Tip for feeding shy species

jbm150

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
1,650
This isn't new or original by any means, just thought it might be a good tip to throw out there for anyone not doing it or who hadn't thought of it.

I used to get frustrated during feeding time with slings and juvies of some of my shyer species of tarantulas (Lampropelma sp. Borneo black, Cyriopagopus schioedtei, Ornithoctinus areotibialis in particular). The second I'd open the lid of their enclosure to toss a cricket in, even if I was gentle as possible, they'd vanish. I could often see them at the bottom of their burrow with their legs crushed against their eyes like the world was ending. They'd hang out down there for a long time while the cricket would make all sorts of racket up top. Eventually, often when I'd lost patience, they'd come up to eat. I finally wised up and figured out to make a feeding hole. While I burn ventilation holes, I make one in the lid much larger than the others. For ex:

C. schioedtei 1.25" sling container

Top w/ feeding hole

I gotta say, its made a huge difference during feeding time. Now, when I slip a cricket through the feeding hole, they come racing out and tackle it. No more waiting around til the fear of God passes from them, they're ready to go when I am. It's also worked great for dripping water through. Less stress for the Ts, easier for me.

Of course, you want to make sure the T itself can't get out and it does limit the size of feeders but so far, its worked like a charm. I scale up the size of the whole to the size of the T, enclosure, and feeders. For those who feed adult roaches, this probably doesn't apply.
 

Cure

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
1
Oooh~
Thanks! A good idea. ^^ I guess I'll need to bust out the tool kit for my babies.
 
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