Trying this out..

GabGab

Arachnoknight
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I'm teaching my slings to hunt for live prey.. Specially with my smallest sling I found a teeny tiny mealworm for it and it almost took it down and it started moving and ran away :( (it was smaller than the spider so Dont worry lol) but soon it will hunt without trouble :) p.s I crushed the head to make it easier but eventually will get it IG

I know what you're thinking..
"ThEy dO tHaT iN tHe WiLd"
YEAH I KNOW BUT ITS EXCITING FOR ME OKAY.
 

Trenor

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A lot of my tarantulas (regardless of size) will "back off" when a dubia is thrashing about. It's more about them protecting themselves than not knowing how to or being disinterested in hunting. Kind of like how you can't train yourself not to flinch when something flies at your face really fast. It wired into you for your protection. in the wild, tarantulas are just as likely to scavenge dead prey as live prey. Most animals will if given the chance. They are exposed less and are in less danger so it's a win to them.

I have some tarantulas that will usually jump anything that I drop in the enclosure. Others will let it sit there for hours then grab it after it's stopped moving to eat. I doubt any attempts at training on my part will change their behavior one way or the other.

That being said have fun playing while feeding your tarantulas. Just be sure not to put them in unnecessary danger while doing so. :)
 

Smotzer

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I would say try smaller prey, Like pinhead B. lateralis nymphs or even some flightless fruit flies or larger springtails. These have worked well for the small slings that aren’t eating much or run away from prey.
 

Colorado Ts

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I'm teaching my slings to hunt for live prey.. Specially with my smallest sling I found a teeny tiny mealworm for it and it almost took it down and it started moving and ran away :( (it was smaller than the spider so Dont worry lol) but soon it will hunt without trouble :) p.s I crushed the head to make it easier but eventually will get it IG

I know what you're thinking..
"ThEy dO tHaT iN tHe WiLd"
YEAH I KNOW BUT ITS EXCITING FOR ME OKAY.
Explore your dreams... :bag:
 

GabGab

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 14, 2020
Messages
198
I would say try smaller prey, Like pinhead B. lateralis nymphs or even some flightless fruit flies or larger springtails. These have worked well for the small slings that aren’t eating much or run away from prey.
I bought pin head crickets and when I got home they were all dead and they had mold in the box.. the only place that's sells all that is Petco and I HATE petco :(

I would say try smaller prey, Like pinhead B. lateralis nymphs or even some flightless fruit flies or larger springtails. These have worked well for the small slings that aren’t eating much or run away from prey.
I might try the fruit flies! Thank you :)
 

wesker12

Arachnobaron
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404
I'm teaching my slings to hunt for live prey.. Specially with my smallest sling I found a teeny tiny mealworm for it and it almost took it down and it started moving and ran away :( (it was smaller than the spider so Dont worry lol) but soon it will hunt without trouble :) p.s I crushed the head to make it easier but eventually will get it IG

I know what you're thinking..
"ThEy dO tHaT iN tHe WiLd"
YEAH I KNOW BUT ITS EXCITING FOR ME OKAY.
I honestly love watching them grow up and get better and better at hunting and more confident, so I know whatcha mean. Moving prey that's size of body length (not leg span) usually triggers a great attack. You can maybe ask at Petco if they sell individual crickets and pick out your own mini lively ones if they're cool (mine lets me).

You don't want your slings to be on a fruit fly only diet, something about them lacking key amino acids essential to molting for T. You can always chop up a mealworm in half with some sharp mini scissors and the piece with the head keeps fighting for awhile.

Also you can buy 50 mini 1/4 inch dubia for like 8 bucks shipped on eBay! Dubia don't smell at all, don't make noise, don't die easily, live forever on fruits and bread. Only downside is they are smart enough to play dead but they're ways around that.....and a hungry T will figure it out, they also burrow
 
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Smotzer

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I might try the fruit flies! Thank you :)
They’re not the best long term but I have used them before in a pinch, but i dont think they should be used as a staple, dont think they are very nutritous.
 

Seemannnni

Arachnoknight
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202
They’re not the best long term but I have used them before in a pinch, but i dont think they should be used as a staple, dont think they are very nutritous.
Aren't they for just when your slings are too tiny for actual prey? They should grow out of fruit flies ASAP hopefully lol
 

Smotzer

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Aren't they for just when your slings are too tiny for actual prey? They should grow out of fruit flies ASAP hopefully lol
Yes I only use them on the smallest stuff at like 2i, but you can easily offer like a criket legs to scavenge off of that serves the same purpose. FFF works well for me for 2i avic types. It comes down to preference really. Everything related to feeding comes down to preference really.

