# Superworms... boy do they dig fast!



## RickysReptiles (Feb 5, 2015)

So today I decided to try my B. Smithi on a superworm. She hasn't been eating since she molted a couple of weeks ago, so I figured I'd try something other than a cricket. So, I toss in the worm and within just a few seconds the worm is gone. Dug itself into the substrate. haha! Is it oging to come to the surface and bite the spider? I feel dumb even saying that! But, seriously, should I worry?

I tossed in a cricket after, and she ate finally. So all is good in the hood. Now I'm picturing the worm moving through the soil and all I can see is this:

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Tarantula Fangs (Feb 5, 2015)

LOL, good post, just be careful when feeding your T's superworms. I spoke to a T owner who had such a beautiful Cobalt Blue but got eaten by some beetles when it went into molt, he said they must have dug in the enclosure and turned into beetles then ate his CB at her most vulnerable state, how sad.  So always keep an eye on those worms.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Sana (Feb 5, 2015)

Super worms can and will kill a tarantula.  I would remove the B. smithi from the enclosure immediately and sift substrate until I found the darn thing.  I don't use super worms for fear that this exact thing will happen and a prized pet will end up on the menu rather than the intended outcome.  Good luck!

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## RickysReptiles (Feb 5, 2015)

Sana said:


> Super worms can and will kill a tarantula.  I would remove the B. smithi from the enclosure immediately and sift substrate until I found the darn thing.  I don't use super worms for fear that this exact thing will happen and a prized pet will end up on the menu rather than the intended outcome.  Good luck!


Really? That sounds like a nightmare. She's put SO much work into rearranging her setup - I really don't want to have to mess it up up if I don't seriously need to.


----------



## BobGrill (Feb 5, 2015)

RickysReptiles said:


> Really? That sounds like a nightmare. She's put SO much work into rearranging her setup - I really don't want to have to mess it up up if I don't seriously need to.


Unfortunately you do need to, or you may end up with a dead spider.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## RickysReptiles (Feb 5, 2015)

BobGrill said:


> Unfortunately you do need to, or you may end up with a dead spider.


Dammit.  Ok.. sounds like I'm going to be digging tonight.


----------



## BobGrill (Feb 5, 2015)

The spider will rearrange its enclosure again.  I'd suggest not using superworms without first crushing the heads. Those jaws can do some massive damage to a tarantula.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## RickysReptiles (Feb 5, 2015)

BobGrill said:


> The spider will rearrange its enclosure again.  I'd suggest not using superworms without first crushing the heads. Those jaws can do some massive damage to a tarantula.


Yeah, I'm sure she will - still, shes done a lot of work this go'round. No worries. Gives me an excuse to hold her anyway! And I'll keep that in mind about the worms. Smushy smushy before feed. lol


----------



## TLover007 (Feb 5, 2015)

There is no need to crush heads every single time. But if like in this case, you are unsure if the T will eat (maybe premolt or fasting) then you can crush heads... i love feeding supers... but caution should be used... if in doubt, crush that head!! LOL

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## cold blood (Feb 5, 2015)

Like Bob, I recommend always crushing the head of a superworm...they can't burrow away, they won't turn into beetles, and they can't bit the t while its being killed.  They have huge mandibles, I see no reason not to disable them as the worm will still wriggle enough to get the t's attention.

And yeah, those superworms will burrow down, turn into beetles and lay dormant until a food source becomes available...and in a t enclosure the next food source WILL be your freshly molted t.   This pic is from a local that contacted me after finding his freshly molted GBB split open in the morning, with these beetles feeding at the source of the fatal wound.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Ellenantula (Feb 5, 2015)

Sana said:


> I would remove the B. smithi from the enclosure immediately and sift substrate until I found the darn thing.


I agree.  Within the last month I had to replace all of my rosie's substrate -- I only saved her web rug to return to cleaned tank, since I could see there was no worm in it. 
No regrets, even though she wasn't due to moult, better safe than sorry I say.
FWIW, I didn't find the mealworm, apparently she had eaten it afterall, because I sifted through the removed substrate and would have returned it to the beetle/larvae bin if I'd found it still viable.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## RickysReptiles (Feb 6, 2015)

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I went home after work, dug up the worm and disposed of it. Carmen, my T, is now safe and sound!

