Best way to feed widow slings

[ReignofInvertebrates]

I've bred L. geometricus, variolus, and now hesperus, so I'm no stranger to mating Latrodectus. That being said, I always have large die-offs with slings, because I can't seem to find an easy way to keep them all well fed. In the end over half of the offspring shrivel and die. Usually I throw fruit flies into their vials. I try injuring them occasionally. Sometimes I get feeding response with larger prekilled crickets, but if they're too small the slings don't notice them. Does anyone have a better method to ensure more of my slings will make it past the first 4 instars or so?

 

[The Snark]

I've been given the impression the perfect food foir them (and many slings) are each other. After some fratricide the survivors balloon out and find mites and micro bugs that are all but impossible to keep in captivity. Maybe some kind of mite colony might be the answer?

 

[Willuminati]

I give them tons freshly hatched crickets! But no matter how much I feed them there are always a large number that die off, I'm sure it's due too cannibalism since they are not a social spider and are awesome feeders from birth. Ya Can't keep an eye on them 24/7 or separate them to easily soon after they pop out the sack so I've grown to accept this situation as a normality.

 

[pannaking22]

I leave mine together for a day or two and let the weaker individuals get eaten. Seems to increase the number that survive and grow. Prekilled crickets seem to be alright, though I've noticed that there's a stronger feeding response if you tear open the cricket a bit.