Feeding very small slings

[Hamadryad]

So, I was wondering what all of you fellow tarantula keepers out there recommend feeding very small slings...slings that are only about 1/4 th of an inch or so...I have talked to Holley and she had some interesting suggestions and I thought I would quiz the rest of you to see what is up with this..you see it is just too difficult feeding pinhead crickets...they are soooo small and are like impossible to deal with without hordes of them escaping..and they dont live for very long either? do you guys and gals out there think a sling could take perhaps a small cricket cut up or other dead prey? I am open to suggestions on this one as I have sort of avoided dealing with slings in the past and I am unhappily unexperienced in rearing them to adulthood.I have a nice little L.parahybana sling here that I just got from Kelly Swift and I look forward to your opinions !!!!!!!!!!!:? =D

Spider Hunter

 

[Joy]

I use split crickets, chopped slices of mealworm, and tiny pieces of beef heart. I'll bet Holley said the same things!

Joy

 

[Hamadryad]

Split crickets and mealworms..

=D Hey Joy, yeah - Holley mentioned that...so you think I could get away with getting some small crickets and splitting them in to small chunks and offering that to the sling until she gets big enough to take small crickets live? that would sure make things a lot easier than dealing with those pinheads...they are just way too small and escape too easily...and you recommend beefheart as well? thank you for your advice and for Holleys!!!!!!

:} Spider Hunter

 

[petitegreeneyes]

I still use very small crickets or pinheads. I know at times they can be hard to deal with but I always manage to catch them plus I make sure all the big holes are covered so the pinheads don't escape from the cage I keep them in.

 

[Arachniphile]

I have a trick for dealing with pin heads and fruit flys. I use an ordinary drinking straw with a small wad of paper napkin in one end. They usually will walk right in when cornered. An empty pet pal with a few pinners in it works great. If they don't slide out easy a few flicks with a finger will dislodge them... Fruit flys are a bit more work than that... but you get the idea..