feeding problem

[Pepperhead124]

i got my quarter inch b. smithi sling about four days ago and he hasnt eaten yet. its hard for me to try to feed him because pinhead crickets are hard to find in my area and reg. crickets are too big. i've tried cutting them in half and putting them in there with him but doesnt seem to go for it. Can you get them to eat something dead or does it have to be alive? also, since theyre nocturnal would it be a good idea to feed them only at night or does it not matter? thanks

 

[BigSam]

pre molt probably.

Sam,

 

[MrT]

Try feeding it cricket drumsticks, or the rear legs.
I've fed my tiny slings these, and they love em.


Ernie

 

[Pepperhead124]

ok cool

oh yea and when i put food in he doesnt even seem to notice it . probably premolt then huh?

 

[MrT]

Give it some time to get use to its new home.
It may be in pre-molt. Little sling's arn't in pre-molt for long. Sometimes only for a day. I've heard of some eating in the morning, then molting that evening.
Most T's eat at night. See if the leg has been sucked dry in the morning.

I'm sure it's ok..

ET

 

[manville]

try giving it small crickets if you can get any if you cant mealworms would work too if they are too big cut them in small pieces..they eat dead stuff too..

 

[Pepperhead124]

should i just set the rear legs in with him or sort of "shove it in his face" with tweezers?

 

[Immortal_sin]

as long as your sling is in a small vial or deli cup, you could just set it in there and it will find the item.
I've got 2 B emilia slings that started out at 1/4" (I'm T sitting one, but they came from the same eggsack), and I've still got them in small vials. They find their prey really easily that way.

 

[Pepperhead124]

i try to feed him every night and he doesnt seem to go for it. a few days ago i opened up his container and he was right on top of the rear cricket leg, so i left her alone assuming that she was finally getting some food, but when i checked the next morning i examined the leg and didnt look eaten at all. my friend suggested maybe since its still so small you couldnt tell if he was eating it. is this possible? i've had her for close to a week now and hasnt eaten a thing, i'm hoping my t was fed just before shiipping out . how long can spiderlings go without eating? if he doesnt eat soon i'm gonna have to make a long trip for some pinheads, because i cant find any in my area, any more help would be appreciated.

 

[Code Monkey]

Spiderlings, even the tiniest ones, can go several weeks to a few months without starving to death. I only try to feed my 1/4" smithis about every 1-2 weeks, they just don't eat that much at that size, one meal and they're plump like a tick for quite some time. Also, as your friend says, at that size, even if it was eating on a drumstick, it would be very difficult to see.

On tip for cricket legs and very small slings is to split open the 'thigh' area. The exoskeleton is pretty thick on a cricket leg and this makes it easier for them to get at the edible bits.