# Is there any insect that you can't feed to a Tarantula?



## DannyH (Aug 7, 2011)

I know that you cant feed it anything thats bigger, but is there anything else thats off limits?


----------



## Wadew (Aug 7, 2011)

Is there any insect that you can't feed to a Tarantula? 

                 Ha....the one he refuses to eat.  I have fed insects larger then the spider with no problems with supervision.

                                                                    Wade

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## catfishrod69 (Aug 7, 2011)

i would start by saying wild caught, and certain beetles and catapillars are toxic....

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Wadew (Aug 7, 2011)

catfishrod69 said:


> i would start by saying wild caught, and certain beetles and catapillars are toxic....


 Toxic ?? I could not tell you I have killed any of my spiders from wild caught food. Also you may see that the spiders does not eat what is not good. At least my stuff has not needed supervision as far as diet is concerned.

                                   Wade

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## catfishrod69 (Aug 7, 2011)

so are you saying that you randomly go outside catching bugs and throw in with your tarantulas, then see which ones they wont eat?  i dont have to worry about my T's not eating toxic bugs because toxic bugs never get put in with them...i dont think im gonna give my P. metallica a chance to have a stupid moment and decide a toxic insect is ok for her to eat...wouldnt do it to any of my cheapie T's either...and supervising what they eat is something that should be done...i had a P. cambridgei sling eaten by a cricket, because i didnt supervise when i put the cricket in, and the tarantula tried to molt....that wont happen again...




Wadew said:


> Toxic ?? I could not tell you I have killed any of my spiders from wild caught food. Also you may see that the spiders does not eat what is not good. At least my stuff has not needed supervision as far as diet is concerned.
> 
> Wade

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Alexandra V (Aug 7, 2011)

Personally I wouldn't feed anything wild-caught, and nothing too big. Aside from that, I would also be frightened of offering an insect that is very aggressive and has good "weaponry" (i.e. a stinger with venom or strong jaws).

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## catfishrod69 (Aug 7, 2011)

well put...



Alexandra V said:


> Personally I wouldn't feed anything wild-caught, and nothing too big. Aside from that, I would also be frightened of offering an insect that is very aggressive and has good "weaponry" (i.e. a stinger with venom or strong jaws).


----------



## ArkGullwing (Aug 7, 2011)

+1 to no wild caught, too many random toxins and parasites out in the wild...


----------



## Wadew (Aug 7, 2011)

Catfishrod & Alexandra


I did not say Throw all good judgment aside. I would expect that you are not catching stinging insects....Lol That would be interesting in itself. I guess I have to answer like I may be talking to someone who is clueless.
sorry for anyone who might have thought or not thought for that matter. i do not know what you find out there in your part of the planet that is toxic. But I would think you have the common sense to not feed a scorpion but who know I guess. As far as caterpillars are concerned there are very few they will touch that I have tried. 

Arkgullwing,
 I am not aware of any  parasitic organisms that the digestive juices of a tarantula could not kill. By the way I also have a couple High end spiders too. :biggrin: and they have lived a full lifespan.





                                          Wade

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## ArkGullwing (Aug 7, 2011)

Wadew said:


> Catfishrod & Alexandra
> 
> 
> I did not say Throw all good judgment aside. I would expect that you are not catching stinging insects....Lol That would be interesting in itself. I guess I have to answer like I may be talking to someone who is clueless.
> ...


I was thinking more like mites and such that might jump ship once introduced into your T's enclosure, and then proliferate in the new environment without their natural predators and other checks and balances in place out in the wild.

EDIT>
At any rate, to the OP: with large crickets being 99 cents for 20 of them, 5 cents a week is plenty cheap enough for me to want to err on the side of caution. I can't imagine that crickets or other feeders are much more expensive in whatever part of the world you are in.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Bill S (Aug 7, 2011)

Wadew said:


> I guess I have to answer like I may be talking to someone who is clueless.
> sorry for anyone who might have thought or not thought for that matter. i do not know what you find out there in your part of the planet that is toxic.


As someone above said, there are beetles out there that are toxic.  Chrysomelids, for example.  The larvae of many species eat plants that contain toxic alkaloids, and those toxins are sequestered in the tissues of the insect.  A clueless friend once caught a large solifuge and gave it to my wife.  Unfortunately, between the time he caught it and the time he delivered it, he fed it a chrysomelid beetle.  The guy meant well, but knew nothing about insects - had never heard of a chrysomelid beetle let alone knew anything about their natural histories.  The solifuge was dead in a few hours.

