Slippery Slings!

[Clusterwhoops]

So I came home today and tried to see if my new sling would eat yet. I was kneeling down and had the little container slightly open, quickly throwing a small cricket into his enclosure, then quickly closing the lid. Nothing happend, the sling seemed very uninterested in eating. I had my tongs ready, slightly opening the container I slipped the tongs in to try and grab the cricket. Before I knew what was happening, the sling disappeared like a little magician! I looked in disbelief into the small container that only had substrate and a small cricket. Needless to say, I panicked; I was sure the sling jumped or fell off of my night stand into the corner. I searched for a good 5 minutes, emptying bags that were nearby and even using a flashlight to look under my bed and under the night stand, but nothing. I was sure I lost him for good, I even called my friend who was supposed to watch the sling while I was in Germany for 3 weeks doing National Guard training, I called him to tell him never mind, because the sling had escaped. As soon as those words came out of my mouth, I happened to glance and see something hiding upside down under a crevasse on the nightstand. I slowly pulled out the top of compartment of the night stand since the sling was close to getting squished it seemed. I tried my best to use a paint brush and a vial to capture the sling, but alas the sling was determined to be free. He ran into the little compartment that's crammed full of junk, needless to say that made me nervous. After a few minutes of chasing the sling around with the vial in the compartment of the nightstand, I eventually captured and returned the sling to its proper enclosure. I think next time when I go to feed him, I'll do it in the bath tub.

So tell me how do you keep your slings/t's from escaping during feeding/maintenance?
Also post some stories about how your slings/t's have escaped.

 

[Prometheus]

If you put something in there for the sling to make a hide with, they will generally run into it instead of up and out when startled.

 

[Clusterwhoops]

What do you suggest I put in there? The container is pretty small.

 

[Prometheus]

Cork bark is widely used. But you didn't mention what genus/species of spiderling it is. But either way most arboreals have a burrowing tendancy when they are young just like terrestrials. You could also use some fake plant pieces. Anything really that is safe and allows them to attach some webbing. Just get creative! That is part of the fun.

 

[Clusterwhoops]

Cork bark is widely used. But you didn't mention what genus/species of spiderling it is. But either way most arboreals have a burrowing tendancy when they are young just like terrestrials. You could also use some fake plant pieces. Anything really that is safe and allows them to attach some webbing. Just get creative! That is part of the fun.

B. Smithi, little under an inch in legspan.

 

[Storm76]

There's basically 2 options you have:

1) Either use a room that has A LOT of free, open space on the ground, so if the little bugger goes on a run, you can capture him easier.

or and that's how I do it since I lack 1)

2) Use a bigger container in which you put your sling container. Even if the little guy runs off, you can easily recapture him in the bigger one.

Hope that helps!

 

[Clusterwhoops]

Thanks guys for the advice. I thought about it and came up with this idea.

I cut up a piece of egg carton and managed to fit it into its enclosure. Of course right when I opened it up to try and see if it would eat again today, it jolted out again, but this time I put the slings enclosure into a bigger plastic tub, and that in my bath tub, just in case.
It still wont eat, I think maybe its going to molt soon!

As soon as I put it back into its enclosure, with the new egg carton hide, it sprinted right into it. I don't think I'll be seeing it for a while. :\

---------- Post added 03-30-2012 at 01:42 PM ----------

He's exactly .87 inches

---------- Post added 03-30-2012 at 02:24 PM ----------

Scratch that, he came out and has been hanging on the top for a while, not moving. I may take the egg carton thing out. I don't think hes liking it too much.