# Can Tarantulas eat Hornworms?



## Squid (Sep 29, 2018)

I've seen mixed reviews on Hornworms.  Some websites said it was ok, some said it was poisonous,  I just bought one but I want to make sure its safe before feeding it to my tarantula.  The employee I asked about it said theyre captive bred and fed potatoes, Im not sure if that means anything but I think I saw somewhere about an artificial vs. natural diet?  

Anyways, I've seen articles for and against feeding hornworms and would like to confirm if they are ok for my Tarantula to eat.  Does anyone have experience feeding Hornworms? Is it worth feeding them to my Tarantula?

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## PanzoN88 (Sep 29, 2018)

Some do feed their tarantulas hornworms, I'm not one of them. I stick to superworms and mealworms.

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## chanda (Sep 29, 2018)

If you feed hornworms, be sure they are captive bred and raised, were intended to be used as feeders, and are eating the artificial diet. The types of plants they eat in the wild  (nightshade, tobacco, potatoes, tomatoes, Jimson weed, etc.) contain toxins that they sequester in their bodies to make them less appealing to potential predators.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 3 | Informative 2


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## Dovey (Sep 29, 2018)

The only animal I have ever seen eat wild hornworms was a cardinal, and he made short work of an entire plant full. Thank goodness! They were my tomatoes!

But tomato foliage is definitely poisonous, and I wouldn't feed wild tomato hornworms to any animal.

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## Dannica (Oct 1, 2018)

They can eat hornworms, as long as they were raised specifically as feeders. I personally don’t use them often, since they’re fairly expensive as feeders, but I like them as a quick fattening up snack.

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## 14pokies (Oct 1, 2018)

Yup I feed hornworms occasionally.


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## FrDoc (Oct 1, 2018)

Hornworms are like ice cream sundaes for T’s.  They only get them if they’ve been good.

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## PhilMcWonder (Nov 16, 2018)

Nothing wrong with hornworms from what I hear.... other than price.
Hornworms are TREATS for lizards so they are normally expensive! Your T doesn't really care either way, Prey is Prey and they will eat them just like any other cricket or mealworm.
Hornworms are fat and juicy though soooo... Maybe they are a good source of moisture? I dont know, i just treat them like any other prey.


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## EtienneN (Nov 16, 2018)

My adult Ts get hornworms as a special snack, just a note though: I do crush their heads before dropping them in so those wicked sharp mouthparts can't take a bite out of the T's vulnerable underside.

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## cold blood (Nov 16, 2018)

EtienneN said:


> My adult Ts get hornworms as a special snack, just a note though: I do crush their heads before dropping them in so those wicked sharp mouthparts can't take a bite out of the T's vulnerable underside.


A ts underside is just as protected as the rest of it, the exoskeleton doesnt stop at the bottom.


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## Tenebrarius (Nov 16, 2018)

EtienneN said:


> My adult Ts get hornworms as a special snack, just a note though: I do crush their heads before dropping them in so those wicked sharp mouthparts can't take a bite out of the T's vulnerable underside.


your thinking about a pork'Q'pine.
back to main thread: no point in wasting good dollar on some fat worms, supers are just as tasty. being as how Ts dont care. treats are for lizards. a good ole roach will work fine. but yes a T can eat horn worms...just make sure to de-horn it

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## PhilMcWonder (Nov 16, 2018)

Tenebrarius said:


> ...just make sure to de-horn it


No need. The horn is pointless. It doesn't actually do anything.
The horn is only to make them look scary to animals that want to hurt them. Its for show, to make you not want to touch the worm.

You wouldn't mess with an animal that has a stinger... That what you are supposed to think anyways.


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## WildSpider (Nov 17, 2018)

Yeah, hornworms are okay for Ts. It's important these hornworms haven't been fed tomato leaves or tobacco plants (which is what they would eat in the wild) because these things make the worms poisonous. This actually appears to be why they eat these things, so it will deter predators.

If you also let the hornworms grow up to be hawkmoths, I've heard (and seen in videos) that Ts really enjoy them. If you let them grow to be moths, you can make a hornworm chow for them or just give them a variety of veggies.