There are other insects that can sequester toxins, as well as others that produce them through their own physiologies.  If you are clueless as to which ones can be dangerous as food items, then it would be better if you stick with feeding "known safe" foods.

Reactions: Like 4


----------



## catfishrod69 (Aug 7, 2011)

well first off you can look at our reply times.....they are the same...that might be because i was answering DannyH's question...not commenting on your answer...when i replied to the post you were replying at the same time...just happens yours was a hair quicker...also ohio is a bit short on scorpions.....and the toxic critters runnin around in my state are going to be pretty much the same ones in yours...maybe a tarantulas digestive juices can kill parasitic organisms...im sure in their natural habitat the things they eat are crawling with them...but you dont see too many people in the middle of the jungle in brazil or sri lanka spraying pestisides to kill insects...you also dont see too many dealers selling flashy pretty beetles to use as feeders...im positive that there is no pestisides sprayed around my house...and there are plenty of crickets runnin around outside too..but im sure not gonna go collect them and feed them to any of my T's....i have spent too much time and money to do anything stupid like that and put any of their lives in jeapordy...







Wadew said:


> Catfishrod & Alexandra
> 
> 
> I did not say Throw all good judgment aside. I would expect that you are not catching stinging insects....Lol That would be interesting in itself. I guess I have to answer like I may be talking to someone who is clueless.
> ...


----------



## Wadew (Aug 7, 2011)

ArkGullwing said:


> I was thinking more like mites and such that might jump ship once introduced into your T's enclosure, and then proliferate in the new environment without their natural predators and other checks and balances in place out in the wild.
> 
> EDIT>
> At any rate, to the OP: with large crickets being 99 cents for 20 of them, 5 cents a week is plenty cheap enough for me to want to err on the side of caution. I can't imagine that crickets or other feeders are much more expensive in whatever part of the world you are in.


I would argue that mites are secondary to some other condition and the spider is in poor health if they are there. The expense for me is not so much an issue on crickets and neither is the availability. I own a pets store for 23 years and our store sells 4000 crickets every two weeks on average.

 Bill S,
I stay away from any of the armored insects like beetles The spiders will not show interest in them either. So you are saying to me that before you appeared in this world Spiders just ate whatever and died often. I do not agree with your train of thought here. I am also not going to get into a technical debate with you. I have seen some of your post. I am expressing my methods and am not preaching right or wrong. I will say I have many spiders that are not dropping dead on me just yet. 
                                     Cheers Wade


----------



## Sukai94 (Aug 7, 2011)

ArkGullwing said:


> +1 to no wild caught, too many random toxins and parasites out in the wild...


+1 

I have known of healthy tarantulas to die soon after eating WC food.


----------



## bigjej (Aug 7, 2011)

Anything that could fight back and potentially do damage. I tried feeding my t. blondi sling ( about 1/2" - 3/4' leg to leg ) an earwig I thought was small enough. I ended up having to pull the earwig's pincers off the t's abdomen. After I tore off the pincers, the blondi took care of the rest.


----------



## synyster (Aug 8, 2011)

@ BillS

I have heard that even ladybugs contain the same toxins. Are they considered in the Chrysomelidae genus (if chrysomelidae even is a genus)? I don't know plenty about beetles, but I do know that I don't feed my spiders any random bug with all the money I spent on the collection...

EDIT: Just did my homework and found out it was a family and not a genus. And found out they do contain, and even secrete when threatened, alkaloid toxins which will kill a spider.


----------



## audax (Aug 8, 2011)

synyster said:


> @ BillS
> 
> I have heard that even ladybugs contain the same toxins. Are they considered in the Chrysomelidae genus (if chrysomelidae even is a genus)? I don't know plenty about beetles, but I do know that I don't feed my spiders any random bug with all the money I spent on the collection...
> 
> EDIT: Just did my homework and found out it was a family and not a genus. And found out they do contain, and even secrete when threatened, alkaloid toxins which will kill a spider.


I have no idea about the effects of ladybugs on spiders. I know ladybugs have that yellow stuff that stinks and tastes bad (I've never tasted them), but one time I had a praying mantis and he would eat the ones that came in my house like junk food with no ill effects (well possibly addiction lol). Never found out how many it could eat at once....


