How to encourage my sling to eat?

Alex G

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 27, 2010
Messages
23
I've tried everything but crickets to get this G. pulchripes to eat for me, and it just refuses. Once, it ate a prekilled dubia roach, but it never repeated this. At some point in the last two days, it molted, which was I thought a huge relief and answer to my problems, but it still refuses food today. Am I doing something wrong? S/he's kept in a 5wide8long4deep tupperware, which might be quite large for a 1/4" sling, but it doesn't really wander, if I check on it two days later it will still be in the same spot it was the previous time I checked. If I get the tongs and sort of annoy it with the roach (in hopes it will bite and thus start feeding), it just scurries away, and so I've stopped doing that so I don't stress it out. It's being kept on eco-earth with adequate ventilation and a constant 78-84 temp, same as my adult Avic avic (though in different cage dimensions, obviously) who eats great. Is there some trick you spider people out there have to getting a stubborn sling to chow down? Is there something I'm missing?
 

DrJ

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 11, 2008
Messages
588
After molting, you need to give at least a week before offering food again.

But, if two weeks go by and no go, you may really want to try crickets.
 

rbailey1010

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 11, 2010
Messages
27
How big is this sling?????

fruit flies always do the trick for me regarding slings.....if you havent tried that, then that might be a way to go...Let the sling do its thing.....My G iheringi sling wouldnt eat for three weeks, then it molted...so that explained everything.
 
Last edited:

Alex G

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 27, 2010
Messages
23
How big is this sling?????

fruit flies always do the trick for me regarding slings.....if you havent tried that, then that might be a way to go...Let the sling do its thing.....My G iheringi sling wouldnt eat for three weeks, then it molted...so that explained everything.
I tried fruit flies, but I found them to be both difficult to remove from their culture without dumping three dozen of the things in my slings enclosure and difficult to tell if it ate them or if they just died on their own, since their carcasses blend into the substrate. The sling is actually coming close to 1/2", rather than 1/4" as I originally said. Sorry, just being a fussy helicopter mommy over my new baby :) Especially since the adult Avic avic tears through her food, it was worrying me.
 

NikiP

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 16, 2006
Messages
539
Just leave the food in over night & remove the remains in the morning.

I had an A. hentzi sling that never ate immediately when given food. Was glad to see that one go to a new home.
 

malevolentrobot

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
310
with the slings i've had, sometimes a full pre-killed dubia nymph is a bit too "overwhelming" for them (my versi comes to mind), so i've either mangled the roach, a cricket or chopped a waxworm to get them to eat and that usually turns out good.

also, like niki said, give them a little bit to decide. most of mine wouldn't tackle food in front of me until 1" for some reason.
 

Shaka

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 25, 2010
Messages
17
Don't stress about it, G. pulchripes is slow growing, slow molting, slow everything.

I find with mine (all smaller than 1 inch) that especially in a new enclosure and during pre-molt which takes AAAAAAGES, they refuse food, mine even block up their burrows on all sides so nothing can get in.

The cool part is, once they have molted, and their new exo's harden up, they eat like crazy!!! So you have plenty to look forward to.

:)
 

Alex G

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 27, 2010
Messages
23
Just to clarify, I'm not anxious because I haven't WITNESSED it eat, I plop a pre-killed or head-smooshed roach in with it and then let it be for two days before checking again. I'm not expecting my little sling to RIP AND TEAR like my Avic insists upon doing, not that I'd mind if it did want to make a spectacle. But now that I know it probably won't be ready for a week, I feel better. Thanks!
 
Top