Removing prey items......

Sharpy808 · Sep 21, 2006

I fed my slings this morning and one of my C.Cyaneopubescens refused food, hopefully ready to molt. The problem is in the process of trying to remove the little pinhead cricket I practically destroyed almost the entire web the little kid had built. I kinda feel bad for doing this to him if indead he is getting ready to molt. Any good ideas for getting them out next time without destroying the slings work? Or just dont worry about it? :wall:

Thnx in advance

Windchaser · Sep 21, 2006

I wouldn't worry about it. They will spin a new web. I wouldn't recommend destroying all the time but on occasion it is no big deal.

Sharpy808 · Sep 21, 2006

Thnx, after this upcoming molt it will be getting moved to a larger enclosure so should make removing them simpler. But in these little vials its a pain.

Sarah.S · Sep 21, 2006

GBB's in my experiance love it when they get to build new web cause the old lot got taken down or all mine did anyway. They are prolific webbers and so wont care at all bout lossing their web and will see it as a challange to make new and better webbing.

MindUtopia · Sep 21, 2006

With the vials I usually just tip them gently on their side and often the cricket will eventually run to the top, sometimes with a little gentle nudging with a pen, and hop into whatever I have to catch it in. It's pretty easy and you don't have to destroy the web.

Arachnophilist · Sep 21, 2006

I agree with MindUtopia get yourself a little instrument to coax them about and get them out. for my larger tanks I actually just use a long pair of regular paper scissors and leave just a little bit open at the end. then I simply drop them down over the crickets back and close them slightly and remove the cricket.. I like it cause I can get into the smallest spaces and even go right through a web w/o doin more than leave a tiny hole . and the crickets dont just cut or smush w/o a lot of pressure.. but hey if thats the only way to slow it down.. its just a cricket.. T is more important. hope that helps!

Parahybana3590 · Sep 21, 2006

If I were you (as a suggestion) I would invest in a colony of lobster roaches. The babies are small enough to feed any sling 1/4"+ and they are big enough so that you can crush their heads and not have to worry about the prey damaging the spider mid/post-molt.

Sharpy808 · Sep 21, 2006

Thanx a lot for all the replys. Tried the tiping the container but the GBB had webed over most of the edge and the cricket kept getting caught in it. Tried using a needle to just get in a little area and I innevidibly wound up touching web and then things got ugly. It was like a bad atempt at playing the game "Operation"... lol But still great ideas

And as for roachs..... said it before, im in the only state you CANT get them in

. unless I breed the locals, and they are just nasty critters. I will never be free of the chirping of lots o little crickets as I sleep :wall:

Thnx again all, and I will post pics of the fresh molt... should be by next weekend. Hopin for some nice color on the sling.

Arachnophilist · Sep 21, 2006

if you cant manage to get the cricket out then use the eraser end of a pencil and crush it to death. then its harmless and easy to remove with whatever implement you have available. thats what i do with the jumpy ones. less carnage.

Sunar · Sep 22, 2006

I wouldn't worry a ton...my GBB killed a cricket that got in it's web and dragged it out before it molted. She wasn't playing around.

~Fred

Removing prey items......

Sharpy808

Arachnosquire

Windchaser

Arachnoking

Sharpy808

Arachnosquire

Sarah.S

Arachnosquire

MindUtopia

Arachnoking

Arachnophilist

Arachnoprince

Parahybana3590

Arachnoknight

Sharpy808

Arachnosquire

Arachnophilist

Arachnoprince

Sunar

Arachnoknight