----------



## DreadLobster (Aug 8, 2011)

I'm sure that they will eat anything. But why would you not just stick to the basics? There are reasons crickets and roaches and the other usual suspects are the most common feeders.


----------



## Wadew (Aug 8, 2011)

Sukai94 said:


> +1
> 
> I have known of healthy tarantulas to die soon after eating WC food.


Ya...I have known of healthy people to die soon from getting into a car too!

                              lol
                            Wade

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## ArkGullwing (Aug 8, 2011)

I think most of us can agree that WC food is not the best option, regardless of what luck others may have had in the past... Let's go ahead and shift the topic of this post back to the OP's question, so far we've got Chrysomelidae, and various stinging/biting insects on the list of bugs you shouldn't feed your T

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Chris_Skeleton (Aug 8, 2011)

Wadew said:


> Ya...I have known of healthy people to die soon from getting into a car too!
> 
> lol
> Wade


You have to be kidding me? You are trying to compare two things that aren't anywhere near being similar. 

Honestly, feeding wc prey is stupidity and carelessness. Why risk it when you can just go buy feeders you know to be safe?

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## khil (Aug 8, 2011)

Gonna be honest, can't say crickets you buy from the pet store are magically clean and disease free. 
But I'd never feed wc bugs to an expensive tarantula. If that works, thats great, maybe the variety will even grow u a better T. But I personally wouldn't risk it.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## EShell (Aug 8, 2011)

The problem I see is that the dangerous (to our pets) insects in your own part of the world may not be the same as the dangerous species native to the pet's original habitat. I don't think animals are innately endowed with any special wisdom to recognize dangerous species from any other part of the planet. While assuming this rather grave risk is a personal choice, I prefer to raise or buy proven feeders for my own stock.

A rhetorical question: If the digestive juices of Ts are so devastating to potential parasites that we need not worry about infestation, how is it that they can get internal parasites in their native environment? 

To the original question; North American fireflies/lightning bugs are well-known to be fatal to Bearded Dragons, and ingesting even one firefly will kill the BD. They will eat one without hesitation, so they're obviously not programmed to avoid this hazard. I don't know if fireflies are dangerous to Ts as well.


----------



## catfishrod69 (Aug 8, 2011)

i agree totally...kinda getting old....so far he hasnt gotten any descent replies...




ArkGullwing said:


> I think most of us can agree that WC food is not the best option, regardless of what luck others may have had in the past... Let's go ahead and shift the topic of this post back to the OP's question, so far we've got Chrysomelidae, and various stinging/biting insects on the list of bugs you shouldn't feed your T


----------



## Thehat222 (Aug 8, 2011)

I have to agree with most people on here, just avoid wild caught if possible. Although I've done my fair share of feeding wild caught to my L.P. sling like earwigs, although I use nail clippers to cut off the pincers.
But that was before I was really researching T's and understanding the risks of mites.
I rely on my parents trips to petsmart to get crickets for my T's though and if things are gunna take more than a month then I'm going to go catch some moths, isopods and earwigs for my spiders. Thats the only time I ever do that though. 
My spiders always liked big white moths though, no ill effects to them, so if your set on wild caught food, big juicy moths make spiders happy, so do large some grubs you can dig up.
I've also found greyish green caterpillars that didn't harm my black widows...just be smart and avoid colorful bugs, bugs with weapons, or bugs with thick shells.
Perhaps keep WC for a few days and check for mites on the sides of the tank before feeding.


----------



## Vespula (Aug 8, 2011)

Several beetles, not just ladybugs can secrete harmful chemicals, so I wouldn't feed any to my spiders. Also, there are toxic caterpillars, and basically anything that has fed on poisonous plants.


----------



## Bill S (Aug 8, 2011)

synyster said:


> I have heard that even ladybugs contain the same toxins. Are they considered in the Chrysomelidae genus (if chrysomelidae even is a genus)?


You already resolved the family/genus thing.  Ladybugs are in the family Coccinellidae.  Bombardier beetles (Carabidae) spray a pretty potent chemical out their back ends for defensive purposes.  Some of the true bugs (hemiptera) do have glands that secrete fould tasting/smelling chemicals.  Staying away from hard shelled beetles and bugs will not exclude grubs/larvae of these animals, which also contain toxins.

