Beginner's tips please.

Dulce

Arachnopeon
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Mar 30, 2017
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I got useful feedback in my last post of tarantulas, from some of you, and I would like more tips, since some of you advice me to not pay attention to the care sheets online, any advice on lasiodora parahybana sling?
 

nicodimus22

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Feed them things other than mice and birds, despite what many youtube people do.
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
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any advice on lasiodora parahybana sling?
I have not kept LPs before, but I wrote some basic sling care advice that applies to many species:

I was initially wary of getting slings, but now that I have them, I see it's not that hard. Just a little different from juveniles and adults.

The main difference between sling care and adult care is that sling always need some moisture, because they haven't yet developed the waxy layer on their cuticle that prevents them from losing moisture through their cuticle. Once they develop this layer (1.5" or so, maybe earlier for some arid species like GBB), you can transition to the adult moisture requirements.

To raise the humidity, just slightly dampen some of the substrate and limit ventilation. The easiest way to keep them is in condiment cups or small deli containers with holes poked for ventilation. (To prevent escape, make sure all holes are smaller than the tarantula's carapace.)

I would offer a water dish if you can find one that fits in a smaller enclosure -- the sling is not going to drown. If not, when it's small enough to live in a condiment cup, dripping some water down the side is fine. If you're running the heater, be sure to stay on top of the moisture level in the container, as it may dry out more quickly than you expect.

As for feeding, all of the usual safety precautions apply (for example, pre-crush a mealworm's head). Some slings will take live prey, and you can offer something that is the size of the spider's abdomen or smaller. If they are too timid to hunt, most will accept pre-killed prey. Just place all or part of a prey item in the container for the sling to find. Since the container will be slightly moist, you should remove any uneaten prey (or parts of prey) after a day to prevent mites and fungi from becoming established.
Searching Arachnoboards for species + sling should help you find specific care advice. (Sometimes using Google to search arachnoboards.com works better than the site's internal search engine.) Feel free to ask specific questions too if anything seems unclear.
 

Charlottesweb17

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Jan 31, 2017
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IMG_1376.JPG IMG_1376.JPG IMG_1377.JPG My first and only current slings are l. Parahybana.
Subject to change their names are Kronk and Charlotte and they are full of attitude.
Kronk was threat posing me at a 1/4". Charlotte was always plotting escaping, every time I opened the lid to her container she/would make a run for it. They also eat the heads off their crickets.
Love them, if they this bad of ass now I can't wait till they are bigger.
I started mine out in plastic containers with air holes, old pill bottles which I cleaned and took the labels off to put in for their hiding spots and I used the lids for water. I used coconut fibre subturate and made it fairly deep. Both my slings almost immediately dug burrows right to the bottom of the container. I feed mine every other day in the evening as they tend to come out at night to eat and I leave the feeder in for about a night and half the following day then remove it.
As soon as mine were delivered I fed them both that night cause I wasn't sure the last time they had eaten and they ate! Like they ate 3 nights in a row.
 

Dulce

Arachnopeon
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Mar 30, 2017
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18
The LP that I got from jamies tarantulas, likes to climb to top of the lid by the wires. (Hole) and I'm scare it'll fall. I'm thinking if putting more substrate since it didnt come with much. Also, he/she such a sweety...doesnt pose to me nor tries to run away. It's just wants to hide most of the time and doesn't try to bite when I move it a lil to see if it's ok. I've had him for like 3 days now, and it doesn't want to eat yet. Also he came w a missing leg
 

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Charlottesweb17

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Jan 31, 2017
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The LP that I got from jamies tarantulas, likes to climb to top of the lid by the wires. (Hole) and I'm scare it'll fall. I'm thinking if putting more substrate since it didnt come with much. Also, he/she such a sweety...doesnt pose to me nor tries to run away. It's just wants to hide most of the time and doesn't try to bite when I move it a lil to see if it's ok. I've had him for like 3 days now, and it doesn't want to eat yet. Also he came w a missing leg
I got mine from Tarantula Canada they came in perfect condition.
 

darkness975

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The LP that I got from jamies tarantulas, likes to climb to top of the lid by the wires. (Hole) and I'm scare it'll fall. I'm thinking if putting more substrate since it didnt come with much. Also, he/she such a sweety...doesnt pose to me nor tries to run away. It's just wants to hide most of the time and doesn't try to bite when I move it a lil to see if it's ok. I've had him for like 3 days now, and it doesn't want to eat yet. Also he came w a missing leg
There needs to be a lot more substrate in that enclosure.
Post a picture of the whole enclosure.
 

cold blood

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I'm not a fan of vials as their venting is pretty restrictive, but yes, that would work fine and lots of people use them...Its just a matter of keeping things a little drier.....I'd also fill it over halfway with substrate.
 

Dulce

Arachnopeon
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Mar 30, 2017
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Lol. I put more subs for now cause I don't have a drill. To make holes on the vile..and I have no deli cup :(
 

Rittdk01

Arachnoknight
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Oct 4, 2016
Messages
258
They
I plan on feeding mine mice want to watch them hunt! I can find a place where I live in Canada that sells mice for food.
They take so long to eat mice sometimes that the mouse is stinking before its even out of their mouth. Pinky mice will make noise and it's pretty nasty to see imo. I will never feed anything mice.
 

volcanopele

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Sep 11, 2016
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You can get deli cups on Amazon for $10-$15 for 50 16-oz containers, which are great for LP slings that small (also I know that I always have something to put a new sling into when inevitably I decide to get yet another spiderling). Just fill it with dirt so that you leave maybe 3/4" to 1" of space between the lid and the ground. Don't need a hide at that size; they'll just dig a burrow (that's one of the reasons people keep telling you to put more substrate in, they prefer to burrow). Don't need a water dish at that size, just spray a little water along the wall of the cage every few days for moisture. Feed an appropriate sized cricket or other food item every few days and it'll grow like a weed.
 

Charlottesweb17

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 31, 2017
Messages
34
The LP that I got from jamies tarantulas, likes to climb to top of the lid by the wires. (Hole) and I'm scare it'll fall. I'm thinking if putting more substrate since it didnt come with much. Also, he/she such a sweety...doesnt pose to me nor tries to run away. It's just wants to hide most of the time and doesn't try to bite when I move it a lil to see if it's ok. I've had him for like 3 days now, and it doesn't want to eat yet. Also he came w a missing leg
That is what mine looked like when I got them. Imagine a t that big threatening you lol!
 
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