A Sling-Feeding Warning

[gabrieldezzi]

Hello everyone, I just wanted to post a PSA about double checking prekilled prey before placing it with your sling(s). A few days ago I crushed the head of (to what I thought was dead) a dead cricket, into the middle of my deli cup for my N. incei sling, who was approaching premolt. I thought the cricket was dead and moved on, and to my horror a couple hours later when I checked on my sling the cricket was alive and walking, I quickly took the cricket out of the enclosure and gave him to my bearded dragon, where perhaps his food would be appreciated.

However, checking on my sling today, revealed a lifeless sling, no death curl, but with a visible part between the abdomen and the carapace (assuming it was severed by the cricket hopping around). I am distraught obviously but I think this should be a fair warning to those to always double check if your prekilled prey is actually dead.

A stupid mistake that unfortunately cost a life. I’ll be hung up about it for a while most likely

 

[viper69]

Did you feed an appropriately sized prey item?

 

[gabrieldezzi]

Did you feed an appropriately sized prey item?

Looking back on it, it most likely was too large. I haven’t kept slings that small in over a year now, and I should have kept with the drumsticks. Completely preventable, so it’s a shame my incompetence resulted in a horrible outcome

 

[Tarantulasareanimalstoo]

We all make mistakes it's what makes us human. The best thing we can do is just learn from them and hopefully others will learn from this as well. It is quite unfortunate that this circumstance took a life, I am sorry for your loss.

 

[LilithArachne]

I am sorry this happened to you and your sling.

 

[Westicles]

We've all made mistakes. I know I have. Learn from it! Sorry for your loss

 

[gabrieldezzi]

Update, I today, purchased two, more well-started slings of Neoholothele incei. One is very spindly and a little larger so I’m hoping that one’s male, the other one is smaller and a little less spindly so I hope she’s female. Could you imagine a pair!

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Update, I today, purchased two, more well-started slings of Neoholothele incei. One is very spindly and a little larger so I’m hoping that one’s male, the other one is smaller and a little less spindly so I hope she’s female. Could you imagine a pair!
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Nice I never had a dwarf t beside my short lived obts I had many years ago. Good luck !

 

[caddude]

Nice I never had a dwarf t beside my short lived obts I had many years ago. Good luck !

I have though about a dwarf, just cannot decide on species. Also, I will be avoiding slings due to the issues with raising them. You look awesome!

 

[Niss]

What you've described here is the nightmare that haunts my dreams. I haven't run into the problem specifically, but then I am pretty brutal about what I consider to be "pre-killed"---mealworms have their heads cut off, not crushed; crickets aren't sufficiently "head-crushed" until I've flattened or ideally removed the entire head of the thing. I'm paranoid enough with slings that I'll always feed them pre-killed and let them scavenge given the choice.

Don't feel too badly about it though...we all make mistakes. I've made plenty and some have resulted in the death or injury of the spider. That's on me...I feel terrible, but never repeat the errors and do dearly love the little critters. These aren't dogs, there isn't a cultural knowledge-base we can draw from for simple-and-perfect care. Being a keeper means doing your best, knowing that you might make a mistake. Comes with the territory if we choose to keep these wonderful animals.

~N