Handeling the insects + not eating

[henri_the_spider]

Hello guys,
I'm new in this whole business, more precisely I've got my fist tarantula last Thursday (a green bottle blue sling), soo I have two problems:

1. This may sound stupid but I kinda struggle with his food. I'm working with such "little silent brown crickets" and a pair of long tweezers. So kind of don't wanna hurt them, I know this sounds silly cause there were born to be fed. But I just can't grab there little bodies with the tweezers… does this sound familiar to anyone? If yes, how do you handle it?

2. As already mentioned I have a chromatopelma cyaneopubescens sling and since I got him, a week ago, he hasn't eaten anything. He also molted on Sunday evening. I believe it's normal to not eat before a molting…
but it's been a while now… I'm a little worried.

Henri (thats his name) built his web in the top right corner and I'm not sure if he even notices the crickets. He should feel their movements, right? But since he set one foot in this corner the only thing he did was webbing (and molting). Is it possible that he does not know that there is food down there?

 

[Balfouriboi]

It can take a while for a tarantula to be fully hardened, let him do his thing and I’d say in a few days he should eat again. Also it’s fine if he doesn’t eat for a little while he will be fine, but if you are very stressed about this go ahead and pre kill a cricket and leave it on his web that will always get mine to eat.

 

[PanzoN88]

1. crickets are annoying and they stink, they would slip through the tongs, so I would just pick up the crickets with a dram vial or if I couldn't find one then as a last resort, my hand. However if you are able to find them I recommend cutting up mealworms or superworms. Much less of a hassle than crickets.

2. When it comes to tarantulas who have just molted, it is usually recommended to wait at least a week in order to give it time to harden up, as tarantulas are quite fragile after a fresh molt.

3. Is your enclosure large? A large enclosure may make it harder for a tarantula to find its food. Most cases they'll just dig up the food when they feel like it (remove any uneaten food after at most a day.

 

[henri_the_spider]

1. crickets are annoying and they stink, they would slip through the tongs, so I would just pick up the crickets with a dram vial or if I couldn't find one then as a last resort, my hand. However if you are able to find them I recommend cutting up mealworms or superworms. Much less of a hassle than crickets.

2. When it comes to tarantulas who have just molted, it is usually recommended to wait at least a week in order to give it time to harden up, as tarantulas are quite fragile after a fresh molt.

3. Is your enclosure large? A large enclosure may make it harder for a tarantula to find its food. Most cases they'll just dig up the food when they feel like it (remove any uneaten food after at most a day.

Yeah ok, I guess I'll just try it later on this week.

Thanks for the tipp with the removing of the food, didn't know this. Is it because of their excrements?

And about the enclosure: 10cm x10cm x10cm
I've heard that thats an appropriate size for a sling

 

[henri_the_spider]

It can take a while for a tarantula to be fully hardened, let him do his thing and I’d say in a few days he should eat again. Also it’s fine if he doesn’t eat for a little while he will be fine, but if you are very stressed about this go ahead and pre kill a cricket and leave it on his web that will always get mine to eat.

well, I think it would be even harder to kill them with the whole "I don't wanna hurt them"–thing haha
Yeah, I guess I'll just try it later on this week.

 

[PanzoN88]

Yeah ok, I guess I'll just try it later on this week.

Thanks for the tipp with the removing of the food, didn't know this. Is it because of their excrements?

And about the enclosure: 10cm x10cm x10cm
I've heard that thats an appropriate size for a sling

Live feeders such as crickets pose a slight risk to a molting or freshly molted tarantula.

Enclosure size is good, so it will likely dig up the prey item if hungry. All my slings eat when they feel like it. I try to feed them at night, when and if they come out. I usually find them eating the next morning.

 

[The Sweet Escape]

1. crickets are annoying and they stink, they would slip through the tongs, so I would just pick up the crickets with a dram vial or if I couldn't find one then as a last resort, my hand. However if you are able to find them I recommend cutting up mealworms or superworms. Much less of a hassle than crickets.

2. When it comes to tarantulas who have just molted, it is usually recommended to wait at least a week in order to give it time to harden up, as tarantulas are quite fragile after a fresh molt.

