New Slings!!

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Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 10, 2010
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42
just got 2 new slings from Kelly Swift (highly recommended). I got a C.elegans and a P.scrofa. The C.elegans is soooo tiny its still living in it's vial but the P.scrofa is about the size of a house fly so it got a little bigger area. lol I am very excited and really really do not want to go to my classes this morning.
 

widowmaker03

Arachnopeon
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Sep 12, 2010
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right now I have a pink toe that is roughly 1-1.5" in length. I still have it in the vile. I feel I should move it to a bigger enclosure, but it moves around just fine. I often see it hanging on the lid when the vile is by a heater lamp, so that tells me it prefers the warmth. You really shouldn't move them out of the vile until they are bigger though because it is easier for the sling to find food. Once they hit the 1.5" mark you can probably move them without fear.
 
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AmbushArachnids

Arachnoculturist
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right now I have a pink toe that is roughly 1.5-2" in length. I still have it in the vile. I feel I should move it to a bigger enclosure, but it moves around just fine. I often see it hanging on the lid when the vile is by a heater lamp, so that tells me it prefers the warmth. You really shouldn't move them out of the vile until they are bigger though because it is easier for the sling to find food. Once they hit the 1.5" mark you can probably move them without fear.
You should not keep your T by the heat lamp. It will cook it or dehydrate it causing "T jerky"

Also tarantulas dont live in vials in the wild. I put all my .5" slings in 3"x3" square containers and they have no problem finding food or setting up a hunting ground.
 
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widowmaker03

Arachnopeon
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Sep 12, 2010
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1
it isn't that close to the heating lamp, i would say a good foot or so. And I keep it pretty moist... substrate always shows some fog on the glass. I will be getting some delicups from my walmart so I have some enclosures for slings... planning on picking up a number of brachy smithi and boehmei.
 

captmarga

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
339
My GBB molted on Monday. He/she was in a tall round vial, and just couldn't seem to stretch all the way out. I let him crawl into another cup, them moved him into a 3" cube yesterday. He spend most of the day Streeettttcccchhhed out on the side of the cube. He'd a good 2.5" legspan now.

My 1" -2" slings are in 2.5 or 3" cubes. I just make sure to drop their crick near them. They don't seem to have any problems eating... I watch them stuffing their tiny fangs!

Marga
 

AmbushArachnids

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it isn't that close to the heating lamp, i would say a good foot or so. And I keep it pretty moist... substrate always shows some fog on the glass. I will be getting some delicups from my walmart so I have some enclosures for slings... planning on picking up a number of brachy smithi and boehmei.
Anyone here on the boards with experience will tell you thats way to close and absolutly unnecessary. About 6 feet is safe. And anything over 70 deg is fine. Dont be fooled. The fog in your vial shows that there is a spike in humidity in the air because the rise in temperature. Your evaporating the water from the soil.. And when that runs out you will end up with a crispy tarantula. You also want to add ventalation to your cage. Avicularia need alot of ventalation. Move it away from the lamp. Do what you want but don't recommend this to people. Its dangerous! :embarrassed:

BTW Keepin your Avicularia in a vial until its 1.5" so it can hunt easier is absolutly false. They can feel air displacment from movement with thier bristles from very far away. They also set up webs or "trip wires" if given more space. Avicularia will benefit from the larger volume of air. Keeping the cage less stale, unlike your "sauna vial".
 

2oCHEVYo0

Arachnosquire
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Aug 29, 2010
Messages
67
Yea, not really a big deal... Kind of a small lamp, and it's farther than a foot away. More like two feet. They aren't T jerky yet after three months of continueous use at this distance so nothing to worry about. They seem to actually like it as apposed to "hating" it :D They will come out and bask in it abit then go back in the hides. Very low wattage bulb so it doesn't really make that much heat, just enough to make them go "AHHH" {D
 

AmbushArachnids

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Yea, not really a big deal... Kind of a small lamp, and it's farther than a foot away. More like two feet. They aren't T jerky yet after three months of continueous use at this distance so nothing to worry about. They seem to actually like it as apposed to "hating" it :D They will come out and bask in it abit then go back in the hides. Very low wattage bulb so it doesn't really make that much heat, just enough to make them go "AHHH" {D
The OP used the term "Heater Lamp" That makes me think that this is most likely a "red bulb" or some kind of heat emmiter used for reptiles. Not your typical "light bulb"..
 

CAK

Arachnoknight
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Nov 17, 2009
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I can't imagine the spiders really enjoying permanent sunlight either. :?
 

2oCHEVYo0

Arachnosquire
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The "OP" is my bro, and it is a "Red Bulb" very low watt and very small lamp... And its not like a sunlight, red bulbs are red because they give off low amounts of uv rays and more infrared rays. When you turn the lights off the T's start exploring. They will be fine. And your info is not 100% accurate. A smaller space for all slings is recommended. Of course they can feel air displacement, but they are still young and haven't fully developed there hunting capabilities.

I see mine move to look for the food in some larger containers, but all that brush and stuff gets in the way. Not too mention the fact they don't seem to notice a cricket until it's within 3 inches. I'd say keep them in smaller containers such as vials/small delicups until they are around 1"-1.5" then move em up to like cube enclosures or medium sized delicups or whatever else you can think of. And there is nothing wrong with vials... They work very good if you have good ventilation in them. They certainly aren't "Sauna's" like you said, have a hard time keeping them moist because they dry out within 3 days.
 
