Tips for moving spiderlings?

[Brother_Giles]

Well I'm not new to tarantulas and other spiders, have been keeping them for a while but I usually shy away from slings due to having bad eyesight.

I've been getting along well with a few I was given, but recently I was transferring one to a new enclosure and it decided to vault over everything onto the floor. Haven't been able to find it since and considering I keep getting the odd collection of false widows around my enclosures (have to clear them out from time to time) she's probably doomed unfortunately..

Does anyone have any tips for dealing with them so they wont just bolt off before you can get a hand or capture cup on them?

 

[Enn49]

Well I'm not new to tarantulas and other spiders, have been keeping them for a while but I usually shy away from slings due to having bad eyesight.

I've been getting along well with a few I was given, but recently I was transferring one to a new enclosure and it decided to vault over everything onto the floor. Haven't been able to find it since and considering I keep getting the odd collection of false widows around my enclosures (have to clear them out from time to time) she's probably doomed unfortunately..

Does anyone have any tips for dealing with them so they wont just bolt off before you can get a hand or capture cup on them?

I always do most rehouses inside a large plastic tub that way if the T makes a run I can drop the lid on and give the would-be escapee chance to calm down enough to use the catch cup on it.

 

[Brother_Giles]

I always do most rehouses inside a large plastic tub that way if the T makes a run I can drop the lid on and give the would-be escapee chance to calm down enough to use the catch cup on it.

I did try that, guess I could get a much larger box so they have more ground to cover before getting to the side. In this case I took the lid off and the spiderling launched itself across the box and onto the floor.

 

[Enn49]

I did try that, guess I could get a much larger box so they have more ground to cover before getting to the side. In this case I took the lid off and the spiderling launched itself across the box and onto the floor.

I use a 9 litre RUB (Really Useful Box) and for the tiny ones I also have a cricket tub inside along with new container. Some slings you can gently urge into the new container but the burrowers can be more difficult to find so I'd gently pull out the substrate using a soft brush and place it into the cricket tub. Then using the soft brush and may be a pair of tweezers sift through the sub until you find the sling. this way you have 2 lines of defence, the cricket tub and the RUB.

 

[Brother_Giles]

I use a 9 litre RUB (Really Useful Box) and for the tiny ones I also have a cricket tub inside along with new container. Some slings you can gently urge into the new container but the burrowers can be more difficult to find so I'd gently pull out the substrate using a soft brush and place it into the cricket tub. Then using the soft brush and may be a pair of tweezers sift through the sub until you find the sling. this way you have 2 lines of defence, the cricket tub and the RUB.

Thanks, will try some of those suggestions. I also tried putting talc around the rim and top third of the tub so they wouldn't be able to climb it. That doesn't work lol

 

[Enn49]

Thanks, will try some of those suggestions. I also tried putting talc around the rim and top third of the tub so they wouldn't be able to climb it. That doesn't work lol

I used to spread a white sheet on the floor and put the RUB on that and get down on my knees to do the rehouses but my knees don't like that any longer. The white sheet seemed to stop them, I certainly never had one go any further plus they were easy to spot.

 

[Tarantula Trooper]

As a side note to using the tub thing you can also drop in pieces of tissue and the sling will run under and typically stop! Tom Moran gave that as a tip. I usually hit the bathtub so they got a long ways to go if they happen to escape.lol

 

[m0lsx]

It is always helpful to have a second person around with some enclosure transfers. We moved my female Monocentropus balfouriearlier this week & had two on hand for that. She is one of my T's most likely to panic & run, but also, she is usually very open to the option of landing a bite. On the same day I rehoused my Phormictopus atrichromatus. A large sling & I did that with no back up, or larger tub to do it in, as per enn49. I simply allowed it to walk between the enclosures, by holding the enclosures side to side & very gently used as paint brush to encourage gentle movement between the two.

Knowing your T makes a world of difference. I have moved old worlds by picking up the bark they were sitting on & simply placing it in the new enclosure & I have had slings rescued from the middle of my back & had to chase others around a table. Having some idea of what you probably face, makes a big difference.

A larger tub is always handy when it comes to rehousing. Use a paintbrush & remember tarantulas like to go up, when frightened. And do not mind tight spaces at all, as that makes them feel secure. So use a clear catch cup & encourage that upward movement as a preferred way of moving your T from one enclosure to another. As a catchcup has the advantage that you can move it to the new enclosure, replace the lid & then simply leave your T to come out, in their own time.

 

[m0lsx]

Just to add. A clear catchcup, makes a world of difference, as you can see what is happening.

 

[Tarantula Trooper]

Just to add. A clear catchcup, makes a world of difference, as you can see what is happening.

I would not even begin to try a rehouse without a clear catch cup. Lol, I imagine that could get real interesting real fast. Would like to know how that works out if any have tried??!!.