New T Owner

[Paulhodgkinson]

Hi guys,

So today will be the first time I feed the two slings. Is it all right to put the mealworm slice in during the morning and then remove it tomorrow morning if anything's left? Also, I'd hate to kill a mealworm, use only two slices and then throw the rest away.

I just eat the rest. Waste not want not an all that

Get more slings if you don't fancy a snack poor jokes aside, the advice on this place is brilliant. Use it for everything with the search bar.

 

[JumpingSpiderLady]

Hi guys,

So today will be the first time I feed the two slings. Is it all right to put the mealworm slice in during the morning and then remove it tomorrow morning if anything's left? Also, I'd hate to kill a mealworm, use only two slices and then throw the rest away.

That's what I do as far as food removal. I wouldn't try to save bits of mealworms though. If you feed birds, put the bits in a bird feeder. They'd appreciate it!

 

[Trenor]

Hi guys,

So today will be the first time I feed the two slings. Is it all right to put the mealworm slice in during the morning and then remove it tomorrow morning if anything's left? Also, I'd hate to kill a mealworm, use only two slices and then throw the rest away.

That is fine. It will not hurt anything to leave it in over that period. There is not much you can do about leftovers except find something else to feed it to. I leave my uneaten dubias in a tray out on the porch for the wildlife and they usually get gone. You can always get a few more Ts.

 

[Darkskies]

So I cut the tiniest mealworm I could find amongst my mix of "large mealworms" that I normally use to feed my geckos. I sliced it a couple of times and gave the head piece to the albopilosum and a smaller tail piece to the Euathlus sp. red container. I took the remaining middle piece and threw it outside(hopefully birds or other wildlife can eat it up). I never have any problems feeding bugs to my reptiles but I did feel somewhat uneasy/sad slicing the mealworm with scissors myself since this time I'm directly responsible for the killing. Anyway, insects don't feel pain, right?

The whole time I was worried about having an escape but luckily neither of them ran out of the condiment cup that they're in. I also used an eyedropper and put in 2 droplets of water on one side of substrate for the species red and put in 3-5 droplets of water on one side for the albopilosum. Is this a good regimen? Do I need to get water on the sides of the container or is just wetting a small portion of the substrate enough?

The process of feeding/watering them is a little anxiety-provoking since I fear that the tiny slings could escape any moment. I had an opaque disposable drinking cup on the table to cover any of the slings if they did run out of their condiment cup enclosure but is there a surefire way to make sure they don't come out when feeding/doing maintenance on their enclosures?

Also, I figure I will wait until the albopilosum is 1 inch in size before I transfer her to a new enclosure with top soil/coco fiber but in the meantime will she be stressed out waiting that long not being able to make proper burrows in vermiculite and having to always be out on the substrate? She was hatched in January of this year(as per the vendor wrote down on the condiment cup) so I guess she has been doing fine in the cup all this time without having a burrow. I'm just leery of already having to do a transfer to another condiment cup when I just started with Ts and I would worry about having an escape while trying to do the transfer.

Something interesting is the fact that the Euathlus sp. red was hatched 1 year ago and yet she is at around the same size or slightly smaller than the albopilosum which was hatched in January of this year.

 

[Darkskies]

No response, guys? Sorry to bump the thread again but just curious if I could have my questions answered. I would really appreciate it and you guys have been a great fountain of advice so far. Also, today I looked for any remnants of the mealworm pieces and I couldn't find any in either T enclosure. I didn't open the lid though as I figure what's the point of opening it if they might escape and I'm not really doing any maintenance. Should I open the lid and really look around for any remaining bits of the mealworm? I don't want there to be any mold growth. What would remaining bits even look like after a sling has eaten the larger mealworm piece? There is a black stringy material towards the top of the Euathlus sp. red's deli cup. Should I remove that?

