Are the smallest kritter keepers still too big?

keqwow

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 17, 2006
Messages
204
Are the smallest kritter keepers (like 6" long, 3" wide about) still too large for 1" slings?
 

Fierce Deity

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
425
I keep my slings in the little pill bottles they come in until they hit 1". Then I put them in the faunarium (exo-terras version of a KK) about the same size you have described. They should be alright as long as they are finding their food within a reasonable time period.
 

MindUtopia

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Messages
2,041
Yes, that's probably too big. You can probably keep them in the vials they came in for a couple molts until they are big enough to live comfortably in the KK.
 

Windchaser

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Messages
2,996
Your biggest concern will be escapes. You would be amazed how small of a space a sling can fit through.
 

dragyn5

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Messages
88
Windchaser said:
Your biggest concern will be escapes. You would be amazed how small of a space a sling can fit through.

You have no idea how true this is!!!! We have a new A. minatrix that we have named Houdini!!! She is amazing! We have found her in the most amazing places. My husband got frustrated and put her in one of those plastic Hamster balls until I got home and moved her. Those small critter keepers have holes too big for air at the top.

:wall:
 

Windchaser

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Messages
2,996
dragyn5 said:
You have no idea how true this is!!!! We have a new A. minatrix that we have named Houdini!!! She is amazing! We have found her in the most amazing places. My husband got frustrated and put her in one of those plastic Hamster balls until I got home and moved her. Those small critter keepers have holes too big for air at the top.

:wall:
Oh I do though. I found out the hard way when I had two OBT's prove to me that the holes were too big. That was an exciting time wrangling them.
 

Fierce Deity

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
425
How big of a sling can fit through these holes? They are about this big: ||.
It looks like the carapace coudn't fit through, nevermind the big abdomen. This has got me worried now.
 

Potemkin

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 16, 2005
Messages
254
Fierce Deity said:
How big of a sling can fit through these holes? They are about this big: ||.
It looks like the carapace coudn't fit through, nevermind the big abdomen. This has got me worried now.
You would be amazed at what tarantulas can fit through. They flatten themselves and just slide through. I wouldn't trust kritter keepers; use a clear deli cup and poke pinholes in it. It's cheaper, more secure, and you still get to see your tarantulas. If easy access is a requirement, what I do is hot glue the top of a water bottle to the lid, and cut a hole in the lid. That way, you can just unscrew the top of the water bottle and drop some food in there.
 

Breadfan

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 3, 2006
Messages
11
when i first got my L Para sling he was about 1" and i thought the small KK would be perfect for it. boy was i wrong it took it about 45 min to get out and i found him on the ceiling just chilling.

get u a beta keeper for fish and drill a bunch of holes in it add substrate and a water dish(bottle cap) and ur good to go
 

keqwow

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 17, 2006
Messages
204
So, considering how small the air slots are in the critter keepers....what size drill bits should I use to drill air holes in these plastic display boxes I just picked up from A. C. Moore (used the beenie babies)????
 

Windchaser

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Messages
2,996
keqwow said:
So, considering how small the air slots are in the critter keepers....what size drill bits should I use to drill air holes in these plastic display boxes I just picked up from A. C. Moore (used the beenie babies)????
I use 1/16" or 5/32" when I drill holes for slings.
 

Code Monkey

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
3,783
I use vials (40 dram size) until they're about 1-1.25" in LS, move up to a deli/salsa container with a homemade mesh lid until they're about 2" in LS, and then, and only then, do I move up to the small size of KK style cages. As others have noted, they can fit through remarkably small holes and crevices.
 

gothsinpink

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 14, 2006
Messages
33
Great fix for that!

I usually put a nice layer of petroleum jelly at the top of my KK'S all around the top edge so that if they try to climb up they just slid back down which has worked really well!
 

Code Monkey

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
3,783
gothsinpink said:
I usually put a nice layer of petroleum jelly at the top of my KK'S all around the top edge so that if they try to climb up they just slid back down which has worked really well!
Potentially a very bad idea because petroleum jelly in the booklungs = very dead sling. In general this should work, but it's an inferior solution next to simply housing your slings in an appropriate container.
 

Windchaser

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Messages
2,996
gothsinpink said:
I usually put a nice layer of petroleum jelly at the top of my KK'S all around the top edge so that if they try to climb up they just slid back down which has worked really well!
I would not recommend this fix. First, the petroleum could clog their book lungs, resulting in suffocation of your tarantula. Secondly, though not as likely, it could result in a fall for your tarantula which in turn could result in an injury. Your best bet is to use a smaller container with smaller air holes. It is safer all the way around.
 

gothsinpink

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 14, 2006
Messages
33
I've never had any of my T's die from this...but you guys are more experts than me...thxs for the warning :D
 

Code Monkey

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
3,783
gothsinpink said:
I've never had any of my T's die from this...but you guys are more experts than me...thxs for the warning :D
It's one of those things like "Don't run with scissors". Sure you run the first 100 races holding your lucky pair of pinking shears without incident. On the 101st, though, ye gods, you just performed an impromptu splenectomy on yourself ;)

It's not a likely outcome, but petroleum jelly is best used when the individual specimens involved are effectively disposable (e.g. feeder roaches) because the potential for death is there.
 

NikiP

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 16, 2006
Messages
539
Dang it.

The containers I setup for my slings are wayyy to big & the airholes (at this point) are also wayyy to big....

Will see what they arrive in & go from there.
 

ambellina

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 23, 2006
Messages
10
When my OBT got too big for the vial it came in, I movied it into a little spice container with pinholes around the top. Next stop will probably be a smallish peanut butter jar, then the small kritter keeper.
 
Top