Is a halved, un-decapitated mealworm a threat?

[elviajero]

So I've been having moderate success raising my Tiger Rump sling (now at about 1-1.5 inches) since my initial post. The past couple of weeks though, I switched from crickets to mealworms since the latter are more easily accessible. I'd been cutting off the head then cutting the body in two for easier to eat pieces, but today, I just skipped the decapitation and cut it in two, figuring the slightly more lively prey might be more enticing. I guess it wasn't entirely dead though since the half with the head disappeared into the substrate five minutes later.

My question is, since I bisected it, will the mealworm eventually die, or could it possibly recover, grow, and munch on my sling?

 

[Mirandarachnid]

I imagine it'll die. You could just crush the head, if you're giving it both halves anyway there's really no reason to cut it in two.

 

[Arachnophoric]

So I've been having moderate success raising my Tiger Rump sling (now at about 1-1.5 inches) since my initial post. The past couple of weeks though, I switched from crickets to mealworms since the latter are more easily accessible. I'd been cutting off the head then cutting the body in two for easier to eat pieces, but today, I just skipped the decapitation and cut it in two, figuring the slightly more lively prey might be more enticing. I guess it wasn't entirely dead though since the half with the head disappeared into the substrate five minutes later.

My question is, since I bisected it, will the mealworm eventually die, or could it possibly recover, grow, and munch on my sling?

Pretty sure it'll be a goner if you cut it in half. From now on, don't worry about removing the head, just crush it. It'll keep it from burrowing if you don't want to remove it entirely.

 

[moshpitpanda]

Personally I always cut them in half because they also burrow with their tales. They probably cant burrow when they have no head but I dont like taking chances

 

[Luka98]

As others have said crush the head, if you're really set on cutting in half just give her the headless half

 

[Teal]

Why skip steps? Crush or remove the head. It's really simple.

 

[antinous]

Crush or cut off the head. Mealworms still can move and bite for a while after cut in half. I wouldn’t risk it

 

[LostInExotics]

Personally I feed my slings, which are less than 1”, cut up mealworms. I usually crush the head with tweezers for extra pre caution then cut it in half. I find it still moving but after a couple minutes it stops.

 

[elviajero]

Thanks for the responses guys. Definitely gonna be more careful about crushing the head from now on.

 

[Rittdk01]

Just crunch the head with tweezers. Meal worms come in all different sizes, including mini, which are right for even the smallest slings. Cutting in half and cutting of the head sounds like a lot of work, and is pretty gross.

 

[Djv44spider]

I crush the heads and my spiders love them