Green Bottle Blue Enclosure?

[PrettyPrettyPetrie]

Hi!

I’m a new GBB mom. I need some advice on an enclosure. My GBB is a sling. Maybe, an inch? More like .75. Pic is below.

As you’d expect, he is fast. It happens out of no where. One minute you think he is just chillin and then BAM he is running up the side and out into the counter. Feeding is a bit of an interesting experience. He’s run out of his current container every time and I’m left rushing around trying to get him back in. I freak because he’s so little and I don’t want him to get hurt.

I’ve been handing him pinheads with tongs. He takes the pinhead right from the tongs and goes about his business. Yes, he runs fast with a pinhead in his mouth too. Geez. Maybe I shouldn’t “hand feed,” but just let him hunt?

Also, the container I currently have him in has him hanging out right at the seal. Obviously not ideal for him or I.

What’s the best enclosure for a GBB sling? How do you typically feed a GBB?

I’m so used to Birdeaters that this little thing is just new territory for me.

 

[Thekla]

Could you post a picture of the whole enclosure?

As for feeding... drop the roach/cricket in and let it hunt. If the feeder hasn't been eaten after 24 hrs remove it and try again a week later.

 

[Hoxter]

We can't give you much feedback without pictures of whole enclosure. For tiny slings usually best enclosures are vials, 25ml or a bit bigger. In those slings would feel more secure and they can find prey much more easily.
If it wants to take down a live prey, then you can give it those pinheads, tiny roaches or crickets as @Thekla said. Or you can prekill prey item, cut into smaller pieces if needed and leave in it's enclosure anyway. Your sling will find it and scavenge on it.

 

[PrettyPrettyPetrie]

Here are photos!

Glass container, about 9 inches in length, 3 inches in height and 7 inches width.

We can't give you much feedback without pictures of whole enclosure. For tiny slings usually best enclosures are vials, 25ml or a bit bigger. In those slings would feel more secure and they can find prey much more easily.
If it wants to take down a live prey, then you can give it those pinheads, tiny roaches or crickets as @Thekla said. Or you can prekill prey item, cut into smaller pieces if needed and leave in it's enclosure anyway. Your sling will find it and scavenge on it.

Yikes! Maybe I’m just spoiled with Birdeaters, but 28ml seems tiny. Wouldn’t, for example, a vial the size of a can of soda (350 ml) be better? Or a mini size, like 230ml?

 

[Tuisto]

Yikes! Maybe I’m just spoiled with Birdeaters, but 28ml seems tiny. Wouldn’t, for example, a vial the size of a can of soda (350 ml) be better? Or a mini size, like 230ml?

A condiment cup works great for slings that size IME, after a few molts it can live in the current enclosure but i wouldn't stress over it since its a webber.

 

[PrettyPrettyPetrie]

A condiment cup works great for slings that size IME, after a few molts it can live in the current enclosure but i wouldn't stress over it since its a webber.

Got it! Do you have any issues with a GBB running out of a condiment cup? Or, when you feed you open and close really quick?

 

[Thekla]

Here are photos!

Glass container, about 9 inches in length, 3 inches in height and 7 inches width.

That's way too big. Also, when it grows a bit it'll be not tall enough. For a GBB I always look more something cube-like.

When I first got my GBB I housed her in a Ferrero Rocher box with anchor points, bone dry substrate and a water dish I overflowed once in a blue moon.


When she got bigger I rehoused her into DIY 6" acrylic cube:



Now she is in a plastic sterilite-like container:



I always provide a piece of cork bark leaning on the side of the enclosure as a hide and to start her webbing from. Of course, loads of anchor points, bone dry substrate and a water dish.
With the first two enclosures, when she was still young and somewhat skittish, I always had part of the enclosure non-opening, and there I put most of the anchor points and her cork bark. That way, I never had problems with maintenance or feeding, because she always retreated to that part of the enclosure.

 

[PrettyPrettyPetrie]

That's way too big. Also, when it grows a bit it'll be not tall enough. For a GBB I always look more something cube-like.

When I first got my GBB I housed her in a Ferrero Rocher box with anchor points, bone dry substrate and a water dish I overflowed once in a blue moon.
View attachment 320365

When she got bigger I rehoused her into DIY 6" acrylic cube:

View attachment 320366

Now she is in a plastic sterilite-like container:

View attachment 320367

I always provide a piece of cork bark leaning on the side of the enclosure as a hide and to start her webbing from. Of course, loads of anchor points, bone dry substrate and a water dish.
With the first two enclosures, when she was still young and somewhat skittish, I always had part of the enclosure non-opening, and there I put most of the anchor points and her cork bark. That way, I never had problems with maintenance or feeding, because she always retreated to that part of the enclosure.

