I last posted on 2/16/2025. It’s now 3/13/2025 and a lot has happened. Both my no-mist test cases, #5 and #27 did not make it through their molts, so that settles that. I also lost #28 on 2/17. This spider has always been thin.

Reminder that I didn’t lose a single sling while they were staying at my father-in-law’s house for three days. The only other variable I could think of between our homes was temperature. Every time I went over there it seemed he was blasting the heater.

On 2/18 I tried placing my slings on a heating mat set to low. I lost one more spider on 2/19, #18, but it had been sluggish the previous day. I have not lost any since.

I have noticed that nearly all the slings I’ve lost were instar 2. I still have an i2 (#2) that has yet to molt.

As you can see, I’m down to eight slings. Doesn’t seem like much of a legacy, but it’s something. The four slings I purchased from The Spider Room have been added to the roster (ID #M1-4). I’m still worried about losing #2 but I’m hopeful the rest will survive. The heating pad seems to have helped. It didn’t hurt, in any case. It keeps them in the low seventies at night.

Regarding misting, I began again after the molting losses. If a sling is in its nest, I mist directly on a swatch of paper towel and place it inside. If the sling is active during the day, then I only mist once or twice a week. This seems to have worked. I had one mismolt (#14) that lost a couple of legs, but it’s doing well and eating.

Updated photos (missing a few cause they’re in nest):