Is there a problem with hand feeding Ts

[Nate]

I use to throw prey in the cages and crossed my fingers. I only could assume it was consumed because I couldn’t find them. I don’t like that.

I’ve switched completely to pre kill and tong feeding. If you grasp a hind leg with the hemostats in the right spot when the tarantula strikes it only hits the cricket. In my experience 90% of the time I have a ripped off leg remaining on the hemostats and a munching T.

I pre kill so the prey doesn’t struggle around breaking off a leg and getting loose. Moving the hemostats around a little seems to mimic life enough for my Ts to take.

The Whys I Do:
1) I know they are eating.
2) No loose prey.
3) Control of when they eat (if they take that is)
4) Biggest reason, I’ve found a new bond with my Ts having them eat from my “hands”. Awesome experience having an “inactive” T come to life and leap all the sudden for dinner.

I haven’t had the experience of any Ts striking the tongs. Breaking a fang I don’t know about but I guess it’s possible. You could always take the extra precaution and purchase plastic/disposable hemostats. I would image it would be a little “safer” then stainless steel.

Regarding of association the hemostats to prey, I would have to see a behavioral study that showed evidence. We are talking about something that barley has long term memory. I read about a study relating to food habits which showed a form of memory (Some Ts of the same species refusing prey based upon preference which shows evidence of a memory). Prey association would be taking it to another level. I’m not saying it’s not possible or attempting to discredit someone’s experience but if you can influence behavior through association then you can train. On the other hand I could be complaining two months from now my Ts are attacking my empty hemostats for “no reason”.

 

[Thoth]

Problem is hand feeding is quite impractical for larger collections. Also with the minimalist approach to terrrariums hiding crickets is not an issue and be readily seen to be removed if necessary. Also finger feeding as opposed to tweezer feeding is just to risky to be considered a viable feeding method.

If you want to hand feed more power to you, personally I don't.

 

[Nate]

Problem is hand feeding is quite impractical for larger collections.

Yea, thats a HUGE consideration. I only have 8 so no problem for me.

Another point, so far all of my spiderling are to "shy" to eat from the tongs. Could be due to species, time will tell.

 

[Gemein]

I don't see a problem. They are your fingers you can do what you like with them. I just wouldn't do it. There is a girl that works in one of the local petstores that said she hand feeds her Usambara some times when she is drunk.

hahahaha im sorry but that cracked me up. I would never go near mine in such a way, mainly because its too darn fast when its aggitated.

 

[Cirith Ungol]

I don't see it why it should be risked giving a T the food with tweezers. Ok if they are plastic, but I'd never do it if they where any hard material. It's enough with one miss and I can tell you, I have quite a few T's that are so eager to get their prey, they just pounce only knowing the general direction! Ok if you have a T that will always come forward and ask politely if it could possibly remove the food from the tweezers, but I don't have one of those...

I don't believe they get conditioned in regard to food=tweezers. It's not that they "see" a pair of tweezers and think "food". If you get your tweezers attacked I'd be very much inclined to say that you got a T that just attacks anything that moves and in that case you have what I have and I'd skip the tweezers alltogether and just toss the food in there.

If you're annoyed with the food getting away you always have the possibility of removing up to 6 legs and transforming the prey into a sad little wiggling heap of proteins. Pre-kill works also well with ground dwellers, though it hardly works at all with arboreals unless you put the prey into the net.

Well... all up to you. If something happens though I want pictures, pictures, pictures!

 

[Varden]

Having had crickets eat two of my Ts, and having had my fill of unexpected little crickets (even on dry substrate), I've taken to prekill all my crickets. If you crush their heads, the crickets jump and kick for a while after you drop them in and the T 'hunts' them the same as if they were still alive. The only difference is, no egg laying and no chance that they can feed on my babies.

 

[Cirith Ungol]

Having had crickets eat two of my Ts, and having had my fill of unexpected little crickets (even on dry substrate), I've taken to prekill all my crickets. If you crush their heads, the crickets jump and kick for a while after you drop them in and the T 'hunts' them the same as if they were still alive. The only difference is, no egg laying and no chance that they can feed on my babies.

Well, in regard to what mischief crickets can come up with I'd say: switch to roaches

 

[stooka]

For me,i started buying Ts to see them as naturally as possible and to me that is to ambush their prey not dangle a crick on end of tongs.if they aint getting the crix then i prod the crix into the Ts path so the T still has work to do.doin it wiv tongs just takes all the fun out,and in my opinion risking injury to the T.and as for hand feeding it,thats just crazy,and unnecessary.just my opinion