3. Is your enclosure large? A large enclosure may make it harder for a tarantula to find its food. Most cases they'll just dig up the food when they feel like it (remove any uneaten food after at most a day.

Well said, nothing to add

 

[Jess S]

Hi. In regard to your first question, when I have to catch tiny crickets for my slings, as I too find it tricky not to kill/maim them with the tongs, I use a brush to usher them into a small container. Then I just tip them out of that into the spiders enclosure. You can aim for the web.
But honestly, as said above, most slings will take pre-killed. I tend to do pre-killed if a sling is in premoult as some of my slings will take food right up to moulting.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Heres a video of me feeding 200 slings pinhead roaches/crickets. I put the pinheads in a giant ziplock baggie. I pour them into a vial or cup then shake them into the enclosures. I can feed around 300-400 spiders a hour.

 

[Colorado Ts]

Hello guys,
I'm new in this whole business, more precisely I've got my fist tarantula last Thursday (a green bottle blue sling), soo I have two problems:

1. This may sound stupid but I kinda struggle with his food. I'm working with such "little silent brown crickets" and a pair of long tweezers. So kind of don't wanna hurt them, I know this sounds silly cause there were born to be fed. But I just can't grab there little bodies with the tweezers… does this sound familiar to anyone? If yes, how do you handle it?

2. As already mentioned I have a chromatopelma cyaneopubescens sling and since I got him, a week ago, he hasn't eaten anything. He also molted on Sunday evening. I believe it's normal to not eat before a molting…
but it's been a while now… I'm a little worried.

Henri (thats his name) built his web in the top right corner and I'm not sure if he even notices the crickets. He should feel their movements, right? But since he set one foot in this corner the only thing he did was webbing (and molting). Is it possible that he does not know that there is food down there?

Roaches are pretty easy to work with when feeding. I put my red runners in a sterilite tub and scoop up what I need with a pill vial and dump them into the enclosure. With crickets, I always have to catch them, and pinch them with tweezers.

 

[Jess S]

Heres a video of me feeding 200 slings pinhead roaches/crickets. I put the pinheads in a giant ziplock baggie. I pour them into a vial or cup then shake them into the enclosures. I can feed around 300-400 spiders a hour.

If you don't mind me asking where did you get that fish bowl type enclosure at 2:45?

 

[Arachnoclown]

If you don't mind me asking where did you get that fish bowl type enclosure at 2:45?

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[Seekeroftruth]

Hello guys,
I'm new in this whole business, more precisely I've got my fist tarantula last Thursday (a green bottle blue sling), soo I have two problems:

1. This may sound stupid but I kinda struggle with his food. I'm working with such "little silent brown crickets" and a pair of long tweezers. So kind of don't wanna hurt them, I know this sounds silly cause there were born to be fed. But I just can't grab there little bodies with the tweezers… does this sound familiar to anyone? If yes, how do you handle it?

2. As already mentioned I have a chromatopelma cyaneopubescens sling and since I got him, a week ago, he hasn't eaten anything. He also molted on Sunday evening. I believe it's normal to not eat before a molting…
but it's been a while now… I'm a little worried.

Henri (thats his name) built his web in the top right corner and I'm not sure if he even notices the crickets. He should feel their movements, right? But since he set one foot in this corner the only thing he did was webbing (and molting). Is it possible that he does not know that there is food down there?

I also struggle with this. My red runners are mixed sizes and run so fast that i have to use the tongs to get the little ones out. They are always injured and it sounds gross when they crunch in the rings. It's also bothersome for me to cut heads off mealworms. As the tarantulas get bigger it should be much easier to feed them since the feeders are much easier to work with. I really don't like bugs to begin with... Especially not grasshoppers or locusts

'Green bottle' fly eggs/ larve can be bought online and are slower than regular flies and can be easily cupped. Mini mealworms can be scooped up with a spoon... If small enough don't need to be pre killed. Some people use maggots from bait shops although I've not tried this... Seems like it would be nicer than insects crunching in tongs though.