Going away for 10 days - better prep advice needed!

[Poec54]

Should I water them (meaning the substrate) before bagging them?

Yes. They need a water source. Plastic bags are to make it last.

 

[shelpen]

Poec54
So the plan is:
- feed good, maybe even leave an additional portion (live or dead)
- give 2 water bowls
- water the substrate
- wrap/bag the enclosures

 

[Poec54]

Poec54
So the plan is:
- feed good, maybe even leave an additional portion (live or dead)
- give 2 water bowls
- water the substrate
- wrap/bag the enclosures

I'd call it 'moisten substrate', and not flood it. Keep the bags out of sunlight so they don't overheat.

 

[Blueandbluer]

Poec54
So the plan is:
- feed good, maybe even leave an additional portion (live or dead)
- give 2 water bowls
- water the substrate
- wrap/bag the enclosures

I'd say feed extra only while you're still available to do cleanup... You don't want to leave live prey in in case someone does a Surprise!Molt, and dead prey will rot fast in a bagged enclosure.

 

[shelpen]

I'd say feed extra only while you're still available to do cleanup... You don't want to leave live prey in in case someone does a Surprise!Molt, and dead prey will rot fast in a bagged enclosure.

Good point!

 

[Ellenantula]

Learning a lot from all the ideas here, I have someone who would care for my cats and parrots but no dice on Ts or feeders.

I do wonder if age/size of Ts would make a big difference. I am not sure about leaving slings so long without food.
How long can an otherwise presumed healthy sling go without food?

 

[Poec54]

I do wonder if age/size of Ts would make a big difference. I am not sure about leaving slings so long without food.
How long can an otherwise presumed healthy sling go without food?

A couple weeks without food is no issue with slings. They can go a lot longer than that provided they have good weight to start with.

 

[Angel Minkov]

I'd say feed extra only while you're still available to do cleanup... You don't want to leave live prey in in case someone does a Surprise!Molt, and dead prey will rot fast in a bagged enclosure.

A molt wont rot. It will just dry out and the T will most likely incorporate it into its burrow/hide or throw it out. Dead prey can be a problem, though.

 

[Blueandbluer]

A molt wont rot. It will just dry out and the T will most likely incorporate it into its burrow/hide or throw it out. Dead prey can be a problem, though.

I'm confused... Who suggested molts can rot? I know exuvia don't rot. My point was that you shouldn't leave live prey in there in case one of your spiders molts unexpectedly because the live prey can damage or kill your vulnerable molting spider.

 

[shelpen]

UPDATE

Before leaving I've moistened the substrate in every enclosure and put them in the bags, 3-5 enclosures per bag.

NO DEATHS!

In fact everybody liked those humid and warm conditions so much that I'd came back to 5 molted spiders + 1 in a very heavy premolt!

THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!! :love::love::love: