How do i kill a Cricket for a baby Tarantula to eat?

[CrackTaxi]

I will soon be buying a baby B. smithi Tarantula and as it's a baby, it only eats dead food. I'm buying some Crickets (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280929453516?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649) but what is the best way to kill them? I wouldn't want to just stamp on it because it might ruin it for the Tarantula. Any ideas?

Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you very much.

 

[SamuraiSid]

1) Grab the cricket by the back end
2) Bite its head off
3) Throw it in with Sling

 

[annabelle]

just smush its head

 

[Shrike]

I will soon be buying a baby B. smithi Tarantula and as it's a baby, it only eats dead food. I'm buying some Crickets (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280929453516?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649) but what is the best way to kill them? I wouldn't want to just stamp on it because it might ruin it for the Tarantula. Any ideas?

Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you very much.

FYI, slings are very capable of killing their own prey. Not sure what gave you the idea they require dead food (they will scavenge dead prey items, but it isn't a necessity). Just get yourself some appropriately sized crickets and you'll be good to go. Try "pinhead" crickets, or the smallest you can find.

 

[CrackTaxi]

FYI, slings are very capable of killing their own prey. Not sure what gave you the idea they require dead food (they will scavenge dead prey items, but it isn't a necessity). Just get yourself some appropriately sized crickets and you'll be good to go. Try "pinhead" crickets, or the smallest you can find.

Oh, i see. I was told by someone on Yahoo Answers that the food had to be dead. Apparently it's because they molt more frequently than adults, so they are at risk of getting hurt by the prey. They must of been wrong. Thanks.

 

[rockhopper]

I'd use live food if possible. Watching the hunt is the coolest part!

 

[catfishrod69]

Their prey doesnt have to be killed, if its the right size. But for those picky/afraid slings, or ones too small for the crickets you happen to have:

1) Open tweezers
2) Insert cricket head
3) squeeze

 

[BorisTheSpider]

Make it watch a Twilight movie and it'll kill itself . :biggrin:


[ just kidding : my gf is a huge fan I have to watch them often ]

 

[Anonymity82]

Just don't keep it in there with your sling for more than a day or two in case your sling molts. If you can't find appropriate sized crickets you can always just throw in a couple of legs or an abdomen too.

 

[Quazgar]

1) Grab the cricket by the back end
2) Bite its head off
3) Throw it in with Sling

I usually use scissors and not teeth, but otherwise this

---------- Post added 08-06-2012 at 03:27 PM ----------

Oh, i see. I was told by someone on Yahoo Answers that the food had to be dead. Apparently it's because they molt more frequently than adults, so they are at risk of getting hurt by the prey. They must of been wrong. Thanks.

If you can find small enough prey, like pinheads, they will work fine. If you can't you can kill small crickets with no problems. It's up to you and whatever is conveniently available to you.

 

[Archduke]

What I normally do with my little slings (those below 1cm) is to feed them with pin head crickets, with their hind legs removed. The sling will probably not eat it immediately, just leave them be and check again the next day. My slings are more active when the lights are off. My B. smithis can devour a pinhead about twice their size (body length not leg span), but i try to feed them prey their abdomen size only if possible.

If your sling is a little bigger or that you ran out of pinheads, you may want to try to feed it larger crickets (they are usually the black ones) legs. I normally pluck out the legs of the larger crickets and use them for my slings, and the remaining of the cricket will go to a bigger Tarantula. Feeding them legs is alot less messy then feeding them half a carcass of a cricket. You can easily remove the half eaten leg after the T is full.

On a separate note, I've also tried feeding my slings bits of prawns once. Its those frozen type that I took a little bit off (maybe about 2mm x 2mm size) and thawed it under tap water, placed it in the enclosure and my T automatically went to pick it up. The translucent grey prawn flesh will turn pinkish/red after they are done. Its not the ideal food but when your really out of crickets or worms, there are a couple of non conventional alternatives.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[Vespula]

My twin sister is a horticulture major. That being stated, she has a really great pair of snips that I "borrowed" to chop my mealworms with. They're perfect!