And yes this for me is only done for a really short period of time.
 

GabGab

Arachnoknight
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Messages
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I honestly love watching them grow up and get better and better at hunting and more confident, so I know whatcha mean. Moving prey that's size of body length (not leg span) usually triggers a great attack. You can maybe ask at Petco if they sell individual crickets and pick out your own mini lively ones if they're cool (mine lets me).

You don't want your slings to be on a fruit fly only diet, something about them lacking key amino acids essential to molting for T. You can always chop up a mealworm in half with some sharp mini scissors and the piece with the head keeps fighting for awhile.

Also you can buy 50 mini 1/4 inch dubia for like 8 bucks shipped on eBay! Dubia don't smell at all, don't make noise, don't die easily, live forever on fruits and bread. Only downside is they are smart enough to play dead but they're ways around that.....and a hungry T will figure it out, they also burrow
That's the Dubia's I bought and still to big for my smaller slings. So I just decided to cut up the worms for them. But for my little bigger slings they have no trouble taking it down :) specially my Versicolor that little guy.. a take down king/queen! But it is quite fun watching them grow up.. they are basically your child and you'd do anything for them. I love them to death and I hope I see them grow up as a adults :)
 

viper69

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17,851
Why comment this? Lmao. Not teaching in a way but making them better hunters as they grow up. You take the joy out of every post Jesus.
There are a few reasons.


1. People do come to the forum and read other posts, often incompletely, and find "ideas" that either support their lack of knowledge and/or lack of critical thinking. For example many years ago there was someone here who thought humans could train/convert tarantulas from a meat eating animal to a plant eating animal. It's important to put such crazy ideas that could only have been ginned up by a crack pipe to rest sooner not later.

2. In my comment, I was merely agreeing with you (see below) and saying "enjoy" as in wishing you fun, albeit wasting your time. It's your time to waste not mine. Do what you want with your time, you only have 1 life to live and its short.

"ThEy dO tHaT iN tHe WiLd"
YEAH I KNOW BUT ITS EXCITING FOR ME OKAY.
3. "joy out of every post"- I have data that proves you are wrong, including your recent "like" of a recent post of mine, and thousands of others. :p

Anyway enjoy your T. There's nothing you or anyone can teach them. They know more about being a predator and a T than any human would know. But they can show us and teach us some of the mysteries of the natural world. Enjoy!
 

GabGab

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 14, 2020
Messages
198
There are a few reasons.


1. People do come to the forum and read other posts, often incompletely, and find "ideas" that either support their lack of knowledge and/or lack of critical thinking. For example many years ago there was someone here who thought humans could train/convert tarantulas from a meat eating animal to a plant eating animal. It's important to put such crazy ideas that could only have been ginned up by a crack pipe to rest sooner not later.

2. In my comment, I was merely agreeing with you (see below) and saying "enjoy" as in wishing you fun, albeit wasting your time. It's your time to waste not mine. Do what you want with your time, you only have 1 life to live and its short.



3. "joy out of every post"- I have data that proves you are wrong, including your recent "like" of a recent post of mine, and thousands of others. :p

Anyway enjoy your T. There's nothing you or anyone can teach them. They know more about being a predator and a T than any human would know. But they can show us and teach us some of the mysteries of the natural world. Enjoy!
So apparently having your T hunt early is a bad Idea? Okay lol. And im pretty sure if they're "smart" enough they'll read Through posts and comments to get the right idea. (Specially from people who had more experience)
That's impossible, you can't convert that plus how would they eat the plant?
Most of the time I post SOMETIMES you are nice about it but sometimes you come off as rude. (In my opinion)
Plus, you can't keep babying a T. They should be able to hunt prey with no trouble WITHOUT putting their life at risk. Anyways, I'm done with this post. Goodnight hope you have a good night as well. :)
 

wesker12

Arachnobaron
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Jun 13, 2011
Messages
404
While I'm sure the alot of the more complex behavior we see tarantulas exhibit are fixed action patterns, most organisms even primitive planaria are capable of learning to some extent, even if it's just basic operant conditioning. Most predators, even inverts learn through trial and error how to be more effective. For example if your ever lucky enough to see a native aphonophelma grapple with a smaller scorp as meal, they target the tail rather than the head first. It wouldn't seem illogical that over time a tarantula could become more accustomed/better at hunting/responding to certain feeders over others based on what you facilitate for it as it's god king.

