Tarantulas as food?

[kaolincash]

Hey folks,

I don't know if this is a sore topic on here or whatever, but I figured I'd ask just out of curiosity:

Given that there are many cultures across the world that eat tarantulas, and cultures that eat their dead, where would you, personally, the person reading this, stand on the idea of eating your tarantula after it dies of natural causes?

Ever since I saw it on a nature show when I was a kid, I've wanted to try eating fried tarantula, but I'm also happy to never do that at any point in my life; it's not on a bucket list or anything, just more of a curiosity.

I know some people preserve their Ts when they die, but has anyone here ever... eaten one?

Like I mentioned, many cultures eat their dead as a way of keeping them as part of themselves, and I think there's something romantic in that, so I'm not trying to suggest treating any T's body in a less than totally respectful way, and I don't know if I'd ever eat one of mine anyway, I just thought it was an interesting question and I hope you guys can respect that.

At any rate, if you don't plan to monch and cromch on any of your spiders when they die, what *are* your plans and practices?

Kaolin

 

[chanda]

Given the reclusive nature of many Ts, spending weeks or even months at a time in their hides or burrows, often the first clue that one of my spiders is dead is the not-so-subtle stench of decay. At that point - even if I weren't squeamish about eating one of my pets (which I am!) - I would not imagine it would be terribly good to eat - and might even make me sick.

 

[kaolincash]

Given the reclusive nature of many Ts, spending weeks or even months at a time in their hides or burrows, often the first clue that one of my spiders is dead is the not-so-subtle stench of decay. At that point - even if I weren't squeamish about eating one of my pets (which I am!) - I would not imagine it would be terribly good to eat - and might even make me sick.

That's valid. I also take it that if conditions were optimal, you would also refrain?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Uhm, no. Nothing, absolutely nothing against those people (mostly Asians from Southeastern Asia nations, and some Amazon tribes that enjoy Theraphosa species), that's part of their culture, at the end... but I'm quite annoyed, on the other hand, when I see/hear those "modern day" Western 'Chef' and those kinda alternative/sorta half hipsters etc that are excited about that.

Mah, I say

 

[antinous]

Pass. Not for me. I would try a fresh tarantula, but one that died, ehhh no.

Since I'm trying to own as many species of Pamphobeteus and Phormictopus as possible, I'd love to be able to try and preserve them/stuff them to retain their colors.

 

[chanda]

That's valid. I also take it that if conditions were optimal, you would also refrain?

Unless I were starving to death? Absolutely. They're pets, not food.

I have nothing against bugs and spiders being used as food for humans - or even for other animals. They can be a good source of healthy lean protein, cheap and easy to raise, requiring far less land and other resources than cattle, poultry, or other traditional food animals.

I have eaten grasshoppers before, as well as protein bars made with cricket meal. Not really a big fan, but certainly edible. I could even bring myself to eat my feeder insects, if I had to. But that's because I don't have a relationship with them. I'm not one to anthropomorphize my spiders or other invert pets and pretend that they care about me or that the relationship is two-sided, but I still bond with my pets. I have accepted responsibility for them and spend spend hours taking care of them or observing them. That puts them into an entirely different category than "food" for me, even if they were conveniently freshly-dead.

If, on the other hand, I were visiting another country and were offered a fried tarantula? Well, I have no real desire to eat one, but I don't really have an objection to it either. I would at least consider it, particularly if it would be rude not to. (There are other animals, though - like cats and dogs - that I absolutely could not bring myself to eat. Even if that specific animal was not my pet - or not anybody's pet - they are too solidly in the "pet" category for me to ever even consider it.)

 

[kaolincash]

I'm not one to anthropomorphize my spiders or other invert pets and pretend that they care about me or that the relationship is two-sided, but I still bond with my pets. I have accepted responsibility for them and spend spend hours taking care of them or observing them.

That makes perfect sense to me, and is the attitude I expected from like 99% of people seeing this thread.

 

[Patherophis]

No, I advice to never eat anything that died itself, even if "fresh" dead, one doesnt know cause which may be parasites or disease, and negative changes in body of animal may start before it dies.