 

[Crone Returns]

No response, guys? Sorry to bump the thread again but just curious if I could have my questions answered. I would really appreciate it and you guys have been a great fountain of advice so far. Also, today I looked for any remnants of the mealworm pieces and I couldn't find any in either T enclosure. I didn't open the lid though as I figure what's the point of opening it if they might escape and I'm not really doing any maintenance. Should I open the lid and really look around for any remaining bits of the mealworm? I don't want there to be any mold growth. What would remaining bits even look like after a sling has eaten the larger mealworm piece? There is a black stringy material towards the top of the Euathlus sp. red's deli cup. Should I remove that?

Ok. I'll bite.
Your wee B. albopilosum is going to go nuts on that substrate. They are passionate burrowers when tiny.
Put it in ecoearth or organic peat and organic dirt. No fertilizers in the substrate. Put a water bottle cap of water and feed feed feed.
Pics would be great of E. sp Red enclosure.
Somebody more knowledgeable take over.

 

[symbol]

I never have any problems feeding bugs to my reptiles but I did feel somewhat uneasy/sad slicing the mealworm with scissors myself since this time I'm directly responsible for the killing. Anyway, insects don't feel pain, right?

My understanding is that no, insects don't really feel pain. However, I'm going mostly by hearsay and haven't really done any research on the topic (which is why I didn't answer before).

The whole time I was worried about having an escape but luckily neither of them ran out of the condiment cup that they're in. I also used an eyedropper and put in 2 droplets of water on one side of substrate for the species red and put in 3-5 droplets of water on one side for the albopilosum. Is this a good regimen? Do I need to get water on the sides of the container or is just wetting a small portion of the substrate enough?

As mentioned above, just putting in a water dish would be better. If there isn't room for a water bottle cap in the enclosure you've got them in now, try an upside down Lego piece or Monopoly house.

The process of feeding/watering them is a little anxiety-provoking since I fear that the tiny slings could escape any moment. I had an opaque disposable drinking cup on the table to cover any of the slings if they did run out of their condiment cup enclosure but is there a surefire way to make sure they don't come out when feeding/doing maintenance on their enclosures?

Guaranteed? No. But if you make sure you know where your spiders are before you open the enclosure, make sure you have everything you need easily to hand (mise-en-place), and keep your wits about you, you should be fine. Always have a catch cup ready (as you did) just in case. And try to work in a fairly open area so they won't immediately disappear into/under things if they do manage to get out.

Also, I figure I will wait until the albopilosum is 1 inch in size before I transfer her to a new enclosure with top soil/coco fiber but in the meantime will she be stressed out waiting that long not being able to make proper burrows in vermiculite and having to always be out on the substrate? She was hatched in January of this year(as per the vendor wrote down on the condiment cup) so I guess she has been doing fine in the cup all this time without having a burrow. I'm just leery of already having to do a transfer to another condiment cup when I just started with Ts and I would worry about having an escape while trying to do the transfer.

Honestly, I would transfer her to an enclosure with better substrate sooner rather than later. If you're nervous about trying to transfer her directly from one small cup to the other, you could always try putting both in a larger tub/container so she's still somewhat contained even if she doesn't quite end up where you want her on the first attempt.

Something interesting is the fact that the Euathlus sp. red was hatched 1 year ago and yet she is at around the same size or slightly smaller than the albopilosum which was hatched in January of this year.

E. sp. red are notoriously slow growers. B. albopilosum has a much faster growth rate so, while indeed interesting, it's not unusual or surprising for them to be the same size despite the albo being about a year younger. The albo will probably pretty rapidly outstrip the red in size too.

 

[Darkskies]

My understanding is that no, insects don't really feel pain. However, I'm going mostly by hearsay and haven't really done any research on the topic (which is why I didn't answer before).


As mentioned above, just putting in a water dish would be better. If there isn't room for a water bottle cap in the enclosure you've got them in now, try an upside down Lego piece or Monopoly house.