---------- Post added 08-08-2011 at 06:54 PM ----------




Wadew said:


> So you are saying to me that before you appeared in this world Spiders just ate whatever and died often. I do not agree with your train of thought here.


To a degree, yes.  Spiders co-evolved with insects within their environment.  Those that didn't learn to avoid toxic insects died out.  Tarantulas produce hundreds or thousands of babies during a lifetime, and the vast majority of those die before they reach maturity, otherwise the world would be overrun with tarantulas.  Some die from eating the wrong foods.  But in the end, after many, many centuries of evolution tarantulas developed avoidance patterns to species that they are likely to encounter that might be toxic.  But - you're taking tarantulas from other regions or other continents and offering them foods they have not learned to avoid.  You're rolling the dice and taking your chances.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## gromgrom (Aug 8, 2011)

Wadew said:


> Ya...I have known of healthy people to die soon from getting into a car too!
> 
> lol
> Wade


Whatever you want to do with your inverts is your prerogative. When and if they die, we will know a good reason why.


----------



## Wadew (Aug 9, 2011)

Good Question, why do you eat other things instead of What you would consider basics ( Rice,beans,etc) Variety in the diet is important and an important key to good health . We as humans have not yet defined what is considered a "total Diet" I think there are many things that are not included in the " Recommended daily intake " I feel as long as you use good judgement and pay attention to where you collect your food and also what seems to be accepted you can offer more then just crickets and roaches. 
I am not saying quit them all and go out and catch all your food! I make a living off selling live food. What I am saying is some of the wild caught food has worked for me and I have yet to have a spider just outright die on me , other then a molt problem once in awhile. I have kept and keep Hundreds of Tarantula's for a long time now and have seen them live many years. If my stuff just died for no reason I would also have doubts and not be even on this subject. I think you will find dreadlobster they will not just eat anything! Mine wont anyway. It is disheartening that many are so closed minded to think there is only one way to do things. I also am reserved to offer input often for this reason. I am not here to convert you or anyone else I am displaying my method which is not widely accepted at least in this country. I am aware of breeders who do also offer food items other then store bought varieties. 

                                                                   Wade


----------



## gromgrom (Aug 9, 2011)

Wadew said:


> Good Question, why do you eat other things instead of What you would consider basics ( Rice,beans,etc) Variety in the diet is important and an important key to good health . We as humans have not yet defined what is considered a "total Diet" I think there are many things that are not included in the " Recommended daily intake " I feel as long as you use good judgement and pay attention to where you collect your food and also what seems to be accepted you can offer more then just crickets and roaches.
> I am not saying quit them all and go out and catch all your food! I make a living off selling live food. What I am saying is some of the wild caught food has worked for me and I have yet to have a spider just outright die on me , other then a molt problem once in awhile. I have kept and keep Hundreds of Tarantula's for a long time now and have seen them live many years. If my stuff just died for no reason I would also have doubts and not be even on this subject. I think you will find dreadlobster they will not just eat anything! Mine wont anyway. It is disheartening that many are so closed minded to think there is only one way to do things. I also am reserved to offer input often for this reason. I am not here to convert you or anyone else I am displaying my method which is not widely accepted at least in this country. I am aware of breeders who do also offer food items other then store bought varieties.
> 
> Wade


If you'd actually read our posts, rather than be so close minded, we breed and feed off many different types of feeders to our inverts. We're not saying its like "the only way to do things", just that your idea of using WC feeders is an unneeded hazard to your inverts. And when you say your "method" isn't widely accepted?... it isn't accepted! That's the idea!


----------



## killy (Aug 9, 2011)

I would avoid feeding it Pepsis wasps. 

Calm down everybody, I know I'm stating the obvious.  I remember reading a short story that a kid wrote when I was back in junior high. I thought it was pretty good.  He was walking down the street and he heard a little voice crying out "HELP ME, HELP ME!!!."  He looked down and there were a wasp and a spider locked in mortal combat.  Heeding the call he leaped to the wasp's rescue, and squashed the spider, saving the wasp, which flew away without so much as a thank you.  Later, he related the incident to a friend, who replied, "Oh my goodness, didn't you know that the wasp is the natural enemy of the spider?"