That's the Dubia's I bought and still to big for my smaller slings. So I just decided to cut up the worms for them. But for my little bigger slings they have no trouble taking it down :) specially my Versicolor that little guy.. a take down king/queen! But it is quite fun watching them grow up.. they are basically your child and you'd do anything for them. I love them to death and I hope I see them grow up as a adults :)
I'm about to buy the same dubia package cause I got about 16 slings!

veriscolor are amazing hunters, they go nuts for moths, then again most arboreals do! :) wax worms (moth larvae) are sold pretty commonly in bait shops or online, just please be careful to not let any moths escape because they devastate local bee hives :(
I've raised a versi from 2i to adulthood when I was 16 about a decade ago and it was very, very rewarding (he got me out arachnophobia!). Every stage of their life, versicolor are among the most gorgeous, even spider haters fall in love :)
 

cold blood

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Aren't they for just when your slings are too tiny for actual prey?
There is no such thing....any prey can be diced to the appropriate size, so really you can use any of the same prey for adults as slings.

Plus fruit flies are nutritionally deficient, so I would never recommend them to any one for any reason (regarding ts)...on top of that, they are exceedingly annoying to deal with....high effort low return kind of feeder...just don't bother...lol.
So apparently having your T hunt early is a bad Idea?
No, but they don't need teaching, theyre instinctual and don't need to be taught.....its like teaching your knee to react to the docs little hammer on the reflex test.

Still, I am glad you are having fun with it:) I wish I was there to see your reactions:)
 

GabGab

Arachnoknight
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198
There is no such thing....any prey can be diced to the appropriate size, so really you can use any of the same prey for adults as slings.

Plus fruit flies are nutritionally deficient, so I would never recommend them to any one for any reason (regarding ts)...on top of that, they are exceedingly annoying to deal with....high effort low return kind of feeder...just don't bother...lol.

No, but they don't need teaching, theyre instinctual and don't need to be taught.....its like teaching your knee to react to the docs little hammer on the reflex test.

Still, I am glad you are having fun with it:) I wish I was there to see your reactions:)
They are really amazing creatures and the take downs from these little guys/gal's are so cool. :) but thank you! I wish I started this hobby sooner.
 

cold blood

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! I wish I started this hobby sooner.
You and me both, that's been my hobby mantra.....I got my first basically accidentally, saving it from certain death, then I spent 10 years with just that old rose hair...when I branched out, I was like, why didn't I do this sooner?? ......I never thought about breeding, or thought I would even attempt to breed them, when I finally decide to give it a try, I was again, like, why did I not do this sooner??
 

GabGab

Arachnoknight
Joined
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Messages
198
You and me both, that's been my hobby mantra.....I got my first basically accidentally, saving it from certain death, then I spent 10 years with just that old rose hair...when I branched out, I was like, why didn't I do this sooner?? ......I never thought about breeding, or thought I would even attempt to breed them, when I finally decide to give it a try, I was again, like, why did I not do this sooner??
Saving her from a death? :astonished: Where did you find her? Or did someone give you the T? Sorry for the 21 questions😂 & When I got my A.Chalcodes and had him/her for a while (I'm surprised it didn't die due to how it was packaged)and realized I wanted another one and then they led me to have 6 of them right now.Can't wait for my little slings to be all grown up. &I'd be scared to breed to be honest. 😅
 

cold blood

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Saving her from a death? :astonished: Where did you find her? Or did someone give you the T?
Well it starts long before I got her. I worked at a major zoo, and due to my love of fish and reptiles, I spent a lot of free time in the aquarium and reptile building feeding the fish, where i developed a friendship with one of the keepers. He kept a few ts, and at the time, I was horribly arachnophobic...our first talks about ts were more of explanations of why the heck he would have spiders...well he knew I loved all animals, so these talks became more educational than anything. And over time, I developed a respect and understanding about them. Still, I never thought I would keep one myself, not in a million years.

Fast forward a few years, I was living with my brother near the Marquette university campus, and the house next door was bought for 2 college kids while they were in school. One night I come home late, the neighbor was over, and my brother, knowing my phobia with spiders, says "Hey, look what Karl has" The neighbor then shows me a 12oz deli cup with what I quickly recognized to be a rose hair inside... a species with a very long lifespan. I responded, "why did you buy a tarantula?"

To my horror, he replied, "Im going to throw it at my roommate. I cant wait to see the look on his face, he's going to freak out".

I then inform him that this will almost certainly kill the animal....His reply that it was "just a spider" and he could care less if it died, it wasn't about the t, it was about scaring his roomie. When he said that, I was holding the deli...shocked I looked at him and told him he could leave, and that he would not be taking the tarantula with him, I was confiscating it.

