Nephilia Spidlerlings feeding?

[rosscleland]

Does anyone have advice on feeding nephilia (Madagascar) Spidlerlings? I placed some miniscule crickets (same size as slings) in their tub yesterday, thinking the crickets would jump into the web and get eaten. But at this point the web is literally 2 wee threads so I don't see how that will catch anything? So the crickets are just wandering around not on the web. Worried that the slings will starve :/ should I have bought baby flies? How would I even get them in the tub though

 

[The Snark]

Yo @Ah Lee you're up to bat here.

 

[Ah Lee]

How big is your tub? If it is 2 wee threads, then chances are that is not a proper web, and they usually wouldn't eat until they have one.

Move them to a larger container if you can, and once they build their web, it's all easy-peasy from there.

Pull off the front legs (or hind legs) of the cricket and hook it gently on the web.
If you scared them and they wouldn't eat it, it's no matter. Just leave them alone and they will realise something is stuck in their webs later, and eat it.
Watch them as they eat the leg, I am not sure how small your spiderlings are, but mine were so small their tiny fangs couldn't even break the carapace, so now I always slice open the leg to expose the juices inside before feeding.

Try to avoid live crickets and mealworms as these are terrestial insects, and are very powerful. They don't get stuck in webs easily, and even when they do, they tend to destroy the web in the process.

For slings you can start them on fruitflies if you want to watch them catch food, but you have to catch your own as most pet shops sell flightless ones.

Things get a lot more complicated if you want to feed live fruitflies, but you can read my thread here and it might give you some ideas on what you can do, as I have been experimenting a lot with feeding babies.

Do post some photos! We would love to see those cute babies, and it'll be easier to see what you are dealing with. Have fun!

 

[rosscleland]

How big is your tub? If it is 2 wee threads, then chances are that is not a proper web, and they usually wouldn't eat until they have one.

Move them to a larger container if you can, and once they build their web, it's all easy-peasy from there.

Pull off the front legs (or hind legs) of the cricket and hook it gently on the web.
If you scared them and they wouldn't eat it, it's no matter. Just leave them alone and they will realise something is stuck in their webs later, and eat it.
Watch them as they eat the leg, I am not sure how small your spiderlings are, but mine were so small their tiny fangs couldn't even break the carapace, so now I always slice open the leg to expose the juices inside before feeding.

Try to avoid live crickets and mealworms as these are terrestial insects, and are very powerful. They don't get stuck in webs easily, and even when they do, they tend to destroy the web in the process.

For slings you can start them on fruitflies if you want to watch them catch food, but you have to catch your own as most pet shops sell flightless ones.

Things get a lot more complicated if you want to feed live fruitflies, but you can read my thread here and it might give you some ideas on what you can do, as I have been experimenting a lot with feeding babies.

Do post some photos! We would love to see those cute babies, and it'll be easier to see what you are dealing with. Have fun!

Great advice thank you! I'll move them into a big tub tomorrow with some twigs for them to build their webs off of. I was keeping them in their tiny container as I thought it may have been a good idea to keep them close to their prey- oops! And I'll start giving them legs.

 

[Ah Lee]

Great advice thank you! I'll move them into a big tub tomorrow with some twigs for them to build their webs off of. I was keeping them in their tiny container as I thought it may have been a good idea to keep them close to their prey- oops! And I'll start giving them legs.

Gosh they are adorable!

Seeing them bunched up like that and with their fat abdomens, I will hazard a guess that they have not completely absorbed their yolk yet. So don't worry, they are far from starving. They should start dispersing and webbing up soon!

 

[rosscleland]

Gosh they are adorable!

Seeing them bunched up like that and with their fat abdomens, I will hazard a guess that they have not completely absorbed their yolk yet. So don't worry, they are far from starving. They should start dispersing and webbing up soon!

Oh I didn't know about the yolk thing. Good to know!