 

[o0 Mr Ed 0o]

Micro crickets are the best for feeding slings, they dehydrate very quickly though! So a little advice if you do decide to get some is to transfer them into a larger container and provide them with some bug gel and fresh veg. Remove any leftovers and replace gel every 2 days!

 

[Formerphobe]

Feeding appropriate sized prey is the key if you want to feed live food to a sling. The rule of thumb I use is: prey item approximately the same size as the spider's abdomen. Most slings can and will take down prey as large as or larger than themselves, but I wouldn't leave a sling unattended with any live prey that large. Many people don't have access to pinhead crickets, so pre-killed or 'parts' of larger crickets will suffice. I've had teeny tiny slings of varied species that were, rightfully, afraid of prey items that they deemed too large. With each sling you sort of have to play it by ear. Personally, I don't leave live prey with small slings (less than 1 inch) longer than than a few minutes. If they haven't taken it in that time period, I pre-kill the item. Then if they haven't touched it in a few hours, I remove it to avoid contamination, and try again in a few days.

To pre-kill, I just pinch they little heads with forceps.

 

[Stan Schultz]

I will soon be buying a baby B. smithi Tarantula and as it's a baby, it only eats dead food. ...

Oh, I think we have a newbie here!

I get the sense that this may be your first tarantula, or that you haven't had tarantulas for very long, that you may be a "newbie." In any case, to make sure that you're starting out on the right foot and have been introduced to all the basic issues, I'm going to begin with my soon-to-be-world-notorious NEWBIE INTRODUCTION.

If I'm mistaken, I apologize. But, even if you aren't a newbie I suggest that you read through it for review. (I just LUVS doing this!) Please stand by while I load the canned message.

[size=+1]HEY PEOPLE! WE'VE GOT ANOTHER NEWBIE HERE![/SIZE]​

Cue the mariachis, the confetti, and the clowns. Let's start the party!

Cracktaxi, please don't be offended! I've been messing with tarantulas longer than most people on this forum have been alive, and I still consider myself a newbie. I'm just having a little fun with you.

:biggrin:


Okay, let's get down to business. First, the pleasantries:

[SIZE=+1]"Welcome to the hobby!"

"Welcome to these forums!"[/size]


Now, to get you started on the right foot I urge you to read the following webpages.

Stan's Rant - A little initial boost in the right direction.
BE SURE TO READ AND HEED THE WARNINGS! They'll save you a bundle of cash and maybe a few dead tarantulas!
BE SURE TO READ THE BOOKS! The books will not only answer all your questions, but will also answer all the questions you hadn't thought to ask!

Myths, Misconceptions, and Mistakes Perpetuated by Tarantula Enthusiasts - A growing list of bad information in the hobby. Be sure to explore all the links.

Lastly, you should read Substrate to get to the down and dirty of the situation.

Additional Thoughts:

Good Starting Philosophy:
Most newbies start out trying to make tarantula care as complicated as possible, fretting over all sorts of silly things. For the beginner at least, and for most of us experienced aficionados as well, the best philosophy is, SIMPLE IS BETTER! As long as it supplies the basic necessities, the simpler your tarantula's cage is, the less there is to go wrong.

The Search Function:
Don't take this as a criticism, but if you don't already know about it, please learn to use the Search function at the top of the page. It'll save us all a lot of time and effort. Most novices and even many seasoned enthusiasts fail to appreciate that 95+% of all tarantula issues have already been addressed, sometimes ad nauseam, on these forums. All you need do is look for the discussions.

A Basic Operating Principle:
If you can't find an answer to your concern using the Search function (after all, search engines are far from perfect), by all means ask us. Remember,

"The only dumb questions are the ones you don't ask."
"And, dumb questions are always easier to deal with than dumb mistakes!"


Fire away! "We aims to please."


Also, has no one told you?

[size=+2]THE TARANTULA KEEPER'S LAMENT

Like those potato chips,

you can't have just one!


