My mexican red rump.

[H3rmitHasTrantulas]

So, I have a mexican red rump sling. He went into the hiding place I made for him and made a borrow and he hasn't came out for about 3 weeks. He even molted down their! He hasn't came out for food or anything I put flightless fruit flies in their and they seem to disappear. Whats weird is I haven't seen him out for a long time. Any thoughts or recommendations? Thank you!

 

[Devin B]

In my opinion fruit flys are about useless and can hide to easily. I would put a prekilled crickets or mealworm near the entrance of the burrow. If your T is hungry it will find that no problem.

 

[H3rmitHasTrantulas]

In my opinion fruit flys are about useless and can hide to easily. I would put a prekilled crickets or mealworm near the entrance of the burrow. If your T is hungry it will find that no problem.

Wouldn't that be to big? How would my 1cm sling be able to eat that?

 

[Devin B]

You can chop them up into small bits. Also when my B. Hamorii was a tiny second instar (about 1/4-1/2inch) Ileft a medium sized cricket in its enclosure and it ate what it could without a problem. Also if the prey item is opened up by pre killing it, your T won't have any trouble finding the soft spot.

This also worked for my A. Genic (1/4 inch)

Sorry im not familiar with cm. I think 1/4 inch is about 1cm.

 

[Devin B]

You can chop them up into small bits. Also when my B. Hamorii was a tiny second instar (about 1/4-1/2inch) Ileft a medium sized cricket in its enclosure and it ate what it could without a problem. Also if the prey item is opened up by pre killing it, your T won't have any trouble finding the soft spot.

This also worked for my A. Genic (1/4 inch)

Sorry im not familiar with cm. I think 1/4 inch is about 1cm.

The B. Hamorii im talking about is the spidering in my profile picture.

 

[H3rmitHasTrantulas]

Thank you for the help! Also, very cute sling!

 

[Devin B]

Thank you im happy to help. This same sling burrowed for 5 months so the weeks is no big deal.

 

[H3rmitHasTrantulas]

Oh wow! What about the mealworms? Would I do the same thing as the crickets?

 

[Devin B]

Oh wow! What about the mealworms? Would I do the same thing as the crickets?

That's what I do. I have large mealworms so when I cut one I can feed a few spiderlings at a time.

 

[H3rmitHasTrantulas]

Alright awesome!! Thank you so much for the help! Keeping a T has been so much fun so far!

 

[cold blood]

Any thoughts

Pics of the enclosure!!...If it has a larger enclosure it will be more inclined to hide more often.

 

[Devin B]

It gets addicting really fast. Especially when you go to reptile exos amd find new tarantulas for $2 or when you see that P. Cambridgei in the classifieds that you wamt really badly for only $4 but you dont want to buy a 4 dollor spider and pay $35 for shipping then suddenly you own 5 tarantulas now...

 

[H3rmitHasTrantulas]

Wow lol that is really funny!

 

[JoshDM020]

If its prekilled and not chopped up, theyll just leave what they cant eat. Thats how my 1/4 inch sling was when i tested it a couple times. Now its twice as big and makes small crickets disappear almost magically. A. geniculata are cute little magicians at that size.

 

[H3rmitHasTrantulas]

So, I just removed the molt and next thing I know it he came on out! He seems kind of scared.

 

[H3rmitHasTrantulas]

I'm gonna leave him alone now. I don't want to stress him anymore. But yeah, that is my enclosure.

 

[Ellenantula]

Yeah, just leave the sling alone. I always figure a burrowed sling is a happy sling -- nice and snug and feeling safe in it's burrow.
When I was a newbie, it helped I had an adult female G rosea -- because she was always out and about -- gave me something to look at while the tiny slings were hidden 75% of the time.

 

[H3rmitHasTrantulas]

Yeah, It kinda sucks when you can't see it! By the way, Is stress dangerous for a tarantula? Sometimes I get worried if I mess with his little hide too much I might over stress him. Is that a big deal? I probably won't be messing with it again for a while till his next molt.

 

[Ellenantula]

Yeah, It kinda sucks when you can't see it! By the way, Is stress dangerous for a tarantula? Sometimes I get worried if I mess with his little hide too much I might over stress him. Is that a big deal? I probably won't be messing with it again for a while till his next molt.

The less you disturb your sling, the less stress - so the better. I don't have studies proving stress will kill a T or anything -- but obviously disruptions make a T less secure and safe feeling in his own home. I figure Ts view all intruders as either prey or predator -- so I don't want to make my T feel like it's being constantly confronted by a predator (me). Just my opinion.

I try to only disturb mine for feeding, water bowl refills, general maintenance (bolus removal, perhaps a wall wipe down for excessive poop).

 

[H3rmitHasTrantulas]

Gotcha. That's pretty much what I do. Anyway, well thanks again for the help! I'm definitely know a lot more about what I'm doing now with my T.