Removing feeders from an enclosure

[EvanShavingCream]

Hi everyone! I was wondering what more experienced keepers do to remove crickets, or any other feeder, from their enclosures. I am about a month or so into keeping Ts and I left a cricket in with my 1.5" C. Cyaneopubescens overnight. When I woke up and checked on them I noticed that the T had molted with the cricket still in the enclosure. The T has webbed up its whole enclosure and I would really prefer not to tear it up. Any tips or advice to get the cricket out would be most appreciated.

 

[Mojo288]

https://www.amazon.com/Long-Stainless-Steel-Alligator-Forceps/dp/B000T6A99C

Don't worry too much about the webbing, your sling will lay down plenty more, you should be more concerned with the T being at risk.

I use those forceps for almost all of my maintenance needs (placing decoration, removing boluses ect), i prefer them to tongs because of the clamp mechanism only opens at the tip making it easier to crack the enclosure just a hair, as well as being able to avoid disturbing the enclosure too much.

As a side note, personally, if a sling wont take live prey while im there to see it, i prekill and leave it near its favorite hang out spot, depending on the T, if its there in the morning, pull it out, if not great. Better safe then sorry.

You could also try the "tickle" method, basically just get a piece of grass or something similar and just tickle the webbing or area in-front of the hide, (this works especially well with GBBs, all the webbing) and if you see movement towards your "tickling" you've probably got a hungry T.

 

[aphono]

Haha I totally understand not wanting to destroy the beautiful webbing. But as said, it is totally fine to do some damage if necessary. Better the web get damaged rather than the spider...

I use tongs- btw great idea to have a couple at different lengths. I'm intrigued and might try out the alligator forceps linked above.. here's one of what I have:

https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Stai...00233299&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=feeder+tongs

my own side note: IME this species is such a reliable and 'aggressive' eater, if it does not react immediately or shrinks away from prey touching the web it is either not interested at all or not really that hungry and I take it out right away- no overnighters for this species. If it does not attack either the next day or two it probably has entered premolt.

leaving prekilled or crushed head prey overnight certainly is an option. No worry about it hiding or proving difficult to dig out.. I do this with the 'shy eaters'(other species), sure am glad to have learned of this trick from here.. the meal worms in particular dig underground way too fast and it's often surprisingly hard to find them even in a small container.

 

[mconnachan]

It's simple, just get the cricket with tongs, remove the cricket, don't worry about the webbing, the T will do more webbing, the most important thing is to get the cricket out of the enclosure, before it has a chance to do any damage to your vulnerable spider. At this point your spider is soft so the cricket can damage the spider, remove the cricket by any means possible.

 

[EvanShavingCream]

https://www.amazon.com/Long-Stainless-Steel-Alligator-Forceps/dp/B000T6A99C

Don't worry too much about the webbing, your sling will lay down plenty more, you should be more concerned with the T being at risk.

I use those forceps for almost all of my maintenance needs (placing decoration, removing boluses ect), i prefer them to tongs because of the clamp mechanism only opens at the tip making it easier to crack the enclosure just a hair, as well as being able to avoid disturbing the enclosure too much.

As a side note, personally, if a sling wont take live prey while im there to see it, i prekill and leave it near its favorite hang out spot, depending on the T, if its there in the morning, pull it out, if not great. Better safe then sorry.

You could also try the "tickle" method, basically just get a piece of grass or something similar and just tickle the webbing or area in-front of the hide, (this works especially well with GBBs, all the webbing) and if you see movement towards your "tickling" you've probably got a hungry T.

Normally it takes food right away and it didn't this time. I don't know why I didn't take that as a sign of premolt. It seems so obvious when I say it here and now. I do have some of tongs and forceps I use to manage the enclosures I have but the position of the cricket didn't allow their use. I took all of your advice and dug around. It took a while but I got the cricket out. Luckily nothing happened to my T! Thanks everyone for the advice.

 

[cold blood]

remove with....

0813161326

• cold blood
• Jan 30, 2017

tools of the trade

I agree about the webbing...the t has a virtually unlimited supply and all the time in the world.

 

[viper69]

Personally, you need to pull that cricket out of there. This is when Ts are most vulnerable, on their back, and shortly after molting when their fangs are soft and they cannot defend themselves. Also, they are weak and do not move for days.

I use forceps, like everyone else.