Since most of my Ts consider anything and everything "food," from crickets to feeding tongs, it's pretty clear they stike first, and think later.  That being the case, I don't know that I want to trust their instincts when it comes to what is and what isn't good for them.  

I'll play it safe and stick to crickets and mealworms.


----------



## Wadew (Aug 9, 2011)

gromgrom said:


> If you'd actually read our posts, rather than be so close minded, we breed and feed off many different types of feeders to our inverts. We're not saying its like "the only way to do things", just that your idea of using WC feeders is an unneeded hazard to your inverts. And when you say your "method" isn't widely accepted?... it isn't accepted! That's the idea!


gromgrom,
What do you breed ?  What do you feed?

                Wade


----------



## Singapore_Blue1 (Aug 9, 2011)

gromgrom said:


> If you'd actually read our posts, rather than be so close minded, we breed and feed off many different types of feeders to our inverts. We're not saying its like "the only way to do things", just that your idea of using WC feeders is an unneeded hazard to your inverts. And when you say your "method" isn't widely accepted?... it isn't accepted! That's the idea!


I actually have to come to Wade's defense on this one...I myself feed my spiders WC prey. Does it pose an added risk, sure, however I feel it to be minimal at best. I have actually had bad store bought prey cause deaths to my spiders..WC prey has yet to do that...I say just use common sense where you collect your food...Not everyone shares your viewpoint..I believe that a varied diet is best for the spider period! Some studies suggest it actually helps brighten the spiders exoskeleton...Not proven of course.


----------



## DamoK21 (Aug 9, 2011)

how about, instead of looking for what they cant eat, just get what they can eat from your local store/s... That is sufficient enough

---------- Post added 08-09-2011 at 06:48 PM ----------




Singapore_Blue1 said:


> I actually have to come to Wade's defense on this one...I myself feed my spiders WC prey. Does it pose an added risk, sure, however I feel it to be minimal at best. I have actually had bad store bought prey cause deaths to my spiders..WC prey has yet to do that...I say just use common sense where you collect your food...Not everyone shares your viewpoint..I believe that a varied diet is best for the spider period! Some studies suggest it actually helps brighten the spiders exoskeleton...Not proven of course.


and because you get them from a safe location, doesnt mean anyone else can. If i was to go by your theory, it would cost me more than a plane ticket,... Is it a good idea to recomend WC food, no because not everyone, if anyone lives in the same area as you, so your theory is flawed, as not every town/city is exactly the same as the area you live, infact i could name miles and miles of pest controlled areas in the area i live, not to mention how many towns and citys are pest controlled


----------



## Singapore_Blue1 (Aug 9, 2011)

DamoK21 said:


> how about, instead of looking for what they cant eat, just get what they can eat from your local store/s... That is sufficient enough
> 
> ---------- Post added 08-09-2011 at 06:48 PM ----------
> 
> ...


That is why I said use common sense as to where you collect your food. I have that option of WC due to my location..You as you stated don't because you are aware that the area is heavily pest controlled. I am not advocating everyone use WC prey however if possible I feel it is better for the spider. Also I understand the possible ramifications of loosing an expensive T from pesticides. I own quite pricey T's but as I stated earlier I feel my location is somewhat safe and I feel it is beneficial to the spider.


----------



## Chris_Skeleton (Aug 9, 2011)

Singapore_Blue1 said:


> That is why I said use common sense as to where you collect your food. I have that option of WC due to my location..You as you stated don't because you are aware that the area is heavily pest controlled. I am not advocating everyone use WC prey however if possible I feel it is better for the spider. Also I understand the possible ramifications of loosing an expensive T from pesticides. I own quite pricey T's but as I stated earlier I feel my location is somewhat safe and I feel it is beneficial to the spider.


Have you researched insects that are poisonous, such as the beetles mentioned, or ones that eat the poisonous plants?


----------



## ArkGullwing (Aug 9, 2011)

OK Guys, check it out. This all started because of the perception that one person *SEEMED* to convey the message: Feed your spider any bug you want, WC or otherwise, because your T knows better than you. 

Whether or not this is the true message, I think we've all come to agree on one thing: Feeding spiders WC food has its risks. That doesn't mean it's a sure fire death for your spider, or even as risky as some may make it out to be. It all depends on what you are catching and where you are catching it. The general consensus seems to be thus: *Varied diet seems to be beneficial to spiders. WC Food has its risks. Store bought food has its risks as well. Store bought food is generally safer. Don't feed your spider something without being sure it's not poisonous or dangerous first (pincers stingers toxins etc). Use your best judgement.*

Can we get past the pissing contest please and move on to bigger and better discussions?


