New to Slings

[Spotted Bull]

Well I am about ready to jump into keeping slings. And I'm sure that this topics has been covered about a billion times. But what are the best resources for learning what the best "beginner sling" would be along with care and husbandry. I do have a couple of T's now, an A. chalcodes and a T. albopilosus, both aquired as adults.

 

[octanejunkie]

Any Grammostola, Brachypelma, Aphonopelma would be a good first sling

As far as care, husbandry, housing; keep it simple:
Smaller enclosures with moss vs water dish
Deeper substrate, slings burrow
East to open but stays shut so small slings can't escape

 

[Spotted Bull]

How about food items?

 

[octanejunkie]

How about food items?

Yes, you should feed your sling

Either small feeders,.sized appropriately for the size of your sling, or parts, like a chunk of mealworm

Slings will scavenge so dead/frozen feeders/parts will work if you can't find the right sized live prey

 

[Spotted Bull]

OK cool. Many thanks sir.

 

[m0lsx]

How about food items?

I feed all of my small slings beheaded mealworms. Mealworms keep easily. I just top up the porridge & add a slice of potato for moisture. I behead because that stops them burrowing & gives the slings easy access to the inside. Another advantage of beheaded mealworms is they are easy to spot & remove.

I put food into my slings & remove the next. I do this twice or three times per week. I have no way of knowing if a small sling eats or not. So I give it plenty of opportunity to access fresh dead prey. And once the sling is too small for a vile, I give it small live food.

 

[WolfSpider]

Good advice above. you can also use flightless fruit flies. You don't get to remove them, unlike the beheaded meal worm, but they are not harmful to your sling, and your sling gets to chase live prey.

 

[Spotted Bull]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

 

[Tomoran]

Well I am about ready to jump into keeping slings. And I'm sure that this topics has been covered about a billion times. But what are the best resources for learning what the best "beginner sling" would be along with care and husbandry. I do have a couple of T's now, an A. chalcodes and a T. albopilosus, both aquired as adults.

I created a sling guide a few years ago that you might find helpful (there is also a two part video version). Pehaps it will be helpful! SLING GUIDE Good luck! Growing them up from spiderlings is super rewarding.

 

[Spotted Bull]

Many thanks Tom. I'll read it tonight.

Gotta say too, I'm a big big fan of your videos.

 

[Poppy2020]

I fed pinhead crickets when I had slings— or cricket legs—Good luck!

 

[Spotted Bull]

I fed pinhead crickets when I had slings— or cricket legs—Good luck!

Thanks I'm looking forward to it actually!

 

[Konstantin]

Hi
Toma guide is the best and covers things very well.
Contrary on the deeper substrate comment above I do not give my small slings chance to burrow deep as they may not come to eat if enclosure is on the large side.I had small slings burrow successfully in substrate 1-1.5 cm deep and never saw them for best part of one year but kept eating well.
Deli cups make great enclosures 1oz for the tiniest , then 4 oz for the larger ones and 8 or 16 oz as they get bigger.Always ventilation both on the side and on the top few holes on both but don't over do it as you dont want the enclosureto completely dry fast.I find feeding and observation to make sure they are ok in smaller enclosures easier and rehouse as needed every 2-3 moults.
Pinhead crickets(hatchlings) are great for smallest of slings and then 1st moult or larger as the slings grow.Often I get smaller crickets ascthey outgrow the spiders if you have only few but then you can chop them up.
Some slings are timid and will be afraid of live pray so just pre kill and leave it in for 24 hours.
Offering pray 2 times a week is a good rule of thumb but it depends on your spiders.Also if you suspect premoult always pre kill your feders.
As water wet ball of moss(or part of substrate but dont keep them too wet)in smallest enclosures or tatoo ink pots as soon as you can fit them in the enclosure.
Hope that helps
Regards Konstantin

 

[Spotted Bull]

It does help. All help is good help. I appreciate you taking the time to respond!