What is the best way to rehouse slings?

[Brachyfan]

Hey everyone

I have an order coming on tuesday with a bunch of slings(new world terrestrials). This is my first time ordering online. Usually I get my tarantulas at expos and the slings come in their homes with substrate. This time they will be packed in pill bottles with paper towel so they will need to be rehoused.

My usual method is to put the old enclosure inside the new larger one and let the t come out on their own. Obviously I can't do that this time so I was looking for some different approaches.

My plan was to use the above method for the 1.5" Aphonopelma calchodes and put them in a mini critter keeper if the t is large enough not to escape through the air vents. But what about a 1/4" Acanthoscurria geniculata? It will have to go in a pill jar.

I know about using barriers and catch cups and bathtubs etc. But what do I do if the sling bolts while I take the paper out?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I really want to get comfortable with this procedure and minimize any dangers and risks as I am really into the hobby and will probably be doing this a lot.

Cheers

 

[Thekla]

First of all, use 2oz (maybe 4oz) deli cups. Personally, I hate pill jars for small terrestrial slings, there just isn't enough space to manoeuver.

As for the rehousing, you really have to see what you get. Usually, you remove the lid, then the top layer of tissue and then grab the tissue carefully with some tweezers and pull the whole thing out. Place it in the container and coax the sling out. I use a small and soft brush.

Just watch some unboxing videos on Youtube. There're actually tons of them and after a while, you'll see what's working, and what's not.

 

[ThatsUnpossible]

Tom Moran’s YouTube channel has a couple of videos on sling care and one if them shows how to unpack and house slings safely. I can’t remember which video it is, but he time stamps them in the introduction so you can find the right place easily.

edit
This is the one. Unpacking at about 25 minutes (but good info if you watch the whole thing.

 

[Brachyfan]

First of all, use 2oz (maybe 4oz) deli cups. Personally, I hate pill jars for small terrestrial slings, there just isn't enough space to manoeuver.

As for the rehousing, you really have to see what you get. Usually, you remove the lid, then the top layer of tissue and then grab the tissue carefully with some tweezers and pull the whole thing out. Place it in the container and coax the sling out. I use a small and soft brush.

Just watch some unboxing videos on Youtube. There're actually tons of them and after a while, you'll see what's working, and what's not.

Good idea with the deli cups. I currently have all my small slings in pill jars but the deli cups have more floor space. I have watched many unboxing vids but most end up with the keepers handling the T's!

Tom Moran’s YouTube channel has a couple of videos on sling care and one if them shows how to unpack and house slings safely. I can’t remember which video it is, but he time stamps them in the introduction so you can find the right place easily.

edit
This is the one. Unpacking at about 25 minutes (but good info if you watch the whole thing.

Exactly what I was looking for!


This was what I was hoping to avoid

 

[Theneil]

My usual method is to put the old enclosure inside the new larger one and let the t come out on their own. Obviously I can't do that this time so I was looking for some different approaches.

Depending on the size of their enclosure and the size of the shipping vial, this method will actually work just just fine. It makes it a little harder to check that they look healthy, but as far as actual rehousing goes, it works.

 

[viper69]

I heard opening the lid is useful.

Such a species is easy to manage- just keep a catch cup or two nearby while on the floor

 

[Brachyfan]

Thanks for the advice everyone. All were rehoused with very little issues. 4 out of 6 were little angels. The A calchodes was pretty stubborn as it refused to leave it's paper towel for several hours. After it left the paper towel it proceeded to dig a giant burrow and built a giant hill over its hide. The tiny genic was really stubborn though. I gently streched the paper towel
so it seperated under the t and coaxed it off using a small paintbrush. The genic then ran into it's hide.

I heard opening the lid is useful.

Such a species is easy to manage- just keep a catch cup or two nearby while on the floor

Opening the lid is indeed useful!