Slings and hides?

[Vicky Child]

Evening folks.

My b.smithi spliderling has been acting a little strange today. She's been stomping around and rearranging the substrate. I even caught her drinking this morning. She's got a dark patch on her abdomen. I suspect she might be getting ready for a moult? She ate a pre killed cricket (it was a tad large for her, nabbed from a friend with a big bearded dragon) on Wednesday, I think I took that off her before she was done, she seamed a bit attached to it, she didn't put up a fight however.

I put a live one in on Saturday and she went for it straight away, it didn't have a chance. So she's doing well and seams happy. She's almost always on the side of tub next to the heat mat. Her substrates fine, and she moves around enough when it's not on, I guess she just loves being toasty.

I was wondering if adding a small hide type place would be advisable? I thought it might make the moult (if she is getting ready for one) a bit more comfortable? Does anyone more experienced use hides with their slings?

[Ian Hall]

I've used hides for my Brachypelma and Grammostola slings. I made micro hides from a larger peice of cork bark.

Putting a hide in for your slings will not harm them. Instead it will make them feel more secure especially for molts. As long as the hide is stable it will be fine.

[Vicky Child]

Thanks Ian. I'll look out for something suitable to use then.

[Colin D Wilson]

a few ideas for you.....
milk carton lids, tiny flowerpots, coffee jar lids with a notch cut out (Lids of most things in fact), stones and slate hot glued together to form a reccess, cork bark cut and shaped with a stanley knife, the little tin foil cup that tealights come in, even strong corragated cardboard folded into shape.

[Vicky Child]

Excellent, thank you, Colin.

[Rico Golledge]

I use tiny bits of cork with all my slings, most of them dont even realise it's there and create a burrow somewhere completely different, which results in them completely burying it!