Guaranteed? No. But if you make sure you know where your spiders are before you open the enclosure, make sure you have everything you need easily to hand (mise-en-place), and keep your wits about you, you should be fine. Always have a catch cup ready (as you did) just in case. And try to work in a fairly open area so they won't immediately disappear into/under things if they do manage to get out.


Honestly, I would transfer her to an enclosure with better substrate sooner rather than later. If you're nervous about trying to transfer her directly from one small cup to the other, you could always try putting both in a larger tub/container so she's still somewhat contained even if she doesn't quite end up where you want her on the first attempt.


E. sp. red are notoriously slow growers. B. albopilosum has a much faster growth rate so, while indeed interesting, it's not unusual or surprising for them to be the same size despite the albo being about a year younger. The albo will probably pretty rapidly outstrip the red in size too.

Thanks for the reply! Do you know think there is any reason for me to worry that I couldn't find any mealworm remnants in either enclosure the next day? What would the remnants look like anyway once a T is done eating its fill? I would hate to have missed some bit that's now molding or going bad.

Another idea I had was to add an inch of coco fiber over the vermiculite that the B albo sling is already in, making sure to avoid the sling as I add the coco fiber. Is that a good idea? I don't mind transferring it but I don't really have similar sized enclosures that have plastic lids through which I could puncture holes. What do you use to puncture holes in pill bottle lids and the like? I was thinking about using a tack or nail heated on the stove to make the holes but then how tiny should the tack be to make appropriately sized holes for a 1/4 inch sling?

 

[symbol]

Thanks for the reply! Do you know think there is any reason for me to worry that I couldn't find any mealworm remnants in either enclosure the next day? What would the remnants look like anyway once a T is done eating its fill? I would hate to have missed some bit that's now molding or going bad.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Keep an eye out in case a bolus (leftovers) appear. And also keep an eye out for mold. Even if you do get a little bit of mold, as long as you remove it right away it should be fine. The problem generally comes when it's allowed to get out of control and/or the tarantula remains in prolonged contact with it.

Another idea I had was to add an inch of coco fiber over the vermiculite that the B albo sling is already in, making sure to avoid the sling as I add the coco fiber. Is that a good idea? I don't mind transferring it but I don't really have similar sized enclosures that have plastic lids through which I could puncture holes. What do you use to puncture holes in pill bottle lids and the like? I was thinking about using a tack or nail heated on the stove to make the holes but then how tiny should the tack be to make appropriately sized holes for a 1/4 inch sling?

You could try that... But I honestly think it would be easier, safer, and less stressful for both you and the spider if you could just rehouse it in a new enclosure with appropriate substrate.

Some suggestions for enclosures:
You could try putting it in a pill vial.
I know some people on the boards favour hinged card boxes, like this, for slings.
Deli cups can also work well. But even a small (8 oz.) container would probably be on the large side for a 1/4" sling.
My personal favourite grow-out/temporary enclosures for terrestrials are Really Useful Boxes. They're clear enough to be able to see your spiders through them without any special modifications. And if you want a nice perfectly transparent viewing window, it's easy to add an acrylic section to the lid. (EulersK has made an excellent video tutorial on how to do this.) I'm currently using a 0.14L Really Useful Box for my 1/4" B. albopilosum sling and it's working out great so far. It's a bit more expensive than some of the other options, but still only cost me $1 and is very secure, sturdy, and more aesthetically pleasing to me than pill vials or deli cups.

As far as adding ventilation to plastic enclosures goes... I just used a soldering iron to do my first couple enclosures. I picked up one of these last week though, and it's been even better! The tapered point combined with a low temperature setting make it easy to make very small holes and the "hot knife" feature is great for cutting out the lid windows. That said, a heated tack or nail will accomplish the same thing for ventilation holes, just be careful as that will probably be a bit more fiddly to handle than a soldering iron or the like. (Also, make sure that whatever nails you're using aren't galvanized. The zinc coating will create toxic fumes when heated.)

 

[Crone Returns]

Rehouse the little guy. Give him around 2 or 3 inches of good substrate and a water dish. They love to make burrows.