First A. seemani tarantula questions...

[Venom1080]

I don't think I will be actively posting on the forums much anymore due to some rather uneducated-and inflammatory remarks-against those in the hobby who do not identify as political "liberals." !

theres a few people on this forum i think are idiots as well, but i dont let them ruin my experience. just block them.

 

[Crone Returns]

There were some off-topic remarks I read in a thread (that is now closed) in one of the main tarantula sub-forums. Honestly, I want to come here to discuss our crawly friends, not read about what stereotypes people have towards those who don't agree with their politics or worldviews. It is very off-putting for me, and I'm seriously questioning whether I should bother to continue to post on this website.

I did purchase "The Tarantula Keeper's Guide" (revised edition) and am reading through it now. Contrary to what some posters may think about others on this forum, I do have a scientific background and do work in the sciences. So I am not stupid.

I don't think anybody said you were stupid. I hope you stay. Your science background will help to enhance the site.
Political or other off topics needs to be posted in the watering hole. That way you can choose to read or not.

 

[awiec]

maybe the stuff in my area sucks, but i cant see why anyone would use that stuff. i have numerous problems with it.

I only have issues with coco fiber ironically, granted I'm also from Michigan and we are the country's biggest supplier of peat and our top soil is top notch, neither of those subs have ever given me problems. The downside is that top soil is heavy so my adult A.seemanni is in a 10 gallon tank full of peat for her tunneling needs.

Fyi, maybe it's just my female but six months out of the year she will plug up her burrow and not eat or come out. Now for a sling that is long but don't be surprised by long fasts, just keep water available or moisten some of the sub.

 

[Venom1080]

I only have issues with coco fiber ironically, granted I'm also from Michigan and we are the country's biggest supplier of peat and our top soil is top notch, neither of those subs have ever given me problems. The downside is that top soil is heavy so my adult A.seemanni is in a 10 gallon tank full of peat for her tunneling needs.

Fyi, maybe it's just my female but six months out of the year she will plug up her burrow and not eat or come out. Now for a sling that is long but don't be surprised by long fasts, just keep water available or moisten some of the sub.

i have some mold problems with the stuff as well. thats why i mix it with peat, stuff makes a great mixture.

 

[cold blood]

I only have issues with coco fiber ironically, granted I'm also from Michigan and we are the country's biggest supplier of peat and our top soil is top notch, neither of those subs have ever given me problems. The downside is that top soil is heavy so my adult A.seemanni is in a 10 gallon tank full of peat for her tunneling needs.

Fyi, maybe it's just my female but six months out of the year she will plug up her burrow and not eat or come out. Now for a sling that is long but don't be surprised by long fasts, just keep water available or moisten some of the sub.

Agreed...my H. gigas is on like 10" of sub...I also chose peat for that.

 

[Stella Maris]

I still cannot find any bolus or leftovers from mealworms. I fed my sling 3 times this week (I've been feeding every 2 days, is that too much?). I even looked around with my tongs in the container and can't find anything. My eyes aren't very good everything looks all brown and organic in the container so can't find leftovers.

Also is there any suggestions for a hide? My sling burrows so I'm not sure he needs a hide. My issue would be trying to find anything small enough to fit in his house.

Also how often do tarantula slings defecate?

Lastly I'm worried about my sling because sometimes I will catch him hanging upside down from the container lid. Since he is a terrestrial species I'm paranoid he could fall and injure/kill himself, even though I packed a lot of substrate into his container. I've read that the substrate could be too damp? Or that he could still be getting used to his house?

 

[Andrea82]

@Stella Maris ,
Some T's are very efficient eaters, and leave next to nothing as a bolus. I wouldn't worry about it. I have a B.albopilosum that leaves nothing visible after eating. And a B.kahlenbergi that leaves what
looks like substrate in the waterdish, but are actually tiny boli. This is fixed by changing the water and cleaning.

If the sling has made a burrow,
providing a hide is not necesarry.

Sitting upside down is more common for arboreal species, but T's are just...crazy that way, sitting in the weirdest positions. If the substrate level is high enough, you don't have to worry about falling.

