How do I feed my velvet spiderlings with no fruit flies?

[fern5799]

My store is having a shortage for like 3 weeks now and I used up the last of my supply.

I bought some from another store but the flies are literally bigger than the spider.

I’ve been dropping cut up meal worms and crickets in their vial but I don’t know if they are eating. They are about 1/4 inch and housed separately obviously.

I have not seen them in a while as they prefer to stay in their nests.

Idk what to do

I did order fruit flies online but they are only getting here on March 1st

Vials for reference

 

[fcat]

Can you get springtails? I don't keep these, full disclosure, just trying to think of small options

 

[fern5799]

Can you get springtails? I don't keep these, full disclosure, just trying to think of small options

Probably not, no where near me sells them

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

You’re saying the fruit flies are over a quarter inch? Wow.

 

[fern5799]

You’re saying the fruit flies are over a quarter inch? Wow.

Yep. I was surprised.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Yep. I was surprised.

huge
Weird I bought fruit flies one time for my tarantula slings long time ago none of them would eat them.

 

[Smotzer]

You can feed pre-killed prey in small pieces.

 

[mady long legs]

This isn't the best option, but I had the same thing happen awhile back where fruit flies were delayed. I got large crickets and fed the back legs to my slings. It was the only thing they would eat, they wouldn't take anything else besides fruit flies or cricket legs. I fed the crickets to my tarantulas after so everyone was happy.

 

[jbooth]

You can find springtails pretty easily flipping stuff, then start a culture... I'd try freezing the flies and see if they will scavenge.

 

[Kada]

You can find springtails pretty easily flipping stuff, then start a culture... I'd try freezing the flies and see if they will scavenge.

Pests and pathogens aside, it is a way.

Alternatively, it is often recommended to be self sufficient on food supply. Doesnt help you now, but you could be well setup within 2 weeks easily. always a lesson to be learned relying on others (be it suppliers, logistics companies or the weather). Luckily most small feeders are fast to reproduce. Be it crickets, fruit flies or the more micro selections. While you are finding plan B now, I would also setup your own breeding colonies to feed your pets in order to avoid this issue in the future in the end, it often is the only way to ensure stability.

 

[jbooth]

Pests and pathogens aside, it is a way.

Yeah I wouldn't worry too much about pathogens or parasites with springtails, but I'd look close I wasn't getting mites too lol. Maybe this time of year collect from top of show where they're "snow fleas"... probably pretty clean.

 

[Theraphosphor]

Is online ordering an option? The species you probably want is Drosophila melanogaster. The larger black ones are D. hydei.