Sling question

[twbillings]

I did this last night. Most did not touch them. My curly hair did almost immediately. My rcf rose crawled all over one piece but didn't eat it. My little lp didn't seem to touch it either. My obt moved his around. My b. Vagans seems to not have moved, but is alive. My a. Urticans wanted nothing today with it either. Idk if they might be about to molt, since idk when their last molt was, or if they just don't like it.

 

[gobey]

Awesome, I'm so glad this thread is here. I'm currently starting my first attempt at raising some slings!!!!

Similar boat here. Although not as varied of a list. I have 2 B. Albipilosums and 1. H. Mac, both 1/2". So my first slings and my first OW. I'm getting help raising the OW because a friend is hoping it will be male for a chance to breed it. If he can ever sell that OBT that is anyways. Otherwise good luck selling more baboon tarantulas.

But I originally refused the H. Mac as a freebie, and then upon looking it up, talking with my breeder friend, and seeing how great the price actually was (thanks autumn!)

I decided let's do it. I'll see how raising a gorgeous OW goes with some help from an experienced T owner.

Mostly I'm looking forward to the day when my Curly Hairs are finally grown into the awesome model "pet" tarantulas they are rumored to be!

As for the H. Mac. Well that's an experience I'm eager for, and await with the utmost respect and care for that animal. Love to see how that turns out.

as of right now the Brachys are in 1 oz deli cups and coco fiber

the H. Mac is in a 2. oz deli cup with coco fiber and sphagnum moss, plus the straw piece he came in for a climb/hide as well.

They came yesterday. Tomorrow or Sunday is going to be feeding day for my other Ts, and that's when I get my first experience feeding the little guys too!

I'll be watching this thread.

I figured pinheads for all 3, crush them if they're too big. Although chopped mealworms sounds like a faster growth option. i just want to do it right. Reading over 4 different books again on the sling care section.

If you asked me 3 months ago I would have told you I'd never want a sling or an OW T....

Oops....

 

[GG80]

I did this last night. Most did not touch them. My curly hair did almost immediately. My rcf rose crawled all over one piece but didn't eat it. My little lp didn't seem to touch it either. My obt moved his around. My b. Vagans seems to not have moved, but is alive. My a. Urticans wanted nothing today with it either. Idk if they might be about to molt, since idk when their last molt was, or if they just don't like it.

Mine don't always eat either but I offer pre-killed pieces every few days and leave it for 24 hours. They will eat when they want. At first I was worried that mine were not eating but one night when it was very dark I took my small torch into the room where I keep them and observed all 4 munching on their piece of food. They will be more active in the dark and scavenge a lot more than during the day. I'm pretty sure that mine don't eat everytime I offer food but they look healthy so I'm not worried that they don't eat everytime. I know they'll feed when they want to.

---------- Post added 08-02-2014 at 05:06 PM ----------

Well done, good to see you did the proper research before you got them.

I keep my slings exactly the same, but I pre-kill crickets generally, but worms work great and probably provide a more significant meal.

I just find mealworms more managable for now. Where I live they only sell large crickets as there is no demand for smaller feeders so I would have to specially order anything smaller and it's not worth the hassle for now. The mealworms are easy to manage and readilly avalable to me.

With regards to the research, I'm just that type of person. It took me months to finally feel confident to get some slings. I would devastate me if lack of knowledge or lazyness to research caused the deaths of my spiders. This way at least if they do happen to die, I know it won't be down to any fault of mine.

 

[cold blood]

I just find mealworms more managable for now. Where I live they only sell large crickets as there is no demand for smaller feeders so I would have to specially order anything smaller and it's not worth the hassle for now. The mealworms are easy to manage and readilly avalable to me.

With regards to the research, I'm just that type of person. It took me months to finally feel confident to get some slings. I would devastate me if lack of knowledge or lazyness to research caused the deaths of my spiders. This way at least if they do happen to die, I know it won't be down to any fault of mine.

I do think mealworms are indeed an easier, cleaner and more manageable, I just don't have too many t's that will eat them, so I don't usually bother with them.

Good for you, way too many people buy their first t or t's as an impulse buy, with little or no actual knowledge except the bad LPS advise they may have received. If everybody were like you, there would be a lot less frantic threads created with people worried about nothing or having all kinds of issues because they had no idea what they were doing. I'm sure I'm not the only one that appreciates your commitment and willingness to learn BEFORE you got them.

 

[ratluvr76]

---------- Post added 08-02-2014 at 05:06 PM ----------




With regards to the research, I'm just that type of person. It took me months to finally feel confident to get some slings. I would devastate me if lack of knowledge or lazyness to research caused the deaths of my spiders. This way at least if they do happen to die, I know it won't be down to any fault of mine.

That's exactly how I feel and research like a fiend reading everything I can find. The problem is I'm also a worry wart and usually wind up worrying/ freaking out about everything anyway lol. Even though I do the research I'm sure I will wind up being the starter of a couple of those annoying threads too hah.

 

[gobey]

That's exactly how I feel and research like a fiend reading everything I can find. The problem is I'm also a worry wart and usually wind up worrying/ freaking out about everything anyway lol. Even though I do the research I'm sure I will wind up being the starter of a couple of those annoying threads too hah.

I researched and read and watched a TON. Which lead to me eventually deciding to impulse buy something else.

I.E. I bought my first T thinking I'd have one pet tarantula finally. Then when I researched how to take care of her and about Tarantulas in general. I read online, watched tons of YouTube, and read TKG. Then I bought a pinktoe. Then bought more books then read some more and learned about L.P.s and decided I wanted one. I got 2. Then after deciding I'd never get a sling or an OW I researched more.... and got 3 slings, one being a baboon I'll eventually keep myself.

If only I stopped reading and just fed my rose hair.

But after all the reading, I like to still ask peoples opinions here, ask the breeders I bought from, and ask my T keeper/breeder friend who has an exotic pet shop. To be super thorough is never a bad thing.

I can research until my eyes fall out about feeding slings, but doing so today for the first time and having the little guys in front of me is different.

So I just want all the stories and info I can get. Ether way I'll find my own methods raising these little guys.

They all ate tonight! A pinhead each! So different to see the OW hunt.

 

[sandybanjo]

I'm just tickled pink to report that my 14 slings are doing well. I've lost two....one to shipping (G. pulchripes), and the other (A. veriscolor) my fault, due to being new to raising slings. Tomorrow, a P. pulcher will be joining the collection. Five have successfully molted, and one of my adult G. rosea is in premolt. , and she is HUGE!

So far, these little T's have brought such pleasure in getting me started again in keeping tarantulas again as a hobby, and I'll keep alll posted on their progress. Geez! This is an awesome hobby!

 

[gobey]

Yay baby tarantulas!

Mine are being stubborn tonight. They're all on the lids of the deli cups. The baboon was out and upside down. It was cool.

My curly hairs ate yesterday but one had no interest today. The other was already on the lid so I wasn't going to open it. I'm not losing one.

But they've eaten Pinheads, dead mealwowms, and adult cricket legs so far. The H. Mac has only eaten Pinheads because it seems to need movement usually to come out from it's hide. He's harder to feed.

 

[sandybanjo]

If you can find a FFF feeder like this one, the task is much simpler. I have some tiny slings, 1/4" or smaller, and I like to use a variety of food including FFF, cricket parts,and superworm pieces.

Where did you find those? Thanks!

 

[Medusa]

Where did you find those? Thanks!

My LPS had one and I reused it to make my own culture. They're hard to find. Another online supplier had them and I placed an order, but they didn't send them so I got a refund. If I find a good source I'll post info.