Alternatives to crickets?

[Ratmosphere]

The stench of dead crickets, the sound of them, the maintenance of them really gets annoying. What are good non-burrowing feeders that I could use for my growing Ts?

 

[mconnachan]

The stench of dead crickets, the sound of them, the maintenance of them really gets annoying. What are good non-burrowing feeders that I could use for my growing Ts?

You'll not find many feeders that don't burrow, I would use either red runner or dubias, as long as you leave the tarantulas long enough to know they're going to take prey, then the burrowing shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Scooterscooby]

I just switched over to red runners (B.lateralis). My GBB sling ate his/her first ones last night. He/she had just molted about a week ago and seemed very hungry. Maybe it works best to switch them over when they're most eager to take prey. I don't think the red runners borrow, but I haven't had a chance to test that out yet. My GBB was too fast to find out.

 

[Ratmosphere]

How would you set up a red runner housing container?

 

[Scooterscooby]

How would you set up a red runner housing container?

I use a critter keeper with petroleum jelly along the top inch or two and a piece of plastic wrap under the lid (with holes poked in it for ventilation). I put in pieces of egg crate and toilet paper rolls for hiding places, and I put in food and water gel dishes. Supposedly they can't climb smooth surfaces, but I hear that the nymphs can climb if the sides of the container get dirty or rough (hence the petroleum jelly and plastic wrap at the top just to be safe). So far, no one has tried to escape. To feed them off, I use a pooter to suck up the little ones. For the big ones (which I give to my tailless whipscorpion), I put a small cup in the critter keeper and shake a piece of egg crate over it until a big roach falls off. If little ones fall off too, I just scoot them out of the cup. It's working for me so far, but I'm sure other people here will have some experience to share too.

 

[Ratmosphere]

What do you feed them?

 

[Scooterscooby]

What do you feed them?

I feed them an "insect chow" that I picked up at a local reptile show. I also give them Farmer's Helper protein crumbles that I feed to my bantam chickens, roach jelly, as well as fish food and whatever else I think might strike their fancy. I think you can probably gut load them with the same things you were feeding your crickets. This is just what I currently use.

 

[Ratmosphere]

I do not gut load them, I just use the Flukers orange cubes. Could you use fresh vegetables?

 

[Scooterscooby]

Could you use fresh vegetables?

I suppose you could. I haven't tried that. I know roaches usually do like fruit, though, like bananas. I think variety is probably good, and I do think they need a little protein of some kind, like from fish flakes or chicken crumbles or something like that. The cricket cubes might be enough to sustain them, though, along with something like a piece of banana and some fish flakes.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Awesome! I'm going to try them next.

 

[Socfroggy]

I'm actually wanting to start a dubia colony but I don't have much space or specimens to feed. Is there a way I can make a small colony and maintain managable numbers? I kind of want DarkDens setup. I also don't know what temps to keep them at.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Here's a good one too. Red runners or dubias? What do you guys prefer?

 

[Jason Brantley]

I like to use red runners. I'll supplement my scorpions diet with superworms, crickets, and dubias every once in a while. But yeah I mostly use red runners.

 

[Stugy]

I've been using red runners ever since I got them and my scorpions like them since they are really active. Easy to breed and get to cricket size (and maybe a bit larger?). There are debates on whether or not red runners are pest species, they can be depending on your area and the resources around. In my short experience (I've had mine for about a month or two) with red runners, they cannot climb smooth surfaces or fly at all which is a plus. Some cons about red runners for me are that they smell pretty bad when I open their container but the smell doesn't go very far at all, and I need to feed them and water them frequently as they expend their resources rather quickly when the colony gets going.

 

[Ranitomeya]

I use red runners because they do not burrow, are active, and have relatively thin exoskeletons. Dubias will definitely burrow, have rather thick exoskeletons, and move too slowly to get a good feeding response some of the time.

Be advised that red runners can secrete a sticky defensive chemical on top of the last few segments of their abdomen that can glue a tarantula's hairs and limbs together. They don't always secrete it, but my red runners usually end up with a noticeable amount on them if they are allowed to remain the enclosures and are stressed by the presence of a predator. I remove uneaten roaches to avoid having to deal with the secretions. In the past, I've had spiderlings glue their own legs together when trying to capture secretion-laden roaches.

 

[Jason Brantley]

I've been using red runners ever since I got them and my scorpions like them since they are really active. Easy to breed and get to cricket size (and maybe a bit larger?). There are debates on whether or not red runners are pest species, they can be depending on your area and the resources around. In my short experience (I've had mine for about a month or two) with red runners, they cannot climb smooth surfaces or fly at all which is a plus. Some cons about red runners for me are that they smell pretty bad when I open their container but the smell doesn't go very far at all, and I need to feed them and water them frequently as they expend their resources rather quickly when the colony gets going.

I don't like the smell of their poop either. I keep my lids open for circulation which only helps a little.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

Yeah, dubias are annoying. Only the adult males make good feeders, juveniles are pretty skilled in the art of not being noticed by predators.

 

[ccTroi]

I have owned colonies of both lats and dubias, and I highly prefer dubias.

+ Lateralis provokes the best feeding response, and they hardly burrow. They are easy to breed. I keep mine at room temperature, and they still produce egg cases no problem (though higher temperatures increases growth rate).
- Their smell is much more apparent compared to dubias. Shorter lifespan vs dubia. The biggest con in having a lateralis colony (for me) is the anxiety of have escapees. They are real fast and are capable of surviving at room temperatures. Keep in mind that I live in Chicago, and it's summertime.

+ Dubias are more filling for T's. Longer lifespan. Smell is hardly noticeable, depending on ventilation. Slow-moving means no escapees. Dubia nymphs take longer to grow vs lateralis. This makes it more convenient b/c you may not want your feeder to outgrow your T. You can sell your excess for bank. CAN reproduce at room temperature, but supplemental heat is ideal.
- Takes longer to reproduce. Nymphs tend to burrow and play dead.

***Crush the head of dubias and they will still move. They will not burrow and will have twitching movements, which will attract T's.

 

[Galapoheros]

Hisser nymphs make good feeders once you have bunch of them. Adults are good feeders for heterometrus and Pandinus scorpions. But, they climb smooth surfaces.

 

[MatisIsLoveMantisIsLyf]

I'm actually wanting to start a dubia colony but I don't have much space or specimens to feed. Is there a way I can make a small colony and maintain managable numbers? I kind of want DarkDens setup. I also don't know what temps to keep them at.

Well if you don't provide much water nymphs might die or the roaches won't even breed. Best food you can use its carrot.