As for preservation, 70 % alcohol or dry preparation.

 

[MintyWood826]

I'd eat a tarantula prepared for food, but not one of my pets. Definitely not one of my deceased pets.

 

[Polenth]

I don't eat food with that sort of crunchy texture. It's not an "Oh no, spiders!" thing as that side of it doesn't bother me. It wouldn't matter if it was a vegetable with that texture. I could probably eat some things if they're ground into meal, but tarantulas don't look like they'd grind up very well.

Bodies either go to my woodlice or I compost them. I've not had a dead spider yet as I've only just started on that (first spider arrived last week), but that's what I've done with previous dead bodies. Generally fish (because they've had anti-parasite treatments in their life) and anything too far gone will go to the composter. Anything fairly fresh goes to the woodlice.

 

[Nightstalker47]

No thanks.

 

[EightleggedFreakx]

Tarantulas are friends, Not Food

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Unless I were starving to death? Absolutely.

Well, I could use my cats as a perfect bait for lure into post apocalyptic deadly traps other humans, then kill and later butcher those.

Example, that fat tourist foreigner lady - and Italy is plenty of those btw - under salt, for Christmas, while her mildly chubby bearded man with that annoying camera? Prepared for Sunday morning!

Why eat T's, cats, dogs etc where we could be cannibals like old good Sawney Bean - when everything crumbles, of course

 

[BoyFromLA]

I am sure @Chris LXXIX would rather eat americanized Italian pizza, or pasta than eating tarantulas, but I might be very wrong.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I am sure @Chris LXXIX would rather eat americanized Italian pizza, or pasta than eating tarantulas, but I might be very wrong.

Uhm, no, actually. Why I should?

I mean, I've said above that, in the case of a total war/post apocalyptic scenario etc, I would gladly eat humans -- so yes, Americans, with their belly and organs full of junk food etc, included.

But nowadays? No sorry. I'm Italian, thankfully, so I will continue to stick to the best, and more sane (according to scientists worldwide that studied the 'Mediterranean Diet') food ever

 

[BoyFromLA]

Uhm, no, actually. Why I should?

Yup, I was very wrong.

 

[Vanessa]

I have no interest in eating a tarantula - not one of mine, or anyone else.
I remember a story, many years ago, about a restaurant in NYC who was in deep trouble for serving tarantulas - they used a species of Grammostola and they didn't remove the urticating hairs. Everyone had their throats close up and were sent to emergency. I know that South Americans have a way of removing them, some bake them in clay, but the chef didn't bother to do any research. His incompetence nearly killed people.
Just sharing in case someone wants to be able to pick option #3 of the poll.

 

[Rhino1]

I'm an avid survivalist, prepper, hunter, farmer, home butcher and unfortunately I eat all sorts of weird s**t..... all the time, no I'm not a grub, just practice what I preach.
But back to the OP, No, I wouldn't willingly eat a captive out of mine or any one else's enclosures, I would definitely eat one whilst traversing the wildest of places but spider's would be a last resort, something about that gooey centre thats ridiculously unappealing.

 

[Cherri]

Lol ive thought about asking something similar here. But no. I'm a vegan, i prefer fried tofu.

Edit: oh no, I just realized my g porteri is named tofu.

 

[Teal]

Even me with the iron stomach I possess would be wary of eating something that died on its own.

But anything animal-based is potential food. Though, I am disinclined to eat domestic feline as I find them to just be disgusting creatures overall.

They're pets, not food.

But that's because I don't have a relationship with them. I'm not one to anthropomorphize my spiders or other invert pets and pretend that they care about me or that the relationship is two-sided, but I still bond with my pets. I have accepted responsibility for them and spend spend hours taking care of them or observing them. That puts them into an entirely different category than "food" for me, even if they were conveniently freshly-dead.

Every animal I have raised for butcher since childhood has been named and loved like a pet - because they were, right up until the moment we ended their lives. I believe that is the way meat animals should be treated... they deserve a life full of love and compassion.