After a bit of banter, he relented...Ive had that t 22 years now, and she's still going strong...I think she just may live forever...she was already molting on a loooong 6 year cycle when I got her, so she was already an old t...now add 22 to that....she's no spring chicken....lol


,
Sorry for the 21 questions😂
I that was just 3.
Can't wait for my little slings to be all grown up.
Raising slings is very rewarding, and one of the more enjoyable parts of the hobby.
I'd be scared to breed to be honest
Its not scary, more interesting than anything....plus, who doesn't love a bunch of little eggs with legs?

20190925_222422.jpg
 

Smotzer

ArachnoGod
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Messages
5,275
Well it starts long before I got her. I worked at a major zoo, and due to my love of fish and reptiles, I spent a lot of free time in the aquarium and reptile building feeding the fish, where i developed a friendship with one of the keepers. He kept a few ts, and at the time, horribly arachnophobic...our first talks about ts were more of explanations of why the heck he would have spiders...well he knew I loved all animals, so these talks became more educational than anything. And over time, I developed a respect and understanding about them. Still, I never thought I would keep one myself, not in a million years.

Fast forward a few years, I was living with my brother near the Marquette university campus, and the house next door was bought for 2 college kids while they were in school. One night I come home late, the neighbor was over, and my brother, knowing my phobia with spiders, says "Hey, look what Karl has" The neighbor then shows me a 12oz deli cup with what I quickly recognized to be a rose hair inside... a species with a very long lifespan. I responded, "why did you buy a tarantula?"

To my horror, he replied, "Im going to throw it at my roommate. I cant wait to see the look on his face, he's going to freak out".

I then inform him that this will almost certainly kill the animal....His reply that it was "just a spider" and he could care less if it died, it wasn't about the t, it was about scaring his roomie. When he said that, I was holding the deli...shocked I looked at him and told him he could leave, and that he would not be taking the tarantula with him, I was confiscating it.

After a bit of banter, he relented...Ive had that t 22 years now, and she's still going strong...I think she just may live forever...she was already molting on a loooong 6 year cycle when I got her, so she was already an old t...now add 22 to that....she's no spring chicken....lol


,

I that was just 3.

Raising slings is very rewarding, and one of the more enjoyable parts of the hobby.

Its not scary, more interesting than anything....plus, who doesn't love a bunch of little eggs with legs?

View attachment 351506
Awesome story man glad you saved that T!
 

GabGab

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 14, 2020
Messages
198
Well it starts long before I got her. I worked at a major zoo, and due to my love of fish and reptiles, I spent a lot of free time in the aquarium and reptile building feeding the fish, where i developed a friendship with one of the keepers. He kept a few ts, and at the time, I was horribly arachnophobic...our first talks about ts were more of explanations of why the heck he would have spiders...well he knew I loved all animals, so these talks became more educational than anything. And over time, I developed a respect and understanding about them. Still, I never thought I would keep one myself, not in a million years.

Fast forward a few years, I was living with my brother near the Marquette university campus, and the house next door was bought for 2 college kids while they were in school. One night I come home late, the neighbor was over, and my brother, knowing my phobia with spiders, says "Hey, look what Karl has" The neighbor then shows me a 12oz deli cup with what I quickly recognized to be a rose hair inside... a species with a very long lifespan. I responded, "why did you buy a tarantula?"

To my horror, he replied, "Im going to throw it at my roommate. I cant wait to see the look on his face, he's going to freak out".

I then inform him that this will almost certainly kill the animal....His reply that it was "just a spider" and he could care less if it died, it wasn't about the t, it was about scaring his roomie. When he said that, I was holding the deli...shocked I looked at him and told him he could leave, and that he would not be taking the tarantula with him, I was confiscating it.

After a bit of banter, he relented...Ive had that t 22 years now, and she's still going strong...I think she just may live forever...she was already molting on a loooong 6 year cycle when I got her, so she was already an old t...now add 22 to that....she's no spring chicken....lol


,

I that was just 3.

Raising slings is very rewarding, and one of the more enjoyable parts of the hobby.

Its not scary, more interesting than anything....plus, who doesn't love a bunch of little eggs with legs?

View attachment 351506
Good thing you saved her. I would've been just as mad if that happened. No one should do that to any type of creature. They're defenseless and don't know what's going on. & I was going to ask 4 more but I didn't want to sound like a pest lol. They are quite cute but maybe in the future.. MAYBE.
 
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