# feeding pork or beef to tarantula?



## ddandori (May 23, 2009)

Some people around me feed their Ts raw pork or beef.

They tie them with a string and then shake them front of the T to 

draw attention. And there has been a debate about this whether it is

good and nutritious enough for T or not. What do you guys think about it?


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## arrowhd (May 23, 2009)

I have never tried this.  However, since T's in the wild don't normally eat beef or pork I would not rely on this as a food source.  Crickets and roaches are much closer to natural prey.  Why would you want to feed your T's anything else?


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## Laba-Laba (May 23, 2009)

I've found it is okay as a very occasional treat, but not as a staple.


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## Lennie Collins (May 23, 2009)

ddandori said:


> Some people around me feed their Ts raw pork or beef.
> 
> They tie them with a string and then shake them front of the T to
> 
> ...


Is chicken okay?


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## Julia (May 23, 2009)

Somehow, I don't think feeding pork, beef, or chicken to a T would be good.  It was already stated that these are not foods that they would normally find out in the wild.  Because of this, I'm sure there's plenty of bacteria in any of these raw meats that could potentially harm a T.  With that said, the only way to eliminate the bacteria is by cooking the meat.  If the meat were cooked, I doubt the T would be able to eat it anyway.


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## blix (May 23, 2009)

One time I fed my T. blondi a Mac with cheese, and now it won't eat roaches or anything else. True story.


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## jbm150 (May 23, 2009)

I don't think feeding them meat every once in a while would hurt.  In the wild, they eat a wide range of things, including verts.  But as a diet staple, I'm not sure that would be a good idea.  

One other thing to consider, most of our meats are pumped full of sodium phosphates and raised on antibiotics and hormones.  Might or might not interfere with growth and molts.


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## MizM (May 23, 2009)

Beef or chicken hearts and livers are a staple feed for some T keepers. Again, variety is the key, too much of one thing isn't good for ANYTHING.


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## Merfolk (May 23, 2009)

Proteins are proteins. I fed a parahybana some  chicken, shrimps and fish with no problem at all. Shrimps are sea insects basicaly, fish arbor similar protein content than the frogs and anoles they readily eat in the wild. My Ts will ignore crix and go for the bigger lunch and I had tons of accounts from traveling uncles and friends, depicting them taking down preys that they are not supposed to eat (according to some post I read everywhere). They eat such a wide array of different creatures in the wild ; I realy can't get the idea that they are that sensitive and should be kept on a restricted diet.


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## gumby (May 23, 2009)

I have had a few Ts eat live gold fish before but I have never fed any beef or any thing that was a slab of meet. I keep the steak for me and the crickets for the T.


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## BrynWilliams (May 23, 2009)

I personally think feeding them prawns is something that is particularly risky due to the fact that shellfish are toxin concetrators. Moreso than most insects due to the levels of aquatic toxins and heavy metals in some parts of the see.

As far as meat bits go I don't think it would be harmful just something i'd really not choose to feed my T. I prefer the steaks for me  I also find entertaining the idea of a T taking down a cow in real life amusing. An image of the lolcat 'I keel you! nom nom nom' comes to mind. 



Merfolk said:


> Proteins are proteins. I fed a parahybana some  chicken, shrimps and fish with no problem at all. Shrimps are sea insects basicaly, fish arbor similar protein content than the frogs and anoles they readily eat in the wild. My Ts will ignore crix and go for the bigger lunch and I had tons of accounts from traveling uncles and friends, depicting them taking down preys that they are not supposed to eat (according to some post I read everywhere). They eat such a wide array of different creatures in the wild ; I realy can't get the idea that they are that sensitive and should be kept on a restricted diet.


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## Dave (May 24, 2009)

blix said:


> One time I fed my T. blondi a Mac with cheese, and now it won't eat roaches or anything else. True story.


Mine is a vegan...


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## gumby (May 24, 2009)

Tarantulas have been known to be scavengers as the TKG points out but I like to think of mine as a hunter so I think thats the main reason I dont feed them pieces of beef. Other then that I think you should be fine all though I would stay away from raw chicken simply because I dont trust it no scientific reason.


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