First successful sling feeding and a few new ones

[ErikElvis]

I originally bought 2 G. pulchripes 3/4” from backwater reptiles(I know). Wanted them to settle in for a bit before feeding. Dropped one roach in the first dram and bam took it right away. Cool. Now the second seemed a little sluggish. It does have a bigger butt then the other and appears healthy. One of them came with a molt in the container but I can’t remember which. Anyway dropped a roach in and no interest whatsoever. I’m going to leave it in overnight and see what happens. I’m hoping maybe it’s just in premolt and or just a little shy.

also today I received my 1 B. Hermanii And 2 A. Geniculata and rehoused them. Will give them a few days before I attempt feeding.

 

[Thekla]

B. Hermanii

Sorry, but this made me laugh!

 

[ErikElvis]

Whoops Hamorii

well sometime overnight the Chaco that didn’t eat molted! Cool!

With these little t setups you can buy are the decorations really for us? I just put a few together and it seems all the stuff in there will make it harder for the sling to find it’s food.

 

[cold blood]

With these little t setups you can buy are the decorations really for us? I just put a few together and it seems all the stuff in there will make it harder for the sling to find it’s food.

When I have small NW terrestrial slings, I house them in 2oz condiment cups, 1oz for the really small ones....I never give them hides...the whole point of the small enclosure is that the sling will adopt the whole cup as its hide, which will reduce, or completely eliminate burrowing and hiding. This not only makes the sling observable, but keeps the prey contact higher, which leads directly to a better feeding response and faster growth.

IMO, adding a hide or even decorations, defeats the purpose of the small set up.

 

[ErikElvis]

Fed all 5 of my slings today and they all ate. The g pulchripes took a few minutes to eat. The b. Hamorii kinda chills out in the open and ate fairly quick. The a geniculatas are little earth movers and borrowers. They ate instantly. I picked a bigger lateralis for one of the chacos and accidentally crushed the head. Was still moving a little and he eventually grabbed it. I might start doing that instead of trying to grab pinheads and drop em in. They’re hard to catch.

I might rearrange a few enclosures. the chacos are in dram vials. Very easy to keep track of. The other 3 are in the the smallest Jamie’s enclosures. I experimented with all the extra stuff they give you to put in but it seems it’s hard to keep track of them. Cork bark is too big. Maybe cut them in half and put them back. Don’t really see a need for the little fake plant. The moss is kinda a. Pain but I guess good to spray with moisture

 

[ErikElvis]

Another feeding success. Only I’m not sure the A geniculatas ate as they are in their burrows. Even my burrowed G pulchra came out to feed.

 

[Asgiliath]

When I have small NW terrestrial slings, I house them in 2oz condiment cups, 1oz for the really small ones....I never give them hides...the whole point of the small enclosure is that the sling will adopt the whole cup as its hide, which will reduce, or completely eliminate burrowing and hiding. This not only makes the sling observable, but keeps the prey contact higher, which leads directly to a better feeding response and faster growth.

IMO, adding a hide or even decorations, defeats the purpose of the small set up.

On the topic of providing hides: I have some juveniles that I don't even give hides. Just a little sphagnum moss to tuck into and they are comfortable and thriving. I have never figured out an easy way to break cork bark to fit in a 16 oz.

Very off topic, but even with some of my adults. (Heavy webbers and baboons esp. that trash everything, anyway) I just provide enough clutter for them to dig, web and burrow, their own hides.

 

[EpicEpic]

Next time give a sling 5-7 days before feeding after a molt. Can break its fangs and ultimately starve to death.

 

[ErikElvis]

Next time give a sling 5-7 days before feeding after a molt. Can break its fangs and ultimately starve to death.

I did. I gave them a good 5 days after

 

[testdasi]

Fed all 5 of my slings today and they all ate. The g pulchripes took a few minutes to eat. The b. Hamorii kinda chills out in the open and ate fairly quick. The a geniculatas are little earth movers and borrowers. They ate instantly. I picked a bigger lateralis for one of the chacos and accidentally crushed the head. Was still moving a little and he eventually grabbed it. I might start doing that instead of trying to grab pinheads and drop em in. They’re hard to catch.

I might rearrange a few enclosures. the chacos are in dram vials. Very easy to keep track of. The other 3 are in the the smallest Jamie’s enclosures. I experimented with all the extra stuff they give you to put in but it seems it’s hard to keep track of them. Cork bark is too big. Maybe cut them in half and put them back. Don’t really see a need for the little fake plant. The moss is kinda a. Pain but I guess good to spray with moisture

Sling will scavenge so if you drop even a killed roach and leave it overnight, it's like to disappear the next day.
For small slings / suspected pre-molt slings, I tend to pre-kill (as in dead and not moving) because last thing you want is a headless roach hitting your T while it's molting.

 

[ErikElvis]

Just received a dubia colony. My god I didn’t realize how big they are. For now lateralis it is.