Just for fun, this is an interesting article I found a while back: https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/t...worm-caterpillars-predators/story?id=21372898

This same study is also talked about by National Geographic: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/...alitosis-protects-tobacco-eating-caterpillar/

Here's the study itself: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0008735

In the article it tells about the study where the control group of hornworms was raised on regular tobacco plant and how the experimental group was raised on a modified tobacco plant. The end result was that the hornworms from the experimental group then had inactivated CYP6B46 genes. When a caterpillar from the control group was placed with a wolf spider, the spider was more hesitant to prey on it. When a caterpillar from the experimental group was placed near the spider on the other hand, the spider readily attacked it.

Reactions: Thanks 1 | Informative 5


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## franczhesca (Sep 5, 2021)

EtienneN said:


> My adult Ts get hornworms as a special snack, just a note though: I do crush their heads before dropping them in so those wicked sharp mouthparts can't take a bite out of the T's vulnerable underside.


I didn't think of that!!  I fed my three a special treat of hornworm today (they've all recently molted) and I'm glad they devoured them with no harm to their underside!  Thank you!

I just fed my LP, T. albo and my A. Avic a hornworm for the first time and they seemed to really like them... a special treat from the usual dubia roaches...  they've all recently molted and I was having a hard time getting my Avic to eat a roach... she'd been eating crickets before she went into premolt.   I have some happy Ts right now, lol   can you guess which one is which??


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## spideyspinneret78 (Sep 6, 2021)

I feed them to large tarantulas after a molt or ones that are looking thin/ dehydrated. Some spiders LOVE them, and some are terrified of them. My T. stirmi gobbles them up like candy, but my when I tried giving one to my AF P. regalis, she was very frightened of it and wouldn't go near it. They have a high moisture content and can be good feeders for large tarantulas, but unfortunately they're pricey.

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## ConstantSorrow (Sep 6, 2021)

I like feeding hornworms to my larger Ts because they don't burrow, don't move that fast, and the bright color makes them easy to find. (Found one in my bathroom once. Way better than if it had been a roach.)
I read that they aren't super nutritious so I don't order them often, plus it seems like they die off quickly. 
They always look like what would happen if Sanrio made insects instead of Hello Kitty merch.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## darkness975 (Sep 6, 2021)

I don't use them.  I have this fear that somehow one that hasn't been fed an artificial diet will sneak into a batch.  

Plus they're expensive.

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## MJInsoCal (Sep 14, 2021)

Price aside... and that being the least of my concerns, I'm starting to think they are the ideal feeder.
Why?
1) They won't bite back.
2) they don't dig...   Superworms being my biggest concern if you don't crush their heads, they dig, disappear and can reappear at the worst of times.. during a molt.
3) they don't become room mates, like dubias often seem to.. with the T uninterested. 
4) If they aren't eaten, they usually aren't hidden somewhere.. you can see if the T took the meal.  (although I did see a very large one dig itself into the substrate and disappear once)
5) stupid easy to catch and find, no chasing crickets, digging superworms out of substrate they toss all over the place
6) really don't care if they don't get out.
7) easy to ship, etc.. as they just show up and grow in days.
8) they don't smell, chirp, or otherwise get annoying.
9) Easy to maintain (well.. other than the short time limit, they grow and eat all avail food so quick, and well not exactly easy to substitute food for them)  But they don't die left and right like crickets.


I'm curious ... long term.. nutritional value.  Can you exclusively feed T's hornworms?



They are definitely max out convenience at a price.  I think for larger T's... they are awesome.  They make far less sense for juv's and slings.


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## JPG (Sep 15, 2021)

I just easily breed and feed mealworm for the extra fat and chitin, on top of the roaches.


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## Arachnolove420 (Jul 9, 2022)

FrDoc said:


> Hornworms are like ice cream sundaes for T’s.  They only get them if they’ve been good.


I definitely use hornworms as "treats" sometines lol.


I like to feed my larger Ts hornworms after a molt to help them put weight back on. 

Specifically I buy the hornworms at the pet store that come in the cup with the nutrient culture. Those are guaranteed good for feeding, as they eat the nutrient in the cup and not toxic plants. A little more pricey (there's usually 4 worms in a cup for $12), but I don't mind that for my babies.


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