Sling feeding

Spongyspiders · Jan 26, 2015

So I don't keep a cricket colony and I have not had a sling In a while. Anyway I just got back from an expo with an OBT and P.regalis both slings and I have nothing but Superworms and Dubias to feed. So would a small sized
Superworm be good to feed a 1.5-2 sling? Also are there better feeders for slings instead of crickets because I have always found crickets to be very annoying aswell they smell and are not very nutritious. So what would you guys
recommend for feeding smaller scorpions and T's?

BobGrill · Jan 26, 2015

Crickets are one of the most nutritious feeders out there. No idea where you got the idea that they aren't from. I definitely would not be feeding a live superworm to a sling unless I first crushed the head. That thing could do some serious damage to a sling with its jaws.

Spongyspiders · Jan 26, 2015

I got that they are not very nutritious from working with monitor lizards and other reptiles I have heard from many people that they are not the most nutritious thing for lizards I figured it would be the same for T's sorry. When I say superworms as well i'm talking
about very young ones like less then an inch. Would that be fine? or how about small horn worms? or even wax worms? just really hate crickets but if they are a must for slings ill start a colony.

BobGrill · Jan 26, 2015

Crickets are pretty much a must have when keeping tarantulas. Not all tarantulas will take roaches, superworms, or mealworms. If you must use superworms, crush the heads first. Don't be surprised though if the slings don't take them. Crickets on the other hand, are almost universally accepted. I have yet to see a tarantula that won't take them.

cold blood · Jan 26, 2015

Superworms and crickets are both fine for feeding slings, as are roaches. Just cut them into appropriately sized pieces. For a 1.5-2" t, those roaches and crickets will be just fine as they are, at that size they should be taking larger live prey without issue....like bob said, the worms are fine as well as long as you crush the heads first.

Tim Benzedrine · Jan 26, 2015

I think 4 out of six of my slings have eaten (pre-killed) mealworms. The only one I can't recall accepting a piece is the B. smithi. The geniculata and parahybana would of course accept a Big Mac if I tossed it in I think, but the campestratus and G. pulchripes have eaten them. I never tried them on the Hapalopus pumpkin patch.

Feeding night is coming up and I only have one cricket, so I will offer mealworm pieces to all except for the Hapalopus who seems to prefer his food on the hoof, and report back on which ones will accept them. I think the campestratus is in advanced pre-moult, though, so it won't be a very scientific test, it might refuse anything offered at the moment.
I prefer to serve crickets, but I keep mealies on hand due to their longer "shelf-life".

truecreature · Jan 26, 2015

It's true they aren't very nutritious for reptiles but it's not the same for tarantulas

Sam_Peanuts · Jan 26, 2015

Baby dubias or adult heads will work perfectly fine for slings.

Medusa · Jan 27, 2015

I periodically hack up a superworm for my slings and juvies, including crushing the head. Varies the diet and, as Tim said: longer shelf life.

Tim Benzedrine · Jan 27, 2015

I just now finished today's offering. So far:

E.campestratus found and accepted mealworm piece in a matter of minutes. That sling has been a pretty good eater.

G. Pulchripes has made no move for his piece, but it appears to be in pretty serious pre-moult, so it may not accept on those grounds. It has taken mealworms before, though.

B. smithi has also made no move, but it didn't accept the last time, so I'm not too surprised.

I went ahead and dropped a piece in for the hapalopus pumpkin patch, but I really doubt that it is consumed.

A. geniculate is of course chowing down. It gets an entire worm minus the head.

L. parahybana followed suit to the genic and is eating. I didn't offer it a whole worm, closer to half of one. It also flicked, a portent of things to come, I guess.

Misty Day · Jan 27, 2015

BobGrill said:
If you must use superworms, crush the heads first.

+1, I always cringe when I watch feeding videos of t's and see people feeding them superworms without their heads crushed. The jaws on those things are incredible.

cold blood · Jan 27, 2015

Tcks123 said:
+1, I always cringe when I watch feeding videos of t's and see people feeding them superworms without their heads crushed. The jaws on those things are incredible.

