# Can I feed my T other spiders?



## Whiskers (Aug 9, 2012)

There is a Wolf Spider roaming around.  I have a Chilean Rose, would I be able to feed him this Wolf Spider, or would that be too dangerous for him to tackle?


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## annabelle (Aug 10, 2012)

Don't feed your T the wolf spider... Why risk it?
You really shouldn't feed your T anything wild caught. You're putting your T in danger of parasites and possibly even pesticides. 
It's just never a good idea. Stick to captive bred feeders.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Vespula (Aug 10, 2012)

Instead, keep the wolf spider as a pet, too! Just my 2 cents.

Reactions: Like 4


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## spiderengineer (Aug 10, 2012)

T are cannibals so technically yes, but the may reason why it wont work out as well because of size issue. I am sure your rose is alot bigger than the wolfs spider around your house. so i doubt she will eat them because of the size difference and just seem them as annoyances more than anything. If they they are of the same size, basically if your T is a sling then you run the risk of the wolfs eating and killing your T. That's the main Point here, but there is other reason why you shouldn't do this one being cruelty to both spiders.


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## Whiskers (Aug 10, 2012)

spiderengineer said:


> T are cannibals so technically yes, but the may reason why it wont work out as well because of size issue. I am sure your rose is alot bigger than the wolfs spider around your house. so i doubt she will eat them because of the size difference and just seem them as annoyances more than anything. If they they are of the same size, basically if your T is a sling then you run the risk of the wolfs eating and killing your T. That's the main Point here, but there is other reason why you shouldn't do this one being cruelty to both spiders.


Alright.  I wouldn't want to risk my T being bitten anyway.  I think he would probably go for it though, this spider is pretty big;  Quite a bit larger than the crickets I have.  lol


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## spiderengineer (Aug 10, 2012)

here is something to give you perspective http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eozV_mH8tnY or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e0YWPXiXYM or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw-o4LdKvAA


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## Whiskers (Aug 10, 2012)

spiderengineer said:


> here is something to give you perspective http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eozV_mH8tnY or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e0YWPXiXYM or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw-o4LdKvAA


That first video...  LOL

Since when do Ts snarl and growl like vicious meat eating lions?!  Still was a cool video. lol

Thanks

Reactions: Like 1


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## spiderengineer (Aug 10, 2012)

yeah that was monster bug wars they like to and sound effect to the show, but basically it shows that yes your T will will eat them, but its tend to be frown upon in certain circles.


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## Whiskers (Aug 10, 2012)

spiderengineer said:


> yeah that was monster bug wars they like to and sound effect to the show, but basically it shows that yes your T will will eat them, but its tend to be frown upon in certain circles.


Alright.   

I may toss one in there at some point, just for some fun, but I definitely won't make it a habit.  I wouldn't want my T to get hurt.  I think I'm becoming attached to him.


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## Hobo (Aug 10, 2012)

I woudln't. You never know where that spider's been!
Might have a risk of communicable diseses/parasites too, them being both spiders.

Reactions: Like 2


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## poisoned (Aug 10, 2012)

spiderengineer said:


> here is something to give you perspective http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eozV_mH8tnY or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e0YWPXiXYM or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw-o4LdKvAA


God I hate this show

Reactions: Like 1


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## Ultum4Spiderz (Aug 10, 2012)

Whiskers said:


> There is a Wolf Spider roaming around.  I have a Chilean Rose, would I be able to feed him this Wolf Spider, or would that be too dangerous for him to tackle?


I wouldnt suggest it..... Waste of a wold spider..  Ts are the strongest & can kill any Spider though
My G rosea wouldnt eat a Wolfy.. wolfys too small in ohio


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## Chris_Skeleton (Aug 10, 2012)

I don't get the point of feeding other spiders to your T... There is absolutely nothing beneficial in doing so.


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## Aviara (Aug 11, 2012)

I don't think the main question here should be whether you should feed other spiders specifically to your tarantulas. Of course tarantulas can take out other arachnids, and they do in the wild. When they don't have the comforts of captivity, a cricket is not supplied to them on a strict schedule every week or so. Instead, they have to kill and eat what passes by their burrow, or risk not having the opportunity to feed again for some time. It might be more risky than the feeder insects we commonly feed to our pets, like dubia cockroaches and crickets, but your tarantula can probably kill the wolf spider as long as it is a good deal larger than the wolf spider. Remember, the standard "rule of thumb" is that the prey item should not be larger than the tarantula's opisthosoma (abdomen). 

However, what is more important, and what many people seem to ignore, is that parasites, diseases, and pesticides exist in nature. Personally, I think the most emphasis should be put on pesticides. They are everywhere, regardless of your personal habits. Even if you have never put any sort of pesticide on your lawn, that doesn't stop your neighbors, local farmers, politically-driven general spraying, etc. etc. You're also not taking into account the ability of these chemicals to build up and to move via wind, rainfall and groundwater, and to accumulate in prey animals (in this case the prey that the wolf spider eats). Crickets, feeder roaches, meal worms and the like are extremely cheap. What's the cost to you of losing even one tarantula to the risk of pesticide poisioning?


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## SamuraiSid (Aug 11, 2012)

If you feed your Tarantula WC prey, Santa Claus is going to steal your christmas tree and your Wife will run off with the mail man! You've been warned!!!

If WC prey is so risky, I wonder what wild Tarantulas eat?

