Advice on keeping my first sling?

[Rich.Harrington]

Ok I already have a sub G.Rosea, and doing well at the moment. In the next 2-3 weeks I'm going to be getting a Juvenile L.Parahybana, simply as I want one huge spider but I'm not fond of 'pet holes' so staying away from T.Blondi. All this was fine and good until when generally nosing through the shop site http://www.tarantula-shop.com I find they have B.Smithi slings for £8. I'm probably a sucker I know but at that price I just can't resist it, they're old news, common, everyone has one. But in my mind, like a '69 mustang fastback, they are a classic.

My problem is that I have never kept any slings before, I was intending on keeping it in a large locust tub, inside the G.Rosea's enclosure since I believe they have similar climates. I will be using nymph roaches as food, however I'm a little puzzled on how I supply moisture?

So anyone that can offer advice, please throw it this way.

[Nicola Dolby]

Hi Richard,
Dan's slings are 2-3cm so I'd get a container of about 4inches by 3inches (with air holes) or petpal of similar size. Put a bit of substrate in (up to an inch) and half a small plantpot/a semicircular peice of cork bark on top as a hide. I use topsoil as a substrate but any of the usual ones will do. For a waterbowl take the lid off the pot it comes in, put selotape over the air holes and use that. Shallow plastic tops from spice bottles work just as well. So as not to drown the spider put cotton wool in the makeshift bowl and fill the water to just above that, thereby giving the little mite something to stand on as he/she drinks. For food at that size small green crickets 0.5-1cm will do or pre-killed small mealworms. 3-4 of these a week should be fine. Brachys don't really need spraying as long as they have water and food, some dry moss as well would give him/her something soft to stand on if you want as well. I know the container sounds a bit big but its something he/she can grow into and small B. smithis are very adventurous anyway (at least mine is!) Hope this helps.

[Colin D Wilson]

As another alternative to keeping this sized "T"

I have a B emilia s'ling, housing pointers listed as

cricket tub
1/2 inch sustrate of your choice (i have coir / peat mix)
35mm film case (black) as a hide
water bowl is a milk bottle top (off a plastic 4 pinter) with steralised gravel in it
kept in a temp contolled room
humidity achieved by misting one side of tub lightly once a week.

[Rich.Harrington]

Thanks for those replies, is it safe to keep the whole thing in my G.Rosea's enclosure to make use of an already warm enviroment?

[Nicola Dolby]

I wouldn't advise it. If your G rosea gets hungry you could have a problem, or at best a very stressed spiderling. Stress also kills.

[Colin D Wilson]

Rich,
i've heard of people doing it successfully but i personally agree with Nicola and wouldn't advise it myself.

[Larry Shone]

Hmmm,didn't realise T.blondi was a pet hole!

[J M Clegg]

Rich,

I have around 10 Smithi slings at the moment ranging from 5mm to 2cm. All from the same egg sac. They are all in a small cricket tubs, 2cm of vermiculite, film canister home and also a little spagnum moss.

Don't worry too much about the humidity - Smithi's like many of the mexicans like it dry. Just a gentle spray on the spagnum moss once a week will keep it happy. Then a couple of micro crickets or nymph Lobster roaches will suffice for food, again once a week.

I keep all my slings like this and find that they don't need special treatment. At the moment I have around 40 or 50 of varying species kept this way.

I have them stacked in cricket tubs, in poly boxes used to ship aquarium fish and keep them warm. About 20 to a box. Each box has a single 4watt heat mat inside and keeps the temperature stable all year round. I take them all out once a week - a quick spray, remove any moults, throw in a couple of nymph roaches and done. No stress for the spiders and a collection of about 100 spiders that I have more or less grown entirely from slings.

In the last year of keeping them this way I have lost just 2 slings. The common fact and a mistake that "newbies" often make is trying too hard! Most (not all) spiders will be happy with adequate heat and humidity as long as they have space to wander and some food. You don't need to be checking them everyday, that's just adding to stress. Slings are easy, rewarding and cost effective.

[Rich.Harrington]

Thanks for the help folks, if I don't find myself in good stead after that lot I need to have a catscan.