B.Smithi slings running away/ignoring food

[ducaknik]

Hello everybody i recently started taking care of two b.smithi slings who have molted only once(loong time ago) .The problem is that whenever i try to give them food(maggots,small live/dead crickets)they either run away fromm them if they are alive or completely ignore them.I recently rehoused them but i dont think thats the problem because they were refusing food even befor that,i also dont think that they arent eating because they are in premolt because if they were in premolt then they would have had to eat for them to get to that stage.My question is have any of you had this experience and if so how did you make them eat again.Thanks in advance . Here is a pic of one of the two slings

 

[Ghost]

You can try giving smaller crickets than the one you have in the photo it looks bigger than the sling at that size I would use pin head crickets.Also what are you using for an enclosure it looks alot taller than it needs to be for a B.smithi,I would also add a small hide or a small fake plant to give it somewhere to hide,you could also add a small bottle cap for a water dish..

 

[Fuzzball79]

My LP sling used to run away from prey smaller than him (he was tiny himself). I ended up pre-killing small crickets or cutting up meal worms and he took them no problem. He's a bit braver now and takes down 2nd instar brown crickets or tiny Red Runner nymphs himself.

 

[HungryGhost]

That cricket is on the big side for that size sling. The sling looks well fed so you need not worry. They know when to eat.

 

[ducaknik]

Thanks for the tips guys.

 

[Christell Erasmus]

Hi there.
I would also recommend giving it smaller food. I prefer roaches because they do not burrow like worms or bite back like crickets do.

 

[sym]

@ducaknik . I've been feeding my 1cm E.Weijenberghi sling on 2-3 mm micro crickets . When I can't get hold of those I use small crickets and I crush the heads in and leave it near the entrance to his/hers burrow ..

 

[spidey noob]

i have the same thing with my Aphonopelma sp. "Malinche" slings, they only eat every now & again but they seem to be doing fine.

 

[Fuzzball79]

I think for many of us (less experienced ) owners, it's an assumption that slings need to eat loads and loads to survive, just like other animal babies, at least to me it used to be a worry when this tiny little spider would not touch its food for weeks. Now, I've learned to just let them do what they do.
Even my LP sling would not touch its food for about 2 weeks before molting and being told about them being feeding machines it did concern me. But it was just fine.
My P. Met sling eats fine for about 2 weeks then fasts for another 2-3 weeks, regardless of premolt or not. It's just not hungry.