Damn mealworm!

[Hoops71]

Lost one of my Avic slings the other day mid molt.....due to a rogue mealworm. The little b*stard had popped out of the substrate (I genuinely forgot it was in there) and at full stretch was munching at my soft T at the top of the enclosure. I was quite pissed off to say the least (with myself more than anything). So dont be an idiot like me, make sure you take every feeder out of pre molt T enclosures! Lesson learnt the hard way.

 

[aphono]

That sucks! I do hate how the mealworms are so quick to burrow down. I've taken to crushing the head of every single one because of this. Unless a spider seems particularly hungry and likely to respond immediately or responds quick to prey like the GBB, if they don't hit it right away the mealworm is taken out- no overnighters!

 

[Hoops71]

I've stopped using them to feed my slings now. Like you said, they are a pain in the ass when they burrow. And if you have a short attention span like me then its easy to forget they're in there until they pop up looking for food. Easier to use small crickets (with mushed in heads! ).

 

[basin79]

I can't recommend green/blue bottle flies enough for slings. They're entirely harmless and pose zero threat to a moulting T.

 

[Andrea82]

I'm sorry you lost it
I would like to refer to this thread if someone comes in with a question like 'mealie buried itself, should i get it out or not?' again, if that's okay with you?

 

[Grimmdreadly]

Lost one of my Avic slings the other day mid molt.....due to a rogue mealworm. The little b*stard had popped out of the substrate (I genuinely forgot it was in there) and at full stretch was munching at my soft T at the top of the enclosure. I was quite pissed off to say the least (with myself more than anything). So dont be an idiot like me, make sure you take every feeder out of pre molt T enclosures! Lesson learnt the hard way.

I only feed my slings waxworms. They're harmless, and if one does burrow down, it turns into an equally harmless moth. When I do feed slings live food, I feed pinhead crickets via tongs. Directly in front of the sling. I'm mainly dealing with Psalmies, Pokies, and baboons though so its rare that my tarantulas aren't aggressive feeders

 

[sdsnybny]

I only feed my slings waxworms. They're harmless, and if one does burrow down, it turns into an equally harmless moth. When I do feed slings live food, I feed pinhead crickets via tongs. Directly in front of the sling. I'm mainly dealing with Psalmies, Pokies, and baboons though so its rare that my tarantulas aren't aggressive feeders

If you believe wax worms are harmless you need to see their mouth parts. They will eat a T just as fast as a meal worm. I know from personnel experience, I lost an Avic juvenile that was premolt and the waxworm crawled up into its web and chowed right down the heart line. There are many threads here with keepers being informed "To always crush the head of any worm"

 

[Grimmdreadly]

If you believe wax worms are harmless you need to see their mouth parts. They will eat a T just as fast as a meal worm. I know from personnel experience, I lost an Avic juvenile that was premolt and the waxworm crawled up into its web and chowed right down the heart line. There are many threads here with keepers being informed "To always crush the head of any worm"

Never had it happen personally. And that's in fifteen years of keeping. I've had the beetles superworms turn into eat a tarantula but that's it.

 

[Grimmdreadly]

If you believe wax worms are harmless you need to see their mouth parts. They will eat a T just as fast as a meal worm. I know from personnel experience, I lost an Avic juvenile that was premolt and the waxworm crawled up into its web and chowed right down the heart line. There are many threads here with keepers being informed "To always crush the head of any worm"

Also I only keep aggressive species. I may get a Caribena or an Avic pupurea/metallica if I can find a cheap enough female. But aside from Ephebopus, Psalmopoeus, Phormictopus, and Pamphobeteus, I'm not really interested in new words. Maybe an A.geniculatta or Nandhu Chromatus might strike me one day.

 

[cold blood]

There are many threads here with keepers being informed "To always crush the head of any worm"

Thats it....its not that one needs to avoid worms, theyre all great feeders, its as simple as just crushing heads. Almost all feeders can eat a molting t.

 

[Grimmdreadly]

Thats it....its not that one needs to avoid worms, theyre all great feeders, its as simple as just crushing heads. Almost all feeders can eat a molting t.

I've just only had it happen once.

