Slings and heating

[Martin Whaley]

Hey guys,
Just wondering what people think is the best way tho heat small 'sling pots'?
I currently have three slings, all inside small 'film pot' style enclosure (roughtly 3inches high by about 2 inches across), with about 2 inches of substrate (peat) in each, and I am keeping them warm and humid using a heat mat.

I currently have the sling pots stood inside another plastic tank, and sat on top of the heat mat. Is it better to heat the pots from the side rather than underneath?

How do other people heat their slings?

Thanks!

[Stuart Common]

I have my smaller slings kept in their little pots, then in a pre-pack cricket box within a larger enclosure so they dont actually get direct heat. The larger enclosure is heated from the side

[Colin D Wilson]

I never heat spiders from underneath, they burrow to get away from the heat instinctively. heating from above or the side is more preferable if you need to (or want to) use a heat mat (i personally dont use them)
All my nymphs & slings are kept in a heated room (76 - 80 degrees) mainly in film pots that are stored in a "4 ltr Really Useful Box" available from woolies etc. you can fit 60 film tubs in there. I place a 2 ply layer of kitchen roll in the bottom which i keep damp to aid with the humidity, the lid of the box is drilled around the edges to provide a little air movement.

*edit*.....a couple of piccies.


Useful box, 60 film tubs


petpal, 9 lots of ten nymphs

[Martin Whaley]

Thanks guys.

So if I put my sling pots inside another larger container (with a few hole in the lid for air-movement) and put a little damp kitchen towel on the bottom for humidity.
Then I can attach my heat mat to the side of the container for warmth yes?

Will this be warm enough for the slings?
They are: 1x A.seemani, 1x E.truculentus and 1x 'Chile Flame'.

Also, I take it that I should be spraying inside the sling pots with water daily as normal?

thanks!

[Stuart Common]

yes that should be fine, I find that mine dont need water every day, but do check to make sure, the little ones cant drink from a bowl so need moisture to drink from instead

[Colin D Wilson]

If you can heat from the top then all the better, if you heat from the side make sure all the pots are the same distance from the mat and are not too close.
of course the ideal situation would be if the heatmat was thermostatically controlled (you don't mention if it is or not) that way there would be little chance of overheating.
With the damp kitchen towel there shouldn't be much need for spraying the tubs.
Though on a personal note i don't spray my terrestrial / fossorial spiders but let the water drip onto the substrate...less stress for them.
Let us know how you get on, or if you have more questions then post away

[Dave Freeman]

I keep all mine at room temp and only have the mats on at night in cold weather. Probably means theyre all at about 70 F nearly all the time with a bit of heat at night when active. I heat the tanks from below as nearly all the mats I have are only a few watts, thus bearly achieving any heat. They are totally useless from the side and when i have tried this method all the spiders are constantly stuck to the side of the tank when the mats are on. Suggests to me that they are only there cos they want the heat, although to be honest this is at night. Spiderling pots are stacked with a cricket tub under them. I havent had any deaths as yet in well over a year of spiderlings.

[Martin Whaley]

I keep all mine at room temp and only have the mats on at night in cold weather. Probably means theyre all at about 70 F nearly all the time with a bit of heat at night when active. I heat the tanks from below as nearly all the mats I have are only a few watts, thus bearly achieving any heat. They are totally useless from the side and when i have tried this method all the spiders are constantly stuck to the side of the tank when the mats are on. Suggests to me that they are only there cos they want the heat, although to be honest this is at night. Spiderling pots are stacked with a cricket tub under them. I havent had any deaths as yet in well over a year of spiderlings.

Any chance of getting a pic of your set up Dave?..

[Martin Whaley]

With the damp kitchen towel there shouldn't be much need for spraying the tubs.
Though on a personal note i don't spray my terrestrial / fossorial spiders but let the water drip onto the substrate...less stress for them.

...sorry if I'm being dumb, but how does the water drip on to the substrate?
The sling pots all have lids on...

[Dave Freeman]

Any chance of getting a pic of your set up Dave?..