You've been warned![/size]

(And, we offer a tip of the ol' hat and our profound thanks to the Frito-Lay Company for institutionalizing the progenitor of this little joke.)​

Visit the webpages. Read the warnings. Read the books. Watch these forums. Do the searches.

DON'T DO ANYTHING ANYBODY TELLS YOU UNLESS ITS CONFIRMED IN ONE OF THOSE BOOKS, OR WE CONFIRM IT HERE!

IGNORE THE !@#$%! CARE SHEETS!

Then, get back to us with any concerns you may have. We're here to help.

Again, you need to read, READ, READ!

Lastly, it would help a lot if you would post several photos of your tarantula from several different angles, and several photos of its cage from several different angles. A few cell phones work okay, but most can't focus well enough, and proper focus is very important. If at all possible use a better camera. Maybe borrow one from a family member or friend? A picture is worth 1000 words! Besides, "We LUVS pichers!"


End Canned Message

I will soon be buying a baby B. smithi Tarantula and as it's a baby, it only eats dead food. I'm buying some Crickets (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280929453516?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649) but what is the best way to kill them? I wouldn't want to just stamp on it because it might ruin it for the Tarantula. Any ideas?

Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you very much.

This is so far off the deep end that I have trouble believing it. Sorry. You've been reading too many of the !@#$%! care sheets!


There! I've done enough damage. YOU NEEDS TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK! :laugh:

---------- Post added 08-19-2012 at 10:04 PM ----------

Oh, i see. I was told by someone on Yahoo Answers that the food had to be dead. Apparently it's because they molt more frequently than adults, so they are at risk of getting hurt by the prey. They must of been wrong. Thanks.

And, you believed those people?

That's worse than going to Dear Abby!

DON'T DO ANYTHING ANYBODY TELLS YOU UNLESS ITS CONFIRMED IN ONE OF THOSE BOOKS, OR WE CONFIRM IT HERE!

Enjoy your little 8-legged advice column victim!

 

[Storm76]

Their prey doesnt have to be killed, if its the right size. But for those picky/afraid slings, or ones too small for the crickets you happen to have:

1) Open tweezers
2) Insert cricket head
3) squeeze

That...doing it right that way for my tiny Euathlus sp. "red" slings

Sidenote: I only do that, since those slings are even too tiny for my micro crickets, they hunt down the extremely small ones, but those are hard to get out alive even lol. Usually, depending on sling size alive crickets of appropriate size.

 

[JungleCage]

I don't like taking the head off a cricket. It kills the cricket and the T usually not interested. Instead pull its hind legs off. This if you can't accire smaller crickets like 2 week holds or pinheads

 

[catfishrod69]

If you pull the hind legs off, it will also kill the cricket. Best way to get the legs off and keep the cricket alive, is to use a pair of tweezers, grab the "knee" of the leg, and squeeze. The cricket will discard the leg itself, leaving the cricket alive for another critter.

I don't like taking the head off a cricket. It kills the cricket and the T usually not interested. Instead pull its hind legs off. This if you can't accire smaller crickets like 2 week holds or pinheads

 

[ten10balls]

Listen man I've got a inch and a quarter g. Pulchrips and I've been feeding it large crickets for a month now... Every time it makes the attack it always gets it at the back of the neck it sling is capable of killing it's own pray

 

[Anonymity82]

I used to worry about this too. Feeding my slings live crickets and pre-killed worked equally well. I believe most tarantulas will scavenge so just leave it for a day or two. If it looks moldy before the end of two days remove it and try again in a few days to a week. Squishing the head could be kind of hard to watch. I squished the head of a cricket before I went to work at 5am and when I returned around 11 the top half (where it was squished) of the cricket was black and it was STILL ALIVE. I'm positive it wasn't just twitchy nerve responses. I've seen enough crickets in my day to know the difference between twitch aftermath crickets and crickets who are responsive to touch by trying to escape. I took it right outside and squished it. I still feel pretty bad.

If I were you I would just tear it up to piece and throw in the abdomen or a leg, although I imagine the abdomen would be more nutritious.