 

[Trenor]

I've not had any experience with wax worms (as pet feeders) because as a bee keeper they are one of my most hated nemesis. I do know they can chew apart and consume plastic (actually digesting it, breaking the plastic down). If they are able to do that I'd have to think they would be able to harm a soft T if given the chance.

It's just a good rule of thumb to crush the worm (and other insect) heads when feeding IMO. I'd rather lose a feeder or two because the T wasn't hungry (and I crushed it's head) then to risk issues with a worm or roach showing back up during a molt.

 

[Grimmdreadly]

I've not had any experience with wax worms (as pet feeders) because as a bee keeper they are one of my most hated nemesis. I do know they can chew apart and consume plastic (actually digesting it, breaking the plastic down). If they are able to do that I'd have to think they would be able to harm a soft T if given the chance.

It's just a good rule of thumb to crush the worm (and other insect) heads when feeding IMO. I'd rather lose a feeder or two because the T wasn't hungry (and I crushed it's head) then to risk issues with a worm or roach showing back up during a molt.

I could probably get away with it with some of my ts. My E.Murinus and C.Minax need quickly moving, outside of whole supers, crickets, and red runners I can't spark their interest. The others wouldn't care. Heck most of mine grab food out of the air

 

[forfun]

A mealworm is burrowed into the substrate where a p.cambredgi sling lives as we speak. I usually put the mealworm into the webbing and if i dont get a reaction i just take it away since this p.cambridgei sling attacks in under 1 sec if its hungry. This time the P.cam sling refused meal so i tried pick the mealworm but i failed hard. When i tried to pick it up it burrowed super fast into the substrate. After a while the mealworm came up to cork bark and i failed again to pick it up. This is a lighting fast mealworm and i hope i can get it out soon :x

 

[Hoops71]

I'm sorry you lost it
I would like to refer to this thread if someone comes in with a question like 'mealie buried itself, should i get it out or not?' again, if that's okay with you?

Sure. Np.

 

[Hoops71]

A mealworm is burrowed into the substrate where a p.cambredgi sling lives as we speak. I usually put the mealworm into the webbing and if i dont get a reaction i just take it away since this p.cambridgei sling attacks in under 1 sec if its hungry. This time the P.cam sling refused meal so i tried pick the mealworm but i failed hard. When i tried to pick it up it burrowed super fast into the substrate. After a while the mealworm came up to cork bark and i failed again to pick it up. This is a lighting fast mealworm and i hope i can get it out soon :x

Keep an eye out for it and get it out ASAP. Or put the T in another container if possible. A few days ago I would have said that was overkill, but after seeing that mealworm 'stood' on its hind quarters munching away at my T, it opened my eyes as to how vulnerable molting T's are.

 

[forfun]

Keep an eye out for it and get it out ASAP. Or put the T in another container if possible. A few days ago I would have said that was overkill, but after seeing that mealworm 'stood' on its hind quarters munching away at my T, it opened my eyes as to how vulnerable molting T's are.

Yeah i will try to. I dont wanna mess up whole web hiding spot behind the cork bark but that's what i maybe have to do. I wait til tomorrow (night here) i put a cricket leg into the enclosure so if i am lucky i see the mealworm chew on it tomorrow.

 

[Hoops71]

Yeah i will try to. I dont wanna mess up whole web hiding spot behind the cork bark but that's what i maybe have to do. I wait til tomorrow (night here) i put a cricket leg into the enclosure so if i am lucky i see the mealworm chew on it tomorrow.

Good luck! Hopefully you'll get it out without disturbing anything. They can be a nightmare to remove. I've had to harpoon a few with a needle before now!

 

[Ellenantula]

I had to sift through rosie's substrate a couple years ago to find a burrowed mealie, not fun.

I've never heard of waxies being a threat to Ts before.

 

[Charlottesweb17]

That sucks! I do hate how the mealworms are so quick to burrow down. I've taken to crushing the head of every single one because of this. Unless a spider seems particularly hungry and likely to respond immediately or responds quick to prey like the GBB, if they don't hit it right away the mealworm is taken out- no overnighters!

That sucks dude. Will be sure.
Thank goodness my Ts don't like meal worm.