----------



## DannyH (Aug 9, 2011)

ArkGullwing said:


> Can we get past the pissing contest please and move on to bigger and better discussions?


Gracias for your post.


----------



## khil (Aug 9, 2011)

LOL pepsis
I guess insects that are really toxic to Ts? Can't think of  much atm, a tarantula is a tarantula, ya know


----------



## Kathy (Aug 9, 2011)

I wish there were different things to feed mine then crickets.  I can't imagine them surviving on one type of food, but no one around here sells roaches and I won't keep roaches at my house, they stink too much - I've tried.  The Petsmart here only sells mealworms and crickets, that's it...but they are 11 cents each so whoever is getting them for 5 cents each is getting a good deal on crickets.


----------



## ArkGullwing (Aug 9, 2011)

Yeah there's an awesome pet store here called animal jungle. I don't think it's a chain but they sell 20 large crickets for 99 cents, when I buy one, they charge me a nickel, and on friday they do "Feeder Friday's" where it's like... 25% off all feeders. So I guess if i went friday and asked for a cricket, they'd probably just give it to me XD

Oh also, I found out one of my local friends has like, 11 T's and she raises some turkish roach of some sort (she doesn't know what it is specifically but she claims they're good cause they can't climb glass) and she has like, a thousand of them. Her T's can't keep up with the population so she says I'm more than welcome to them whenever I want <3


----------



## DamoK21 (Aug 10, 2011)

Kathy said:


> I wish there were different things to feed mine then crickets.  I can't imagine them surviving on one type of food, but no one around here sells roaches and I won't keep roaches at my house, they stink too much - I've tried.  The Petsmart here only sells mealworms and crickets, that's it...but they are 11 cents each so whoever is getting them for 5 cents each is getting a good deal on crickets.


can you not order a load of livefoods online ? (im not sure of the sites available to you, live in UK )


----------



## billopelma (Aug 11, 2011)

Coming into this a bit late...

I'm also a big proponent of a varied diet that goes beyond raised feeders, though I know of no research that has been done specifically for tarantulas that would confirm or deny it.
I raise 7 different species of roaches, as well as mealworms and superworms. I still buy crickets by the thousand at a time. 
And I feed my arachnids and gecko's a large variety of W/C bugs, have been for many years and can't attribute a single problem to this practice. Of course a small amount of obvious common sense should come into play, I wouldn't try using pedes, wasps or even other spiders but I guess otherwise I seem to have been very lucky to have had hundreds of T's use their own judgment and reject what they don't like. 

At present I'm stuck feeding hundreds of versicolor and other slings and dig up thousands of termites for that. Have done it countless times in the past, the mothers of all those slings were fed W/C termites and other miscellany when I raised them. I have a screened in porch that traps all manner of flying insects, I've enjoyed watching a P. metallica go crazy as I hold a large moth flapping over the enclosure, huge dobson flies and horse flies are also readily accepted by most. In her younger days, my now 8" LP used to love japanese beetles and has eaten many dozens, I have a now 7" platyomma that it's been like a game trying to find something she won't eat. Then there's the big black crickets, grasshoppers, ant larvae, grubs (yes, lots of beetle grubs when I'm gardening and wood boring grubs when I'm splitting cordwood). For me foraging for and feeding W/C is a part of the enjoyment of keeping T's.

Since I also use lots of live, unsterilized wood, plants and substrate from outside, transference of undesirables from W/C feeders isn't a big concern as the horse is already out of the barn there anyway. On the contrary I think it's the living stuff that's introduced that controls the unwanted. My less dry enclosures are teaming with isopods, springtails and all manner of other tiny crawling things, I rarely ever remove uneaten food or bolus's as they disappear on their own. I don't experience mold or mite problems and enjoy watching an occasional mushroom or plant pop up out of the substrate.
I believe in natural ecosystems rather than sterility and cleaning to maintain balance in my enclosures and if that or a 'bad feeder bug' causes an issue on some rare occasion, it will have been well worth it for the other successes, freedoms and lack of paranoia I've enjoyed in this hobby over the years. 
Some of you people are way too up tight...

Bill

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


----------