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Canth

Arachnolord
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Dec 16, 2005
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655
Honestly, I keep my inverts in close proximity to a heat bulb, about 18" away from a 100W red bulb. The temperatures in the closest vials and delicups never goes over 85, and they stay moist. And if they don't stay moist, surprise, I can mist them. I see absolutely nothing wrong with how OP is keeping his spider.
 

eporter

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 10, 2010
Messages
42
i know that slings are hardy little kritters to a degree but i swear that even though i have had them for less then a day, the stress of makin gsure they are fine are going to kill me...especially the C.elegans...its too tiny:wall: to tell if its still alive or not...I know it is...but still....
 

RichRollin

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 24, 2009
Messages
46
You should not keep your T by the heat lamp. It will cook it or dehydrate it causing "T jerky"

Also tarantulas dont live in vials in the wild. I put all my .5" slings in 3"x3" square containers and they have no problem finding food or setting up a hunting ground.
They dont live in 3"x3" containers either.

I set up all my new slings about 8-10 inches from a 75W ceramic heat lamp until they hit about two inches. Works fine as long as you mist them regularly.
 

AmbushArachnids

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You really shouldn't move them out of the vile until they are bigger though because it is easier for the sling to find food. Once they hit the 1.5" mark you can probably move them without fear.
Not in my own experience. I stated a 3"x3" container is what i use for .5" slings. They have no problem hunting. Fear of what?

And its not like a sunlight, red bulbs are red because they give off low amounts of uv rays and more infrared rays.
That doesnt mean its not dangerous. Their are better sources of heat for growing slings faster. Maybe a climate controled box?

A smaller space for all slings is recommended.
I recommend a higher volume of air to premote better air circulation for Avics.

I dont see a major problem with keeping them in large well ventalated vials. I also dont see the problem with a larger container. Apparently they will starve to death in a large container. :rolleyes:

They work very good if you have good ventilation in them.
This is correct. Vials work fine with good ventalation. But with a red bulb heating the vial it causes faster moisture evaporation ultimately killing the sling. Good ventalation and added heat spells for disaster IMO. Miss one day of misting and they are dead.. And for what major benefit? :?

I didnt say it wasnt possible to heat them succesfully using this method. Simply that it is very risky and highly unnecessary.

My view on the second post: Widowmaker03 has left out so many important details in his first post that someone new to the hobby attempting this would probably kill thier sling.
 

widowmaker03

Arachnopeon
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Sep 12, 2010
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I swear, some of you guys aren't too open to other's ideas. Let me just say that our tarantulas are being kept in a basement. The room is using a space heater on a timer, but that just doesn't seem to do it. Temps down there can get into the high 50s and lower 60s. It is downright chilly, and for a cold blooded spider a heat lamp seems to be the only real way of giving them any thermal heat. Get off your horses, I know about dehydration and dangerous temperatures. These T's are perfectly fine, if not on the chilly side a little bit. If I wanted advice I would have asked for it...
 

AmbushArachnids

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I swear, some of you guys aren't too open to other's ideas. Let me just say that our tarantulas are being kept in a basement. The room is using a space heater on a timer, but that just doesn't seem to do it. Temps down there can get into the high 50s and lower 60s. It is downright chilly, and for a cold blooded spider a heat lamp seems to be the only real way of giving them any thermal heat. Get off your horses, I know about dehydration and dangerous temperatures. These T's are perfectly fine, if not on the chilly side a little bit. If I wanted advice I would have asked for it...
I am entitled to my opinion and so are you. Its called freedom of speech. :rolleyes:

Edit: There is also an ignore function on this site if you need it. ;)
 

2oCHEVYo0

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
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I've let them dry out and the lamp still has not cooked them... But, I suppose you're right, ill change my train of thought... Would a piece of heat tape wrapped around a vial be better? or set them on a heat mat, maybe that would provide heat in a more safe manor.

Seriously though, tarantulas are not rocket science to care for... IMO they are the easiest pets to take care of in the world. Just don't give em alot of attention :D lol. And they definatly dont NEED a temp controlled box. Just a waste of money really... If they are doing fine, why would I change a thing?

Don't need your opinion on how "I" should keep my T's, so please just mind your own business and maybe when the time comes around when I need help maybe I will ask for your opinion. As of now, your talking to a brick wall my friend. :wall:
 

AmbushArachnids

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I've let them dry out and the lamp still has not cooked them... But, I suppose you're right, ill change my train of thought... Would a piece of heat tape wrapped around a vial be better? or set them on a heat mat, maybe that would provide heat in a more safe manor.
I never recommended any advice specificaly to you. A climate box has more control over humidity and has no hot spots. But im sure you knew that. ;)
 

2oCHEVYo0

Arachnosquire
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Aug 29, 2010
Messages
67
yep, sure did!!! I would do one, but rather spend the money on T's and enclosures... I'm not doggin' on what you do, just sayin everyone has there own way of doing things. I like my way so far, but if things prove more difficult in the future, I may do a box but thus far no T's have been lost so I think that's a pretty good sign things are being done correctly! I'm actually trying to think of a way to heat the containers once I get a shelf.

I want to get a bookshelf, but none of them I have seen are 12" deep. You know where to find something like that?
 
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