Feeding Tiny Slings

[Necromion]

Ok this has probably been asked already but after a quick search I havent found anything. I am really considering buying a C. elegans sling however it is only a 1/8" long. this presents the question of what should I feed it? Currently Im considering fruit flies, is this an appropriate choice? What other options are there?

 

[Sam_Peanuts]

When I got my C. perezmilesi, it was about 1/6" and I fed it baby roaches heads(crickets heads would also do the job). That way, I don't need multiple food sources and I fed the rest of the bodies to bigger slings.

Much less troublesome than trying to start a fruit flies colony in my opinion, but if you don't want to decapitate insects, fruit flies would work from what I've read.

 

[LV-426]

when my S calceatum sling arrived I gave it a cricket leg and it ate it.

 

[catfishrod69]

take a pinhead cricket or a little bigger, or a small roach, crush its head and toss it in...

 

[Sam_Peanuts]

take a pinhead cricket or a little bigger, or a small roach, crush its head and toss it in...

The roach(if it's a dubia at least) with only a crushed head will be too big for an 1/8" sling even if you pick the smallest ones and if it's still alive, it might even hurt the sling.

I tried this with an 1/4" sling and the roach was throwing the sling in all direction because it kept trashing it's legs around. It took about an hour and a half for the sling to kill the roach and finally be able to eat it. Also, it was too big for her so she left about half of it uneaten.

So unless it's completely dead, I wouldn't recommend it.

The pinheads are a good idea though, but they are hard to keep and they grow fast.

 

[catfishrod69]

well yeah i mean i newborn nymph.....and i aint sure but i think roaches have 2 brains, 1 in their stomach...so theyll keep kickin....my advice kill it good...and if it doesnt eat all of it, big deal atleast it ate...

The roach(if it's a dubia at least) with only a crushed head will be too big for an 1/8" sling even if you pick the smallest ones and if it's still alive, it might even hurt the sling.

I tried this with an 1/4" sling and the roach was throwing the sling in all direction because it kept trashing it's legs around. It took about an hour and a half for the sling to kill the roach and finally be able to eat it. Also, it was too big for her so she left about half of it uneaten.

So unless it's completely dead, I wouldn't recommend it.

The pinheads are a good idea though, but they are hard to keep and they grow fast.

 

[kean]

mealworms cut in half.. i've tried it on small slings with great success.. it will not consume it whole but will take a bite on a portion where worm juice comes out..

 

[Dreadz]

When I had small slings 600+ I fed them mealworms cut into small sections anywhere from 6-10 depending on the size of mealworm. Very small newborn roaches or pinhead crickets will also work good on feeding small slings. Hope this helps and enjoy watching your sling grow.

 

[flamesbane]

Fruitflies, springtails, bean beetles, etc...Lots of traditional dartfrog fare can be used for tiny slings, however most will eat cricket or roach parts (legs, bodies, etc.)

 

[Sukai94]

...Lots of traditional dartfrog fare can be used for tiny slings

I would find a local reptile store that carries dart frogs. Do a google maps search and call around. They will have something for you.

I like the cut up mealworm idea. I will have to try that. I am sure cut up mealworms cant climb glass! :}

 

[Hobo]

I've been caring for a sac's worth of C. perezmilesi slings since they've hatched out late last year.
I've tried a lot of things: baby mealworms, pinheads, their cut up adults, fruitflies and even fishfood!

The easiest by far is cutting up subadult crickets (dealing with wings and ovipositors is annoying). I got a small pair of sewing scissors for it. With it, I can feed 70 slings with just 2 or 3 crickets. Cutting up the abdomen is the hardest part.

 

[Jerome.h]

hi, i couldnt get any fruit flies nor mini crickets here. i normally feed meal worms and once awhile crickets leg. cuz crickets stinks, they kil leach other, while mealworms ca nlast longer. but i heard mealworms make T fat. thats a good thing right?
or is ther any other ways to feed spiderlings 1/4 inch to less than a inch slings

 

[Necromion]

hi, i couldnt get any fruit flies nor mini crickets here. i normally feed meal worms and once awhile crickets leg. cuz crickets stinks, they kil leach other, while mealworms ca nlast longer. but i heard mealworms make T fat. thats a good thing right?
or is ther any other ways to feed spiderlings 1/4 inch to less than a inch slings

I have found that prekilled crickets will usually be taken within 24-48 hours.

 

[webbedone]

http://www.youtube.com/user/Tarantulahero#p/a/u/1/joyLMTe_Cbk

 

[161]

All my newly bought slings are fed tiny mealworms. With decapitation.

 

[MrCrackerpants]

Thanks for all the good ideas.