the snap/click problem

Drache

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Messages
53
My slings are in standard deli cups - serviceable, but here's what I don't like:
In order to do any kind of husbandry - feeding, water, sanitation - I have to pick up the container and unsnap it. They don't unsnap that easy either. Often I have to unpop them in bits all around with the lid meanwhile open at an angle. By the time I get the lid off I am stressed over the extended seismic activity I've subjected the critter to.
Most of my slings scurry for their hides, which is disappointing, but I suppose it's better than what my B.emilia sometimes does. She's more adventurous I guess, and tends to go toward the opening where I'm trying to pry the lid off, and then she'll walk right out, using my finger as a bridge. This is happening in a safe place and - well - she's mellow as can be, so that's not the issue. The issue is that some day I would like to graduate to slightly less mellow Ts and clearly - that's not going to happen if I can't contain my B.emilia during routine care. How the <insert expletive here> do you guys with fast Ts even use deli cups?
And I can't imagine the square acrylic containers being any better - the ones from the craft stores one needs to jiggle the lid to get it off. The fact that small containers need to be picked up is probably unavoidable, but there's got to be something better in terms of lids. So are there tricks? I did go through all 94 pages of enclosure photos and learned a few things about other issues, but I'm not sure I'm ready to get into tiny hinge-craft.
 

Tarantula Fangs

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Messages
98
hahaha, oh fellow Arachnid collector, It seems like I too had the same problem, what I don't like is, while trying to close the lid, one little slip up and your T can very well get hurt. I might of hurt my Versicolor that way but it could have also been a molt issue, not very sure. I would recommend trying a taller deli cup, it seems to work for me, cheers.

---------- Post added 01-24-2015 at 10:08 PM ----------

Thanks for that, I'll probably buy one.
 

catfishrod69

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 1, 2010
Messages
4,401
For the right sized arboreals, all i use is deli cups. Even for S. calceatum. Its better to hold the cup against your chest, put the palm of your hand against the lid, putting pressure down in the center of the lid, and the opposite side of which your taking off, and use your fingers to work the edges of the lid off. Slowly turn the cup in circles until you get the lid off. Either way its going to freak your tarantula out. But i mostly tong/tweezer feed, so when a feeder touches their toes, the usually take it. If not, then i just drop it in, and they take it when they calm down.
 

Tarantula Fangs

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Messages
98
Good tip, yeah this was a long time ago, but I've learned not to take any chances when closing the lid.
 

Cavedweller

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
1,064
One solution is reduce the need to open the enclosure.

Cut a little X in the lid, then you can stick an oral syringe in there to water your sling. If you don't want to open it to feed them either, put the pinhead crickets in one of those ear wax removal bulb syringes and stick that in.

This is also really handy if you've got an inexperienced bug sitter and want to make watering as safe as possible.
 

Drache

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Messages
53
Thanks for the replies, and this brings up a substrate question.
My current Ts are all ground-dwellers, so let's ignore arboreals for a moment.
I've read that the substrate ought to be high enough that a T making it up the sides of the enclosure and to the lid can't get hurt when falling. Often the recommended distance between the lid and the substrate is no more than the leg span of the T. I have puzzled over the fact that I rarely see set-ups like that, and yet I do see tons of warnings about how fragile our critters are, so I err on the side of shortening that distance. Did I overdo it? And what is a good distance?
The kenthebugguy container is nice except I don't like the shape that much, so I do think I need to go shopping for snapware to modify - sigh.
I guess some part of me had hoped there'd be some secret trick to deli cups, and the initiated would let me in on it - some magic way to smoothly pull off that lid without the T ever noticing. I started young to dream of the impossible and my family always warned me that it would lead to no good, but that I'd be obsessing over spider accommodations is probably not what they had in mind.
 

Cavedweller

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
1,064
You don't need to obey that rule with slings. I don't think falling an inch or two is nearly as hazardous for a tiny sling as falling 8 inches would be for a big, heavy adult.
 

Drache

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Messages
53
You don't need to obey that rule with slings. I don't think falling an inch or two is nearly as hazardous for a tiny sling as falling 8 inches would be for a big, heavy adult.
Thanks - that helps. I'll take out some substrate from the B.emilia's deli cup. If I ever get anything faster, I'll look for something different though.
I wish Squamata Concepts would start making spider cages - I keep thinking I could rig my S.I.M. container into something nifty, but I do actually use it to incubate eggs, so it's taken. What I like is that the clear, hard-sided container is topped with a thick very flexible plastic lid that makes it really easy to hold the container down onto a firm surface, and peel up a part of the lid without jolting anything inside the container. Of course it may well be that spiders could chew through a flexible plastic lid, even if it is pretty thick - I don't know enough about that. Hinges are probably safer.
 

pyro fiend

Arachnoprince
Joined
Dec 29, 2013
Messages
1,216
also for the watering. might want to use my method of watering.. i keep a vent hole large enough for my blunt needle to slide in for wateriings. for arboreals its on the side. just large enough for the needle and no longer. and keep the bowl within reach. for terestrials its usually on top but some are on sides..[mine are kept in larger containers not delis any longer] so i can water all bowls and never have to move them and disturb a possibly molting T :)
 

Drache

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Messages
53
One solution is reduce the need to open the enclosure.

Cut a little X in the lid, then you can stick an oral syringe in there to water your sling. If you don't want to open it to feed them either, put the pinhead crickets in one of those ear wax removal bulb syringes and stick that in.

This is also really handy if you've got an inexperienced bug sitter and want to make watering as safe as possible.
also for the watering. might want to use my method of watering.. i keep a vent hole large enough for my blunt needle to slide in for wateriings. for arboreals its on the side. just large enough for the needle and no longer. and keep the bowl within reach. for terestrials its usually on top but some are on sides..[mine are kept in larger containers not delis any longer] so i can water all bowls and never have to move them and disturb a possibly molting T :)
Thanks to you both.
I totally like the idea for those of my slings who don't muddy their water bowls, but half of them do. The cut x idea could perhaps be modified to also accommodate my needle nosed forceps, and those I can use to pick stuff out of the lego helmets my slings use for water bowls. I'll have to see what level of dexterity that will require.
 

Cavedweller

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
1,064
A lego helmet sounds like a really cute water bowl, but when they're that small I just moisten a corner of the sub for them to drink from.
 

Drache

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 23, 2014
Messages
53
A lego helmet sounds like a really cute water bowl, but when they're that small I just moisten a corner of the sub for them to drink from.
I used to do just that, but after stumbling on a thread here where someone was using upside down monopoly houses for sling water bowls, I couldn't resist, and now I do both. Three of my slings happen to actually come right over when they're freshly filled, and hover over them - possibly drinking, possibly soaking their pedipalps. I decided to go with it. We have tons of lego helmets, as lego people tend to be active in the work and adventure world (now I wonder what happened to our lego shelob).
 

los3r

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 18, 2014
Messages
58
Holy crap, hadn't realized that that's exactly what they look like... I'll make my own then xD
 
Top