Superworm Problems

[Stu Macher]

So, a few weeks back I crushed the head of a superworm (so I thought) and put it in my H Pulchripes enclosure. I've been noticing my T spending much more time out than usual.

Today I flashed a light into one of her tunnels and I see this large beetle scurrying about. I looked online to see how long the beetles live and it's a whopping 3-4 months.

There's no way of me removing this beetle without tearing apart her web mat and tunnels, so it looks like a rehouse is in order.

I guess just a word of caution. When you crush the head of the worm, really crush it. I think my problem was not crushing the head enough so that the superworm would still move a bit triggering a feeding response. Well, unbeknownst to me, that worm burrowed and is now a problem.

 

[cold blood]

There's no way of me removing this beetle without tearing apart her web mat and tunnels,

this should never be a concern.

 

[Stu Macher]

this should never be a concern.

Meaning just dig in an excavate the beetle? I'm not sure I follow

 

[viper69]

Meaning just dig in an excavate the beetle? I'm not sure I follow

Yes- why wouldn’t you do it?? It’s better than a rehouse

 

[Stu Macher]

Yes- why wouldn’t you do it?? It’s better than a rehouse

I'm making this way more complicated than it needs to be. My 3rd shift brain is failing me. I'll catch cup my T, remove the beetle and presto. I swear man...

 

[fcat]

I had this happen. Now I completely remove the head. Felt bad tearing it up but not worth losing the T.

Different Ts, came with a few darkling beetles in their enclosures. I took them out and they turned into entire colonies. They look the same but came from different homes so I keep them separate. Would be bummed out if there were a massacre.

 

[Stu Macher]

I had this happen. Now I completely remove the head. Felt bad tearing it up but not worth losing the T.

Different Ts, came with a few darkling beetles in their enclosures. I took them out and they turned into entire colonies. They look the same but came from different homes so I keep them separate. Would be bummed out if there were a massacre.

Thanks Fcat, I'll just remove the head entirely from now on

 

[gabrieldezzi]

So, a few weeks back I crushed the head of a superworm (so I thought) and put it in my H Pulchripes enclosure. I've been noticing my T spending much more time out than usual.

Today I flashed a light into one of her tunnels and I see this large beetle scurrying about. I looked online to see how long the beetles live and it's a whopping 3-4 months.

There's no way of me removing this beetle without tearing apart her web mat and tunnels, so it looks like a rehouse is in order.

I guess just a word of caution. When you crush the head of the worm, really crush it. I think my problem was not crushing the head enough so that the superworm would still move a bit triggering a feeding response. Well, unbeknownst to me, that worm burrowed and is now a problem.

Had this happen too, I found two random superworms in my C. marshalli enclosure, one under the water dish and one on the side of the enclosure. Gotta really make sure you crush the heads or that the T takes 'em.

 

[kingshockey]

ive had that happen with meal worms also so its always just cut the heads right off now

 

[Arachnophobphile]

So, a few weeks back I crushed the head of a superworm (so I thought) and put it in my H Pulchripes enclosure. I've been noticing my T spending much more time out than usual.

Today I flashed a light into one of her tunnels and I see this large beetle scurrying about. I looked online to see how long the beetles live and it's a whopping 3-4 months.

There's no way of me removing this beetle without tearing apart her web mat and tunnels, so it looks like a rehouse is in order.

I guess just a word of caution. When you crush the head of the worm, really crush it. I think my problem was not crushing the head enough so that the superworm would still move a bit triggering a feeding response. Well, unbeknownst to me, that worm burrowed and is now a problem.

Superworms and mealworms don't just crush the head. You have to continue crushing past the head down all leg segments of the body.

I experienced this way in the past that a superworm was still moving and trying to burrow after I only crushed it's head.

 

[Tbone192]

Crush the head firmly from the sides for 2-3 seconds and then drop it near your T. Worm will still move a bit but even if the T refuses to eat, I have never had a pre kill worm burrow.

It sucks crushing their heads, I feel like I'm going to cry each time I feed my T's RIP.

