!!!!Any information on this would be appreciated!!!!


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## Sylvi (Dec 30, 2008)

He is not so bright to the eye, the camera flash brings out the blue. His legs are blue, his body is grey/blue.

Out in the garden, so no flash





















The mm's are darker, but also gorgeous


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## OGRE1987 (Nov 24, 2010)

*P.metallica*

Some greats pic posted up of the MM dude!!!!It looks the same now as my friends male!!!Like you say its the flash that really brings out the blue!!!!But dont you find that certain P.Metallica Female vary in colour still!!!!Like some you see will have a more grey to white carapace!!!!Where some species are much more darker neally completely black!!!!Is it a different colour moph,..or does it depend on the region where they come from????:2thumb:


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## 8and6 (Jan 19, 2010)

in my opinion, the outlay and work that people have to put in to breed this species make it worthwhile

this girl of mine is simply gorgeous!
(great excuse for another pic of her :lol2


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## Brandan Smith (Nov 17, 2010)

its the carapace on pokies i love


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## Sylvi (Dec 30, 2008)

She is gorgeous Steve 

The females get darker with age.


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## Sylvi (Dec 30, 2008)

I've just dragged the young laddie out into the late afternoon sun for some snaps without flash. He has molted since the other snaps were taken.


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