Feeding dead insects?

[PidderPeets]

Avicularia Versicolor

Gorgeous T, POOR first choice, get a NW T to start

Caribena versicolor (btw @Tiler Oneill, that species is called Caribena versicolor now, not Avicularia versicolor) is a NW T. Unless the "T" in that instance is referring to "terrestrial", in which case I think some clarity is in order.

Personally, I don't think there would be anything wrong with getting a versicolor as a first T. I've even suggested it to people before. My girl was my second/third T (I got a second and third sling at the same time, so do with that what you will) and I thought the fear-mongering in online claims about how fragile these guys are was vastly unwarranted once I actually got one and raised her up. This website is probably the best source of husbandry information for more species than you can think of, so just following the (extremely simple and easy to find) care advice on here should be more than enough to make a C. versicolor just fine as a first T.

Aside from that point, I agreed with everything else you had to say

 

[Torech Ungol]

The point of my statement was, the op is allowed to have a creepy crawley as a pet but no creepy crawley feeders.

Some of you need to lighten up.

That may have been the point, but the fact remains that your post contains information which is demonstrably false. It's fundamentally no different from saying a dog is a cat. The purpose of this forum is for a like-minded community to gather and share information, and that's only useful insofar as the information being shared is accurate. A much better response would be to edit the initial post such that the error no longer exists, rather than criticize those who correct the mistake.

 

[darkness975]

I’ve been wanting a tarantula for soemthing time now, but the only problem is I can’t have live insects in my house. Would I be okay to feed dead crickets? Surely if you moved the dead insect with a tong the tarantula could sense it. I can also feed pre-killed pinkies, but not too often because I’ve heard they contain a lot of calcium. I’m not sure what tarantula I would get, but I’ve been looking into the Avicularia Versicolor (pink toe). Are they good eaters? Would you guys approve of this diet,and do you think the tarantula would eat pre-killed crickets if I moved them around?

Just feed it one cricket every week or every other week. That's all it needs anyway and you wont have to keep them then.

 

[viper69]

Caribena versicolor (btw @Tiler Oneill, that species is called Caribena versicolor now, not Avicularia versicolor) is a NW T. Unless the "T" in that instance is referring to "terrestrial", in which case I think some clarity is in order.

Personally, I don't think there would be anything wrong with getting a versicolor as a first T. I've even suggested it to people before. My girl was my second/third T (I got a second and third sling at the same time, so do with that what you will) and I thought the fear-mongering in online claims about how fragile these guys are was vastly unwarranted once I actually got one and raised her up. This website is probably the best source of husbandry information for more species than you can think of, so just following the (extremely simple and easy to find) care advice on here should be more than enough to make a C. versicolor just fine as a first T.

Aside from that point, I agreed with everything else you had to say

We differ that's all. Avics have a narrow tolerance for husbandry errors, especially with first time owners as they are more likely to make errors. NW are more hardy, more forgiving.

There's a reason we see tons of "Help my Avic Dying/Dead" over the past decade here. There's NOT a single species or genus of T on this forum that has more threads and deaths than Avics. There are many terrestrials that are equally as popular as Avics, so the frequency is not due to popularity.

 

[WildSpider]

Wiggling them with a tong risks your spider breaking their fangs off on the tong and then they will be unable to eat.

I agree with this. I think I've heard of someone using a string to move the prey before though. I myself also use very long pieces of grass (not sprayed) or straw to move the prey items.

Perhaps the best solution is just not to "KEEP" any feeders at all. Buy them one or two at a time and feed them off imediately. Your T should be able to go a week or teo between meals no problem anyway so in my opinion it would be impracticable to try to keep feeders on hand anyway.

I like this idea. If you live near a pet store, it seems like a pretty nice option.

I have also heard of people having success with pieces of meat and very recently I heard fish food and egg. I know I've heard the concern that just a piece of meat does not necessarily offer all the nutrition the spider needs so that should be taken into account. I also am not supposed to have the feeders in the house so I keep them out in the shed during summer and also try to find some that can stand the winter. If they can't, I buy more.

Don't know if this is a great idea but am trying to raise some insects from where I live as feeders. I try to catch them in places that aren't sprayed and I'm also planning on waiting till at least the next generation before I start feeding them to my T. I might even wait more generations just to make sure any potential toxins are out of their system.

 

[PidderPeets]

We differ that's all. Avics have a narrow tolerance for husbandry errors, especially with first time owners as they are more likely to make errors. NW are more hardy, more forgiving.

There's a reason we see tons of "Help my Avic Dying/Dead" over the past decade here. There's NOT a single species or genus of T on this forum that has more threads and deaths than Avics. There are many terrestrials that are equally as popular as Avics, so the frequency is not due to popularity.

I certainly can't argue with you on that. I've had to tell so many people that Avic care sheets are outdated that I've considered making a generic post to have saved that I can post whenever it's needed (that way there's also a short explanation in the actual thread as well as the proper care sheet of yours that people always link in those threads). They're definitely more common victims of improper husbandry compared to most other species. But when someone is already on this site, I give them a little extra benefit of the doubt when it comes to their ability to raise certain species. They already have access to the correct information, and often already understand that many care sheets are incorrect. And if they don't know, they have the perfect place to ask to be sure, and tend to be willing to ask more questions because they know they'll get the right answer on here.

I think I've heard of someone using a string to move the prey before though. I myself also use very long pieces of grass (not sprayed) or straw to move the prey items.

I like using bendy straws. They're safe for the T to bite accidentally, they're long for extended reach, and are flexible so they work in hard to reach areas. For me, it works well for skittish fossorial Ts and Avics. They also work great for pulling out molts for the same reasons

I have also heard of people having success with pieces of meat and very recently I heard fish food and egg.

I suppose it would work, but I wouldn't want to use that for any extended period of time. Plus there's no garauntee the T would accept it. I don't think fish food would work at all though. Maybe actual fish.

Don't know if this is a great idea but am trying to raise some insects from where I live as feeders. I try to catch them in places that aren't sprayed and I'm also planning on waiting till at least the next generation before I start feeding them to my T

Second generations would be totally fine as they would have never been exposed to any chemicals in the wild.

 

[WildSpider]

Second generations would be totally fine as they would have never been exposed to any chemicals in the wild.

Awesome, glad to have another opinion .

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I usually use metal tongs to drop prey near the T . I’ve seen YouTube videos were people hand feed with tongs . Imagine some break fangs

 

[viper69]

I certainly can't argue with you on that...........But when someone is already on this site, I give them a little extra benefit of the doubt when it comes to their ability to raise certain species. They already have access to the correct information, and often already understand that many care sheets are incorrect. And if they don't know, they have the perfect place to ask to be sure, and tend to be willing to ask more questions because they know they'll get the right answer on here.

I know you can't argue on that one because it's a fact Pretty crazy too after you see it REGULARLY.

As for benefit of doubt, presence on board-- I don't do that at all. Having access to sound information and using it or even looking for it are VERY different things. I don't give people benefit of the doubt simply because they are here. Some of us have seen plenty of idiots here. Again, let me point you to the tons of Avic owners Or the many others who ask questions that are so common and easily found that's it's a total joke and outright LIE when they write "I've been doing my research but I can't find this [insert dumb question]"

A good one to insert "can Ts bite?" or any other like that.