 

[sparticus]

It sucks crushing their heads, I feel like I'm going to cry each time I feed my T's RIP.

I used to feel bad, but I figure better to die relatively quickly by head crushing than being slowly chewed up alive and digested. Really you're doing them a favor if you think about it. I breed my own dubia, so the way I see it -they have to sacrifice a few of their own to the "spider gods" to ensure they can stay in their paradise of plentiful food, pleasant temperatures, lots of reproductive opportunity, and minimal predators. It's one of those old school religions, the spider gods require sacrifice. I don't really feel bad about the mealworms, guess I'm just not very empathetic that way. Roaches have a much cuter face to me. 🪳🪳

 

[Arachnophobphile]

I stopped using superworms a few years ago it's crickets and roaches all the way. I do use mealworms for small slings.

With that said, I do not in the least feel bad about crushing them up. A superworm has a strong bite. That bite can injure your T if it can land one. I felt their bite on my metal tongs once and yup they have strong mandibles.

Crush the head and all leg segments. They can and will burrow or crawl and hide if you only crush the head.

 

[Tbone192]

I used to feel bad, but I figure better to die relatively quickly by head crushing than being slowly chewed up alive and digested. Really you're doing them a favor if you think about it. I breed my own dubia, so the way I see it -they have to sacrifice a few of their own to the "spider gods" to ensure they can stay in their paradise of plentiful food, pleasant temperatures, lots of reproductive opportunity, and minimal predators. It's one of those old school religions, the spider gods require sacrifice. I don't really feel bad about the mealworms, guess I'm just not very empathetic that way. Roaches have a much cuter face to me. 🪳🪳

That is a fantastic position on the subject of prekilling. May your gods be appeased, and bring about good fortune for the colony. I only use superworms for T's that dwarf them, even then I crush them so they don't burrow. For supes and beetles, if the T doesn't take it by the time I'm done maintaining everyone else it is removed.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Crush the head firmly from the sides for 2-3 seconds and then drop it near your T. Worm will still move a bit but even if the T refuses to eat, I have never had a pre kill worm burrow.

It sucks crushing their heads, I feel like I'm going to cry each time I feed my T's RIP.

That’s why I switched to roaches although it took months of using supers , actually years . Too much hassle maiming supers . I’d usually remove if they weren’t instantly eaten .

I used to feel bad, but I figure better to die relatively quickly by head crushing than being slowly chewed up alive and digested. Really you're doing them a favor if you think about it. I breed my own dubia, so the way I see it -they have to sacrifice a few of their own to the "spider gods" to ensure they can stay in their paradise of plentiful food, pleasant temperatures, lots of reproductive opportunity, and minimal predators. It's one of those old school religions, the spider gods require sacrifice. I don't really feel bad about the mealworms, guess I'm just not very empathetic that way. Roaches have a much cuter face to me. 🪳🪳

I considered thwacking them with the metal tongs , I didn’t really know best way to maim them.

 

[Arachnophobphile]

That’s why I switched to roaches although it took months of using supers , actually years . Too much hassle maiming supers . I’d usually remove if they weren’t instantly eaten .

I considered thwacking them with the metal tongs , I didn’t really know best way to maim them.

I don't recommend cutting their heads off. I tried that once and the pure stink of their innard juices can induce vomiting. The stench is way worse than orange head roach butt juice, yes....it's true

 

[Tbone192]

I don't recommend cutting their heads off. I tried that once and the pure stink of their innard juices can induce vomiting. The stench is way worse than orange head roach butt juice, yes....it's true

Yeah, cutting the heads off gets goop everywhere and it just invites bacteria and stinks like crazy.

 

[sparticus]

I considered thwacking them with the metal tongs , I didn’t really know best way to maim them.

I use my big metal straight tongs for the head/front-end crushing. More of a hard pinching than thwacking, though. With mealworms/superworms you want to hear them crunch. Brutally efficient. They still twitch some which is usually enough to set off prey drive. I crush a little bit lighter with the dubia, they seem a bit easier to overdo it past the goal of "still moving".