I have none in digital format mate im afraid.

I have a setup on a shelf which is 4 ft long. On this shelf are three 12x12x12 vivs containing larger spiders. These tanks are grouped in a 2 and a 1 with a gap measuring 12" between where I keep piles of spiderlings which are on top of empty cricket tubs in small plastic containers. The cricket tubs give enough space between the spiderling pots and the mat as I have a 4' mat running the length of the shelf. The air in the cricket tubs warms and this allows the temp above to remain nice and toasty in the nights when the mat is on. It also allows piles of spiderling pots to be stacked with very little difference in temp between bottom and top. If you stuck a spider in a pot on the bottom it would cook but the air warming technique seems to be a little more subtle.

I also have a setup in my kitchen with smaller terrestrial spiders in cricket size tubs. They take direct heat from the mat, which is only a 12W unit, never gets hot just warm. The substrate and cricket boxes warms and then the spiderling tubs ontop get warm similar to the above ones.

I have a tank with 4 P.ornatas in also warmed from below, which seems to keep them happy as they are always climbing around and on cooler evening doss in a corner together.

[Martin Whaley]

[quote=Dave Freeman;29219]I also have a setup in my kitchen with smaller terrestrial spiders in cricket size tubs. They take direct heat from the mat, which is only a 12W unit, never gets hot just warm. The substrate and cricket boxes warms and then the spiderling tubs ontop get warm similar to the above ones.Iquote]

So the sling pots are on top of the cricket tubs, which are housing the smaller spiders? and the heat mat is underneath the cricket boxes correct?

With a set up like this, heat will still transfer to the sling pots yes?
The heat mat that I have is 20W.

I have only become concerned about this heating situation recently, as my E.truculentus sling had been acting strangely. It would flip over on to it's back, as if starting to moult, then flip back over again half an hour later or so.
Someone suggested that T's will wait for the perfect conditions before moulting, and I thought perhaps the temperature wasn't high enough for the slings.
They are all kept in my bedroom, which will be at a steady 'room-temperature' normally.

[Dave Freeman]

[quote=Martin Whaley;29221]

I also have a setup in my kitchen with smaller terrestrial spiders in cricket size tubs. They take direct heat from the mat, which is only a 12W unit, never gets hot just warm. The substrate and cricket boxes warms and then the spiderling tubs ontop get warm similar to the above ones.Iquote]

So the sling pots are on top of the cricket tubs, which are housing the smaller spiders? and the heat mat is underneath the cricket boxes correct?

With a set up like this, heat will still transfer to the sling pots yes?
The heat mat that I have is 20W.

I have only become concerned about this heating situation recently, as my E.truculentus sling had been acting strangely. It would flip over on to it's back, as if starting to moult, then flip back over again half an hour later or so.
Someone suggested that T's will wait for the perfect conditions before moulting, and I thought perhaps the temperature wasn't high enough for the slings.
They are all kept in my bedroom, which will be at a steady 'room-temperature' normally.

Yeah the cricket tubs are on the bottom. A 20W mat will be fine mate. I dont know about perfect conditions, iv never known any of mine have a problem mate.

Iv also never seen a spider do what you are saying so Im totally uneducated about the issue.

All I can say is keep an eye on them.

[Martin Whaley]

OK, nice one. I'll have a bit of a re-arrange tonight. Got plenty of empty cricket boxes kicking around.

I'll try and take a pic to post up here, so you guys can let me know what you think.

...now I'm temped to order myself an Avic sling...

..my girlfriend will go ape...

[Dave Freeman]

OK, nice one. I'll have a bit of a re-arrange tonight. Got plenty of empty cricket boxes kicking around.

I'll try and take a pic to post up here, so you guys can let me know what you think.

...now I'm temped to order myself an Avic sling...

..my girlfriend will go ape...

Avicularia Avicularia? I have a very small one of these, theyre brilliant.

[Martin Whaley]

they're predy hey.
I'm very tempted.

Tho I have just had a mantis ooth split and release about 200 baby mantids on me...might have my hands full for a bit... :S