Feeding Question

[Stella Maris]

My N. chromatus sling has been refusing pre-Killed food for 3 weeks and he just molted tonight. I know it's recommended to wait 1-3 weeks before feeding post-molt or until Fangs harden...but what about 1/8 inch tiny slings like my N. chromatus? Does the same rule apply?

I only feed him pre-Killed as of now due to his size, obviously.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

With slings is different, their chelicerae harden quickly. I wait 15/20 days, in general, for adults only. A sling after 5/6 days can eat.

 

[Trenor]

I'd look and see if it's abdomen is plump. If so it's fine. Just make sure it has access to water.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

With slings is different, their chelicerae harden quickly. A sling after 5/6 days can eat.

Quicker than that, my E. cyanognathus ate less than 24hrs after completing a surprise moult (put in pre-killed mealworm, checked next day to find it sat next to its exuvia chomping on the mealworm).

To the OP: I usually give slings 3-5 days before offering a freshly moulted prey item.

 

[Venom1080]

i wait a minimum of 3 days.

 

[Arachnomaniac19]

Quicker than that, my E. cyanognathus ate less than 24hrs after completing a surprise moult (put in pre-killed mealworm, checked next day to find it sat next to its exuvia chomping on the mealworm).

That's not really a good idea since their fangs are probably still soft and susceptible to breaking quite easily.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

That's not really a good idea since their fangs are probably still soft and susceptible to breaking quite easily.

It wasn't intentional and there wasn't really much I could do about it at that point, it surprised me with a moult, it had eaten just 3 days before so I had no reason to assume it was in premoult, I put the dead feeder outside its web tube and checked back 24hrs later to find it had moulted during the night and was halfway through eating the thing.

I could've gone all Harry Endfield's "Angry Frank" on it and said:

"Oi! You! Noooooo! You're not supposed to eat for another 3 days, what if you break your fangs? I don't care if you're the product of millions of years of eight-legged murder tanking evolution, I know how you're supposed to Tarantula better than you do, you muppet, give me back the bloody mealworm and go back into hiding."

But it'd be a bit pointless

 

[cold blood]

My N. chromatus sling has been refusing pre-Killed food for 3 weeks and he just molted tonight. I know it's recommended to wait 1-3 weeks before feeding post-molt or until Fangs harden...but what about 1/8 inch tiny slings like my N. chromatus? Does the same rule apply?

I only feed him pre-Killed as of now due to his size, obviously.

3 days and a little chromatus wil be ready to eat. They have one of the shortest recovery times I have seen as slings (Psalms and N. incei are among others).

 

[clive 82]

It wasn't intentional and there wasn't really much I could do about it at that point, it surprised me with a moult, it had eaten just 3 days before so I had no reason to assume it was in premoult, I put the dead feeder outside its web tube and checked back 24hrs later to find it had moulted during the night and was halfway through eating the thing.

I could've gone all Harry Endfield's "Angry Frank" on it and said:

"Oi! You! Noooooo! You're not supposed to eat for another 3 days, what if you break your fangs? I don't care if you're the product of millions of years of eight-legged murder tanking evolution, I know how you're supposed to Tarantula better than you do, you muppet, give me back the bloody mealworm and go back into hiding."

But it'd be a bit pointless

Nearly spat my coffee out laughing. Gotta love Harry Enfield.