Tiny sling feeding questions

[tybaltPOC]

I got 3 slings that were MUCH smaller than I expected. I was intending to put them in a 3x3" acrylic box, but I ended up just adding a little substrate to the vials that they came in and leaving them in there with a little sphagnum moss because they're tiny. I looked up the various prey that you can feed them when they're that small, but my question is whether I should be putting anything live in there, or if I should be pre-killing the prey? I ended up with 1 A. chalcodes that's about 1/4" & 2 L. klugi that must be about half of that size. My G. pulchripes has molted twice and is doing well, but she wasn't this small, so any pointers are appreciated.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Pre-killed small crickets or cut up mealworms.

 

[Otsama]

I just got 2 tiny lil slings myself at an expo (less than 1/4") and asked the seller what they recommend. They said pinhead crickets are ideal, but if I don't have those, to pre-kill the smallest crickets I have.

 

[viper69]

I didn’t see a ? Not sure you asked one

Small slings can eat live - I had slings less than a 1/4” eat live. Remember they are predators from birth. Just need proper sized prey as you ALWAYS need for ANY SIZE T

 

[kingshockey]

you can rip off the back legs of crickets to use as feeders or just cut a meal worm into 3 chunks to feed just drop in the food at night remove the left overs in the morning

 

[cold blood]

Feed like this....diced mealworms work best IME

nom nom (Nhandu chromatus)

• cold blood
• Jun 8, 2018
• 1
• brazilian red and white tarantula chromatus feeding nhandu nhandu chromatus sling

house like this....keep it simple....you can even go down to 1oz cups

IMG_0472

• cold blood
• Feb 7, 2017

Keep your small terrestrial slings like this.

 

[Andrew Clayton]

I try to always feed live.
It's not always a prey item that's small enough though, so if I don't have small enough feeders, I will cut a mealworm and try to pinch just the head so it still moves. Or use maggots if you can get them that is. That's my main feeder for tiny slings, bonus for the mantis I have too as they love the fly's that come from the maggots.

 

[Otsama]

(Edited to remove my comment on the question)

I fed my slings for the first time last night – I pre-killed the smallest crickets I had, and they went for it! Hope yours works(ed) out!

 

[Andrew Clayton]

Question was in the 3rd sentence.

Btw, I fed my slings for the first time last night – I pre-killed the smallest crickets I had, and they went for it! Hope yours works(ed) out!

OP edited post 13 mins after that was asked.

 

[Otsama]

OP edited post 13 mins after that was asked.

Oh, I see! Just getting used to the forum, now I see where the edits stamps are. Thanks for the info, I'll update my post!

 

[Andrew Clayton]

Oh, I see! Just getting used to the forum, now I see where the edits stamps are. Thanks for the info, I'll update my post!

Oh welcome to the boards. Great to have new members.

 

[Mustafa67]

I got 3 slings that were MUCH smaller than I expected. I was intending to put them in a 3x3" acrylic box, but I ended up just adding a little substrate to the vials that they came in and leaving them in there with a little sphagnum moss because they're tiny. I looked up the various prey that you can feed them when they're that small, but my question is whether I should be putting anything live in there, or if I should be pre-killing the prey? I ended up with 1 A. chalcodes that's about 1/4" & 2 L. klugi that must be about half of that size. My G. pulchripes has molted twice and is doing well, but she wasn't this small, so any pointers are appreciated.

Good luck with the A chalcodes, you’ll have retired by the time it grows into an adult. The L klugi and G pulchripes will be good though

Pre-killed or appropriate sized live prey

 

[tybaltPOC]

First off, thanks for all your inputs. I've been keeping up with everything, even though I haven't had time to reply.

Ok, so I stopped by my feeder store and got the smallest meal worms they had. I crushed it's head (sorry dude) and cut it into 3 pieces. Both the L. klugi snatched theirs up quick, but the A. chalcodes didn't seem interested. If it doesn't eat over night, I'm going to put a whole meal worm in there and squish the head so it still moves but can't dig. Maybe if it doesn't eat tomorrow, I'll just shelf it for a couple of days and try again after it settles a little more.

@cold blood Does the guts squeezed out matter?
@viper69 I fixed the punctuation. Thanks for pointing it out XD
@Mustafa67 Yeah, I had heard they grow really slow. They're freaking gorgeous, so I don't mind.
@kingshockey If the A. chalcodes doesn't show interest in the mealworms, I'll try the "cricket drumstick" approach next.

 

[cold blood]

@cold blood Does the guts squeezed out matter?

No