Awww how Key--yoot!

[conipto]

Wook adda pwetty widdle white mouse

Bill

P.S. - She won't be thin for long now!

 

[conipto]

For the record, I don't think I'll ever attempt an adult mouse again, although the way the H. gigas handled it was nothing short of amazing. True to form, it went for the neck. It immediately flipped the mouse over, so that the mouse had no spider parts to kick at or bite. The H. gigas had to actually leave the burrow to turn around. It's definately got a mouth full.. The guy can barely carry it. I needed to fatten this T up a bit for the fishing project, since she was getting quite thin, and the crickets in there were just too much of a pain to deal with (climbing my dividers and diving into water. If I could just find friggin pinkies around here, I don't think I'd have to resort to adult mice.. but hey, this is the best feeding response I've EVER seen in her.

I just hope she deposits the leftovers OUTSIDE the burrow..

Bill

 

[Mendnwngs]

I dont think I could do that.

I mean, feed a mouse is no big deal (ball Python here gets one every week).. Id just be afraid of the mouse tearing the spider up.

Very cool pictures tho. Hope she fattens up for you...

-Jason

 

[dennis]

Yeah, I tried feeding my spider a mouse too once, but the spider was affraid of it... Now, is there any way to knock the mouse unconsciously?

Dennis

 

[sunnymarcie]

Dennie,
You must give your snake live food.
A mouse is easy to kill, but it's kind of gross.
Just put it in a paper bag and wack it on the wall.
They twitch a bit though. YUCK!

 

[Raveness]

Honestly.. Look at that poor things face...

 

[conipto]

Originally posted by Raveness
Honestly.. Look at that poor things face...

Cool huh?

Bill

 

[dennis]

Originally posted by conipto
Cool huh?

Bill

LOL

 

[Immortal_sin]

every so often, my snake refuses his weekly adult thawed mouse. I usually give it to one of the big Ts. I have found that they don't have to be live at all for the Ts to just go for them.
However, cleaning up the leftovers is really really gross!

 

[MrT]

That has got to be one of the saddest things I've ever enjoyed looking at. I love it!! And I love H. gigas. Great T's.


Ernie

 

[belewfripp]

As much sympathy as I have for the mouse, I have to give equivalent kudos to the gigas. They aren't brilliantly colored or the very largest of spiders, but they are one of my favorites. I'm perfectly willing and able to handle my 3 T. blondis, but the massive, powerful fangs of gigas give me too much pause to attempt it with them. Awesome Ts.

Adrian

 

[SpiderFood]

Wonderfully entertaining. Wish I had an H. gigas. They appear to be a brilliant species.
dale

 

[Botar]

Bill,

That first picture is an absolute classic... I love it. I've tried to expose my daughter to the realities of the food chain from early on and it has worked. She loves the baby mice and holds them on the way home from the pet store. Then she marches right in and feeds them to the T's/snake. She likes to watch the predator make the kill, but I can't say she enjoys it.

Dennie,

The mouse in a bag method works, but I raised snakes for so long that if I wanted to "prekill" the rodent I'd just grab it by the tail and whap it on the table. There is usually a bit of kicking and twitching involved, but this just attracts the predator more quickly. I don't feel it is unnecessarily cruel to the mouse/rat, although I admit it can be unsettling for someone to view it that hasn't seen it done many times before.

Botar

 

[paolo_28]

Nice..

Nice shots, I just bought a H. Lividum (Cobalt Blue) and wow, s/he is soo agressive. But I love it! I just can't stand a docile T like my Rose Hair "ARTICUNO". But Articuno is interesting in certain things. Like how s/he loves to groome him/herself.

But anyways nice pictures and hope to see more.

Paolo

 

[D-Man]

Let's see it now

Hey, Bill.

Post a pic of that bolus. I'd like to see what's left and how it looks. It's exciting to see T's pounce on prey, but an Invert munching a mamal blows me away! You should've posted a "before" pic of the gigas' abdomen. Good luck with the project.

Peace.

 

[Valael]

I always worry about blood when using the above methods (smacking it against the table or throwing it against the wall)


It's not that I'm squeamish, I'd just rather avoid the mess. I usually place it on something solid, hold it by the tail, and thump it over the head/neck with something solid.


I hear using a quick squeeze with pliers to the neck works, but that might be pushing it. I don't have a problem killing them, but that's kinda..egh =p

 

[Bry]

Whacking rodents is a pretty common thing around here. I use plastic bags and have only had them break once out of hundreds of times, and sent an unconscious rat flying. The plastic bag does a good job of keeping the blood in there. Just throw the bag out afterwards, or use it for future whackings.

Bry

 

[chau0046]

Originally posted by conipto
For the record, I don't think I'll ever attempt an adult mouse again, although the way the H. gigas handled it was nothing short of amazing. True to form, it went for the neck. It immediately flipped the mouse over, so that the mouse had no spider parts to kick at or bite. The H. gigas had to actually leave the burrow to turn around. It's definately got a mouth full.. The guy can barely carry it. I needed to fatten this T up a bit for the fishing project, since she was getting quite thin, and the crickets in there were just too much of a pain to deal with (climbing my dividers and diving into water. If I could just find friggin pinkies around here, I don't think I'd have to resort to adult mice.. but hey, this is the best feeding response I've EVER seen in her.

I just hope she deposits the leftovers OUTSIDE the burrow..

Bill

Buy 5 adult mice...Through them in a ten gallon.....Little food...little water = lots of pinkies every month ready for feeding time or Freezing.

I also agree that it seems quite often that lots of spp. will accept dead mice as long as there "tauted" with it. I use 10" forceps.


Mat

 

[Arachnopuppy]

Originally posted by belewfripp
As much sympathy as I have for the mouse, I have to give equivalent kudos to the gigas. They aren't brilliantly colored or the very largest of spiders, but they are one of my favorites. I'm perfectly willing and able to handle my 3 T. blondis, but the massive, powerful fangs of gigas give me too much pause to attempt it with them. Awesome Ts.

Adrian

You have my undying respect. I can't even get my t. blondi female to not hiss and not get into threat posture whenever I get near her.

 

[conipto]

Well, Either she isn't done eating yet, or she's not bothered by the overpowering smell wafting out of her burrow.

I'll give her till tommorrow, then I'm digging it up..

Bill