How do you guys get around the lid scare?

DPetsche

Arachnopeon
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Jul 27, 2016
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46
We've all experienced it, and most people have their own little solutions to it. You have a skittish T, it's feeding day. It's this T's turn, you're not sure if you're even going to be able to get it to eat and we all know why this is. You go to open the lid, it moves the whole enclosure, there goes the T. Either under its cork bark or into its burrow. You can try to feed anyway but it's hiding and it's going to come out. Can't exactly leave the food in there if you're feeding live. What do you guys to do get around this?
 

Venom1080

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Sep 24, 2015
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um, yes you can. just let the cricket wander. if its a roach or worm crush its head and leave at the hide entrance.
 

DPetsche

Arachnopeon
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Jul 27, 2016
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46
Is it okay to just let it wander around? I always hear the horror stories about what could happen. Plus I'm very used to feeding snakes where the rats have to be taken back out in an hour or so or it might attack the snake. THAT I've actually seen happen. I guess the likelihood of a cricket actually posing any problem to a Tarantula is slim unless it's molting.
 

Nightstalker47

Arachnoking
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Jul 2, 2016
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You can leave in feeders overnight no problem. I just check on them the next morning and take them out if they're still there, they won't kill your spider in a matter of hours...
 

gypsy cola

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Jan 16, 2014
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I leave it overnight. Tarantula doesn't want it...cool I havea xenethis immanis that will happily take it.

No point in scolding a tarantula about all the hungry spiders in Africa who would be grateful to have that cricket...
 

The Grym Reaper

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Jul 19, 2016
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I mostly use red runners so I just dump it in and then check back in the evening, if it's still alive then I take it out.

With feeders that like to burrow I partially crush the head if I know it won't be taken straight away.
 

Chris LXXIX

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If you need clarification on that one you might want to think about becoming a priest :rofl:
Ah ah ah, good one. Those that aren't pedos are Gay and those that "aren't pedos and Gay" loves to deliver a good dose of "slow, steady and firm" to Ladies.

A priest I know drives a Mercedes car, BMW motorbike and has a blonde as cough cough, Church cleaning Lady. Another here in Italy loved to drive a red Jaguar, reach class A Hotels (where he was called by employeers "the attorney") with his 'sheeps'.

Here in Italy the Army and the Church are a "high five, way to go son" indeed :)
 
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creepa

Arachnoknight
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Sep 24, 2010
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260
I tickle the burrow entrance until i get response and only then i put the roach/cricket near the entrance...
 

Moakmeister

Arachnodemon
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Oct 6, 2016
Messages
741
I just peel the lid off of my tarantula's deli cup enclosure. In the future I'm just gonna use these
and tell those deli cups to go screw themselves.
 

Eek

Arachnosquire
Joined
May 15, 2016
Messages
63
B. lateralis are great for this sort of thing. They dont pick fights with the T and they cant climb most plastic walls.
...in my experience (limited as it may be) I've had very little trouble B. lateralis (turkish reds) and I'm grateful that they dont smell like crickets do.
 

darkness975

Latrodectus
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Aug 31, 2012
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I use critter keepers, and I open the lids slow enough so that it does not move the enclosure all that much. Honestly most of my spiders don't even react at all when I pop the lid off. My scorpions are noticeably more sensitive to the vibrations believe it or not.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
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Dec 8, 2006
Messages
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Is it okay to just let it wander around? I always hear the horror stories about what could happen. Plus I'm very used to feeding snakes where the rats have to be taken back out in an hour or so or it might attack the snake. THAT I've actually seen happen. I guess the likelihood of a cricket actually posing any problem to a Tarantula is slim unless it's molting.
You should be feeding snakes pre-killed rats (esp rats!), there's no reason not to, it's safer for the snake.

Sometimes a T isn't hungry and they end up with a new roommate for a few weeks too.
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jan 28, 2016
Messages
1,896
If you have a deli or condiment cup that is really tight fitting you can cut the lid as shown below to lessen how much pressure it takes when opening and closing. Just take care not to cut all the way past the locking grove or make too many cuts. Both will cause the lid to be too lose. It also works great at not startling slings that like to break and run.



I don't tong feed any of my Ts. I crush the roach heads and toss them in. Go back the next night and take out anything that wasn't eaten.
 
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