The other day I was at one of the local LPS and there was a guy going into a large container/enclosure to gather superworms...with his fingers....surprised, I asked if he'd ever been bit, cause I wouldn't grab them...him and the other girl working looked shocked and said no, they didn't know they could bite. I said "have you ever really looked at their mouthparts? They have HUGE jaws and it will really hurt if one bites you". They looked at me like I was a crazy person....I'd love to be a fly on the wall there when he gets his first good bite.

Those LPS workers really only get training on the stocking and selling of animals, they are left absolutely in the dark when it comes to the actual animals they sell.

Misty Day · Jan 27, 2015

cold blood said:
The other day I was at one of the local LPS and there was a guy going into a large container/enclosure to gather superworms...with his fingers....surprised, I asked if he'd ever been bit, cause I wouldn't grab them...him and the other girl working looked shocked and said no, they didn't know they could bite. I said "have you ever really looked at their mouthparts? They have HUGE jaws and it will really hurt if one bites you". They looked at me like I was a crazy person....I'd love to be a fly on the wall there when he gets his first good bite. .

I shudder even thinking about their jaws. I mean they burrow so quickly, I wouldn't want to even imagine how it feels to be bit by one.

I just can't grasp the concept of how LPS employees/managers can't just learn the proper husbandry of a tarantula, I mean, they're one of the easiest animals to keep. I don't understand why they throw 5-6 crickets in at a time, and drown the enclosure in humidity, or give arboreals terrestrial set-ups, or terrestrials arboreal set-ups. I mean, they're just making things harder for themselves in the long run by wasting crickets and killing t's, not that they care.

Tim Benzedrine · Jan 27, 2015

The B. smithi took its share of mealworm. So, in this absolutely conclusive scientific study, four out of six tarantulas recommend mealworms.

Sana · Jan 27, 2015

Did you interview them afterwards for comparison to other feeders?

Tim: B. smithi, how would you rate the meal worm compared to the cricket?
B. smithi: Well Tim, since you asked, I prefer the cricket. Meal worms have this odd texture to them, and aren't nearly as fun to chase.

TypicalCricket · Jan 27, 2015

Do the adult beetles of mealworms/superworms make good food too?
ie, if your feeders pupate on you, are they worth keeping, or do you give them a little "I survived" T-shirt and release them into the garden?

Tim Benzedrine · Jan 27, 2015

My parahybana accepts pupae as well. I've yet to try them on any of the others.
I've heard that beetles can be a bit iffy as they can have a disagreeable odor. They do seem to have a sort of "chemical"' like smell in large groups, I have about 50 matures, I'm breeding them. More for something to do than anything else, it'll be months before they get big enough to feed any of my spiders. they are really tiny when they hatch and it is easier to just buy them.

shamilt1 · Jan 27, 2015

All the slings I have had have eaten mealworms w/out any issue between my cricket runs on Sat. They are a lot more convenient than crickets. You can buy a bunch. Break them into batches and put them in your fridge for later. Would not feed superworms though. Way, way to big for 1-2 inch sling. I have had several worms escape my slings by burrowing into substrate in the vial. My A. Hentzi is the only one I have seen eat one that was in the middle of pupating.

Sana · Jan 28, 2015

TypicalCricket said:
Do the adult beetles of mealworms/superworms make good food too?
ie, if your feeders pupate on you, are they worth keeping, or do you give them a little "I survived" T-shirt and release them into the garden?

I believe someone mentioned a while back to watch out for the mouth parts on beetles when feeding them. It sticks out in my mind that they can be very damaging to a T. I can't swear that this is true but I would be careful just in case.

tonypace2009 · Jan 28, 2015

mealworms keep for a long time in the fridge. Crush there heads and cut them up for small slings. Be sure to pull the mealworms remains by the next day they will get a white hairy mold on the remains if left in enclosure for long. Small pin heads are hard to get in smaller quantities here. Everyone in my household don't mind the spiders but crickets are creepy.

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