Very helpful, thank you. I think I need to size down, offer a hide and get a container that doesn’t require full lid removal. I like your DYI cube idea and I’ll customize to that.

 

[Hoxter]

Yikes! Maybe I’m just spoiled with Birdeaters, but 28ml seems tiny. Wouldn’t, for example, a vial the size of a can of soda (350 ml) be better? Or a mini size, like 230ml?

It is very tiny but at first reduces problems of getting sling to actually find a prekilled prey item. And with one or two molts slings usually get big enough to take down anything live as long as it's appropriate size. And that's the point where I prefer to rehouse them into something big enough for few more molts. They utilize additional space very well if provided anchor points and that's when I'd probably focus on that.

I just moved my tiny H. pulchripes sling into such vial and I can say it's much more active there, before it was in slightly bigger enclosure and it seemed stressed out. That's why I'd rather use them at first to make spood grow up a bit and get more confident.

Edit: adding pictures of those vials I was talking about.

H. pulchripes

• Hoxter
• Sep 13, 2019
• 3
• golden blue leg baboon tarantula harpactira harpactira pulchripes pulchripes

Tiny fella finally in appropriate enclosure. I never expected legs to show signs of coloration...

 

[PrettyPrettyPetrie]

It is very tiny but at first reduces problems of getting sling to actually find a prekilled prey item. And with one or two molts slings usually get big enough to take down anything live as long as it's appropriate size. And that's the point where I prefer to rehouse them into something big enough for few more molts. They utilize additional space very well if provided anchor points and that's when I'd probably focus on that.

I just moved my tiny H. pulchripes sling into such vial and I can say it's much more active there, before it was in slightly bigger enclosure and it seemed stressed out. That's why I'd rather use them at first to make spood grow up a bit and get more confident.

Edit: adding pictures of those vials I was talking about.

H. pulchripes

• Hoxter
• Sep 13, 2019
• 3
• golden blue leg baboon tarantula harpactira harpactira pulchripes pulchripes

Tiny fella finally in appropriate enclosure. I never expected legs to show signs of coloration...

Thank you very much! I have some changes to make. I appreciate your feedback and taking the time to include a photo.

 

[Thekla]

I wouldn't house a GBB sling in such a tiny vial. They do well with a bit of extra space (underlining the "bit" part ) for webbing. They also grow fast, so, if you don't want to rehouse your sling after every moult, I'd use something a bit bigger, but not as big as you have right now. I felt the Rocher box was a good size for a sling until maybe 1 1/2" - 2". I'm not too familiar with the deli cup sizes you have in the US, but I think a 16oz deli cup should be perfect.

 

[Tortuga]

@Thekla, what are the dimensions of your final enclosure?

 

[viper69]

I’ve been handing him pinheads with tongs.

WHY? WHY are you spoon feeding an animal that is an able ambush predator. Do you think humans live in the wild with them, feeding them????? BTW, tong feeding is a bad idea, good way to lose fangs and end up with a dead T.

et him hunt?

What a novel idea

I think I need to size down, offer a hide and get a container that doesn’t require full lid removal.

Yes to all 3

 

[Hoxter]

I wouldn't house a GBB sling in such a tiny vial. They do well with a bit of extra space (underlining the "bit" part ) for webbing. They also grow fast, so, if you don't want to rehouse your sling after every moult, I'd use something a bit bigger, but not as big as you have right now. I felt the Rocher box was a good size for a sling until maybe 1 1/2" - 2". I'm not too familiar with the deli cup sizes you have in the US, but I think a 16oz deli cup should be perfect.

GBB can make use of additional space and I know that. Whether provide it from the very beginning or wait a bit is just a matter or personal preference at this point.

 

[Thekla]

@Thekla, what are the dimensions of your final enclosure?

It's about 14"x10"x7,5".

GBB can make use of additional space and I know that. Whether provide it from the very beginning or wait a bit is just a matter or personal preference at this point.

Well, OP said the sling is about 0,75"-1" right now, these vials only have a diameter of about 1", so this is definitely too small even with the extra space in height.

 

[Kitara]

Mine was 1.5" when I got her and her enclosure was 4x4x5." She's ready for her new enclosure that's on the way. My littlest one is just over 1/2" and her enclosure is 2x2x4" and I feel like it's a little too big, but she stays burrowed so i think it's OK for now.

When I was looking for an enclosure I searched out all the pictures I could here. They are very helpful and there are some very creative DIY's (such as @Thekla ). I'm not so creative so mine is from a popular online vendor.