# Ok to feed slings dead adult crickets?



## markaveli (Feb 19, 2011)

Might be getting 2 brachypelma albiceps slings for my birthday in a couple of weeks. All my current tarantulas are adult or sub adult so are on large crickets. Can I feed them pre killed adult crickets to save buying separate food for just 2 slings? The slings leg span is 2-3cm.


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## the-reptile-mafia (Jan 4, 2008)

I've never really kept t's however my h.villosella would eat halves of adult crickets as well as some smallish adults, but again I've never kept t's so don't take this as solid advice


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## kwacky (Feb 25, 2013)

No problem at all. It's how I feed my slings most of the time.


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## markaveli (Feb 19, 2011)

Thought it would be ok. just wanted to make sure. Im about 20 miles from a decent rep shop. Nearest is petsathome which is £2.50 for mostly dead crickets/locusts. Thanks.


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## kwacky (Feb 25, 2013)

There are a lot of very good live food suppliers you can use online. 

I've used a few companies without any problems but these are the people I use the most:- Livefoods Direct Ltd - Britain's Foremost Supplier Of Livefoods


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## Adam B Jones (Jan 17, 2011)

That will be fine - you can feed them a leg or a head, or bits of the body.

But you will probably find it more cost effective to get a tub of micro crickets, as you may go through adults quite fast. You get less adults in a tub, and obviously you cant keep bits of dead cricket for longer than a day due to decay.

You get loads and loads of micros in a tub, and if you feed them bits of fruit/veg/cereal, they should last ages. I've still got a tub of browns that I must have had since early October. They will grow on a bit, but if you feel they are outgrowing the slings prey-size-wise for fear of the slings being injured, you can always crush them. It will be less of a waste this way...

There's many options, but this is what I do and it works great. I also give my slings the odd waxworm (size depending), and small calci worms are a good food item as well. Something along these lines is perhaps a bit cheaper and simpler than thinking about roach colonies/nymphs if you only have a small number of spiders to feed. Hope this is of some use to you


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## CloudForest (Nov 27, 2013)

markaveli said:


> Thought it would be ok. just wanted to make sure. Im about 20 miles from a decent rep shop. Nearest is petsathome which is £2.50 for mostly dead crickets/locusts. Thanks.


although ur question is resolved, check out garden centers, allot of them have reptile/pet centers now selling live foods, found a couple around me that sell excellent quality live foods for half the price 

also you can freeze crickets, and as long as you seal them up air tight, they will last for months - if they arent sealed air tight they will dry out and be useless


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## NikDan (Aug 31, 2013)

You could also buy mealworms from pets at home if you keep them in a cold place like fridge or shed they will live till there all used up so your not wasting anything. If you find there 2 big just cut them in half and they will suck out the gooey goodness :2thumb:


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## markaveli (Feb 19, 2011)

Adam B Jones said:


> That will be fine - you can feed them a leg or a head, or bits of the body.
> 
> But you will probably find it more cost effective to get a tub of micro crickets, as you may go through adults quite fast. You get less adults in a tub, and obviously you cant keep bits of dead cricket for longer than a day due to decay.
> 
> ...


Cheers Adam


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## markaveli (Feb 19, 2011)

CloudForest said:


> although ur question is resolved, check out garden centers, allot of them have reptile/pet centers now selling live foods, found a couple around me that sell excellent quality live foods for half the price
> 
> also you can freeze crickets, and as long as you seal them up air tight, they will last for months - if they arent sealed air tight they will dry out and be useless


Thanks. Will check garden centres. so freeze, then thaw out crickets at room temp is ok?


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## markaveli (Feb 19, 2011)

NikDan said:


> You could also buy mealworms from pets at home if you keep them in a cold place like fridge or shed they will live till there all used up so your not wasting anything. If you find there 2 big just cut them in half and they will suck out the gooey goodness :2thumb:


Thanks Nikdan. I read that mealworms or mealwoms were too fatty as a staple?


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## NikDan (Aug 31, 2013)

markaveli said:


> Thanks Nikdan. I read that mealworms or mealwoms were too fatty as a staple?


Not sure if your thinking of waxworms or not but as far as im aware mealworms are great for T's especially slings. Half my collection are on them as well as a few other people I know and I haven't had any problems.


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## Adam B Jones (Jan 17, 2011)

I'm pretty sure back in the early days mealworms were pretty much all that was available to feed tarantulas. I don't like using mealworms as they are a bit sluggish and don't provoke the best response, plus I read that crickets were a perfectly suitable staple when I first started out... I generally use a mixture of crickets and dubias with some larvae items thrown in now and again to vary the diet - But we are spoiled for choice now, so we can be more picky about what our spiders eat even if they aren't!


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## kwacky (Feb 25, 2013)

Red runners seem to get the best response from my Ts. They're easy to breed as well so you'll have a range of sizes.


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## markaveli (Feb 19, 2011)

Adam B Jones said:


> I'm pretty sure back in the early days mealworms were pretty much all that was available to feed tarantulas. I don't like using mealworms as they are a bit sluggish and don't provoke the best response, plus I read that crickets were a perfectly suitable staple when I first started out... I generally use a mixture of crickets and dubias with some larvae items thrown in now and again to vary the diet - But we are spoiled for choice now, so we can be more picky about what our spiders eat even if they aren't!


That's true. Much better variety these days.


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## markaveli (Feb 19, 2011)

kwacky said:


> Red runners seem to get the best response from my Ts. They're easy to breed as well so you'll have a range of sizes.


I tried red runners before. 90% of my t's were terrified of them.:lol2:


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## Adam B Jones (Jan 17, 2011)

kwacky said:


> Red runners seem to get the best response from my Ts. They're easy to breed as well so you'll have a range of sizes.


I've heard good things about these, but have yet to try them, although they can climb smooth surfaces if I remember correctly?

I like (or rather my LP and stirmi) like dubias, as they get big, and the sizes in between suit others, although if the spider doesn't get it straight away they do have a habit of burrowing away!


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## NikDan (Aug 31, 2013)

I believe this thread was hijacked and the question was Ok to feed slings dead adult crickets? lol


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## markaveli (Feb 19, 2011)

What is the best to gut load mini mealworms with before offering to spiderlings? Is it the same as crickets, fruit, veg, bran etc?


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