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Hobo (Aug 11, 2012)

Wild tarantulas eat wild prey, naturally.
But, you also have to think about how many wild tarantulas get sick or die from eating wild prey with communicable diseases/parasites/pesticides. Impossible to know without further studies, yes. That doesn't mean it may not happen. It's a risk.
Why would you want to replicate that risk in a captive environment when the goal is to keep the spiders as healthy and long lived as possible?
Why would you want to do that if you have an easy and safe alternative in feeder insects that eliminates that risk (at least pesticide wise)?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Stan Schultz (Aug 11, 2012)

SamuraiSid said:


> If you feed your Tarantula WC prey, Santa Claus is going to steal your christmas tree and your Wife will run off with the mail man! You've been warned!!!
> 
> If WC prey is so risky, I wonder what wild Tarantulas eat?


Big Macs. Hold the lettuce and the sauce. No fries, sandwich only. Large Coke, no ice.

:biggrin:

:laugh:

:roflmao:

Enjoy your little, 8-legged, fast food connoisseur!


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## cmcghee358 (Aug 12, 2012)

SamuraiSid said:


> If you feed your Tarantula WC prey, Santa Claus is going to steal your christmas tree and your Wife will run off with the mail man! You've been warned!!!
> 
> If WC prey is so risky, I wonder what wild Tarantulas eat?


I'm sure you understand that the life span difference between WC/Wild fed Tarantulas is shorter than the life span of CB/Controlled feeder fed pet Tarantulas right?


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## Wadew (Aug 12, 2012)

cmcghee358 said:


> I'm sure you understand that the life span difference between WC/Wild fed Tarantulas is shorter than the life span of CB/Controlled feeder fed pet Tarantulas right?


 "If " it is a shorter lifespan it is most likely because of a predator or habitat destruction! Studies have been done and processed food and a static diet is as unhealthy as poor quality diet. The living organism maintains its health from variety in the diet. Nature has provided the Tarantula with an external digestive system and  even parasites digest in the juices of the spider outside the body, with restricted diet enzymes and elements are never replenished! Food for thought.

                                                             -Wade

Reactions: Like 1


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## poisoned (Aug 12, 2012)

Wadew said:


> "If " it is a shorter lifespan it is most likely because of a predator or habitat destruction! Studies have been done and processed food and a static diet is as unhealthy as poor quality diet. The living organism maintains its health from variety in the diet. Nature has provided the Tarantula with an external digestive system and  even parasites digest in the juices of the spider outside the body, with restricted diet enzymes and elements are never replenished! Food for thought.
> 
> -Wade


I'm wondering how crickets, roaches and mealworms are processed?
Can you provide us links to those studies that have proven maintaining health with diet variety in tarantulas or at least invertebrates? AFAIK many inverts only eat one type of food.

I'm not saying that some variation in diet is not healthy, but I believe Ts diet in captivity is promoting its longevity.


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## Chris_Skeleton (Aug 12, 2012)

"It happens in the wild" is the stupidest reasoning/excuse for anything. That has nothing to do with our Ts, they are not in the wild.


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## Merfolk (Aug 14, 2012)

I know they can eat spiders, but I rarely feed those. Simply put :

1- Spiders being carnivores, they pile up whatever is toxic in their body way more than herbivore creatures do. Same goes with fish, in polluted areas they tell you to abstain from eating big predators but rather small insect eating specimens. Feeders should be mostly herbivores.

2-The venom of a few species of smaller spiders can actually harm a tarantula despite the size difference. If a black widow can put down a man, a milder sp could do lots of trouble to a creature 1000 times smaller. If you don't know about the effect of your local species, it's a risky practice indeed.


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## Anonymity82 (Aug 14, 2012)

I like the catch and keep it post. A free pet! Just do some research so you're not keeping a wolf spider in a betta cup


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## Stan Schultz (Aug 14, 2012)

Chris_Skeleton said:


> "It happens in the wild" is the stupidest reasoning/excuse for anything. That has nothing to do with our Ts, they are not in the wild.


Yeah, team! :clap:

Reactions: Like 1


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## Aviara (Aug 15, 2012)

Wadew said:


> "If " it is a shorter lifespan it is most likely because of a predator or habitat destruction! Studies have been done and processed food and a static diet is as unhealthy as poor quality diet. The living organism maintains its health from variety in the diet. Nature has provided the Tarantula with an external digestive system and  even parasites digest in the juices of the spider outside the body, with restricted diet enzymes and elements are never replenished! Food for thought.
> 
> -Wade


Yes, some parasites will be digested. No pesticides, however, will be removed or rendered harmless in the digestive process. And it is quite impossible to determine whether an area, and therefore an inhabitant, is pesticide-free. There are very few humans currently walking this earth who have no pesticide residues in their bodies. We pass them on to our children even before they are born, we take them in with every meal we eat, we're constantly exposed to them in the air, water, and on substances all around us. Insects are experiencing the same exposure to pesticides that we are, and regardless of how "safe" you view your lawn, the nearby forest, or even some national park to be - it's not. Captive-bred "feeder" insects have minimal exposure to pesticides, but you don't know what sort of exposure the cricket or grasshopper or wolf spider (etc.) outside has experienced, and what it is storing in its body. That's why I don't, and never will, feed any of my animals wild-caught prey.


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## o0 Mr Ed 0o (Aug 19, 2012)

I wouldnt do it to any of my T's, some may be carrying disease and could have come in contact with some sort of chemicals. Not worth the risk in my opinion =)


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