Being worried about the T all the time is normal when you start keeping them. It takes some getting used to, trusting they know how to spider better than we do.
Keeping a vertebrate pet means you have to actively take care of it every day or more. With T's, that is very different. Providing water, food and a nice enclosure with the right interior, and you're done.

Edit: if you are worried about the substrate being to damp, post a picture, people will probably be able to answer that for you.

 

[awiec]

i have some mold problems with the stuff as well. thats why i mix it with peat, stuff makes a great mixture.

I have a mix of top soil, peat, moss and occasionally coco if I have it around, probably the best sub mix I have used as it is best of both worlds.


Also to OP, tarantulas thrive on benign neglect, the less you worry about them, the better off they are.

 

[cold blood]

I still cannot find any bolus or leftovers from mealworms. I fed my sling 3 times this week (I've been feeding every 2 days, is that too much?). I even looked around with my tongs in the container and can't find anything. My eyes aren't very good everything looks all brown and organic in the container so...

Go back and re read, i answered this in depth.

 

[Stella Maris]

I've been feeding my sling baby mealworms every 2 days...so 3-4 times a week. Is this too much? Also, are baby mealworms too small to feed a 1.5 inch long sling? My sling has been taking and eating food without any issues and his abdomen seems healthy. I am not sure when he will be molting again.

I guess I'm paranoid that despite all the research I've done, I'm still nervous about keeping slings. My sling has been doing rather well I would think, landscaping and tunneling in his house. I don't think I've done too bad being a beginner. I guess I'm always afraid of any new animal suddenly dying, since this happened to two of my diamond doves in a period of a year.

 

[Venom1080]

I've been feeding my sling baby mealworms every 2 days...so 3-4 times a week. Is this too much? Also, are baby mealworms too small to feed a 1.5 inch long sling? My sling has been taking and eating food without any issues and his abdomen seems healthy. I am not sure when he will be molting again.

I guess I'm paranoid that despite all the research I've done, I'm still nervous about keeping slings. My sling has been doing rather well I would think, landscaping and tunneling in his house. I don't think I've done too bad being a beginner. I guess I'm always afraid of any new animal suddenly dying, since this happened to two of my diamond doves in a period of a year.

mealworms should always be prekilled first.

 

[Stella Maris]

mealworms should always be prekilled first.

Is it because a mealworm can bite or burrow? I've tried feeding my sling pre-killed and he seems to eat only live prey.

 

[Venom1080]

Is it because a mealworm can bite or burrow? I've tried feeding my sling pre-killed and he seems to eat only live prey.

both, ive seen a half dozen threads on here about dead tarantulas from mealworms. itll take prekilled, just leave it for a few hours.

 

[Stella Maris]

both, ive seen a half dozen threads on here about dead tarantulas from mealworms. itll take prekilled, just leave it for a few hours.

Hhm, thanks for letting me know. I had no idea mealworms would bite slings. When I feed this sling he immediately grabs and kills it, seems to go for a live mealworm without any issues. I will try feeding him pre-killed again and see if he eats it. I never leave live prey un-attended either; I've always made sure my sling has killed and eaten.

If I leave a pre-killed mealworm does it make sense to leave it outside his burrow?

 

[Venom1080]

Hhm, thanks for letting me know. I had no idea mealworms would bite slings. When I feed this sling he immediately grabs and kills it, seems to go for a live mealworm without any issues. I will try feeding him pre-killed again and see if he eats it. I never leave live prey un-attended either; I've always made sure my sling has killed and eaten.

If I leave a pre-killed mealworm does it make sense to leave it outside his burrow?

yeah, its bad to the point of if i lose a superworm or mealworm in a cage, i remove the spider till i find the escapee, not worth it. and yeah, i usually just leave it near them.

 

[Ungoliant]

I will try feeding him pre-killed again and see if he eats it.

If you just crush the mealworm's head, it should still wriggle for a while to entice your sling -- all of the fun of watching it hunt without the risk of injury or burrowing.