This is her:

Reactions: Like 3


----------



## Sana (Feb 6, 2015)

She's a beauty.  I'm glad to hear that she's safe and preparing to redecorate her enclosure.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Poec54 (Feb 6, 2015)

I like superworms for variety and because they last longer than crickets.  I use forceps for all my cage maintenance.  Many T's will take superworms post-molt when they're starving.  I drop them next to the spider, and if they're not grabbed within 2 or 3 seconds use the forceps to take them right out.  I don't need to crush their heads.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Sana (Feb 6, 2015)

Poec54 said:


> I like superworms for variety and because they last longer than crickets.  I use forceps for all my cage maintenance.  Many T's will take superworms post-molt when they're starving.  I drop them next to the spider, and if they're not grabbed within 2 or 3 seconds use the forceps to take them right out.  I don't need to crush their heads.


I just picked up some meal worms for a post molt treat and a little variety for my "kids".  Do they require the same level of caution as super worms do?


----------



## jigalojey (Feb 6, 2015)

Superworms are great, I also find the spectacular feeders for slings when I cut them up, just crush the head and they're harmless.


----------



## Poec54 (Feb 6, 2015)

Sana said:


> I just picked up some meal worms for a post molt treat and a little variety for my "kids".  Do they require the same level of caution as super worms do?


Yes.  You don't either roaming a cage.


----------



## Sana (Feb 6, 2015)

Poec54 said:


> Yes.  You don't either roaming a cage.


I thought that might be the case.  I'll be extremely vigilant and crush the head before I feed them.  Thanks!


----------



## cold blood (Feb 6, 2015)

Sana said:


> I thought that might be the case.  I'll be extremely vigilant and crush the head before I feed them.  Thanks!


Or stand guard with your tweezers on the ready.


----------



## Poec54 (Feb 6, 2015)

cold blood said:


> Or stand guard with your tweezers on the ready.



My preferred method.  I can't see pre-killing them.  That's the spider's job, not mine.  As it is, they loaf around all day when I'm at work; I'm not going to cut up their food and spoon feed them too.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Sana (Feb 6, 2015)

Poec54 said:


> My preferred method.  I can't see pre-killing them.  That's the spider's job, not mine.  As it is, they loaf around all day when I'm at work; I'm not going to cut up their food and spoon feed them too.


I'll start with you and Cold Blood's recommendation and see how it works for me.  I can understand not feeling like doing all the work for them and it would certainly cut down the time to feed if I didn't have to pre-kill.


----------



## BobGrill (Feb 6, 2015)

Poec54 said:


> My preferred method.  I can't see pre-killing them.  That's the spider's job, not mine.  As it is, they loaf around all day when I'm at work; I'm not going to cut up their food and spoon feed them too.


I can't see this working with certain species, like P.murinus.  sticking your hand in there with tongs/tweezers and trying to pull a struggling superworm out of the ground is really increasing the chances of having a bite or escape.


----------



## TLover007 (Feb 8, 2015)

BobGrill said:


> I can't see this working with certain species, like P.murinus.  sticking your hand in there with tongs/tweezers and trying to pull a struggling superworm out of the ground is really increasing the chances of having a bite or escape.


Agreed... i dont crush ever worm... but if its a pokie of mine that i know is prone to bolting or a T that I feel MIGHT be close to premolt i will just crush the head and save myself the WORK of having to remove that worm that digs sssoooo fast...


----------



## Ellenantula (Feb 9, 2015)

Just a brag ... my beetles have produced baby mealworms!  3 could fit on 1 oatmeal piece, so tiny, so they have probably been growing a few weeks but too small for me to notice?
Do I feed tiny mealworms to slings or just let them mature a bit more?
<----very proud mealworm mommy -- cuz I didn't BUY these -- I RAISED them! (okay, I'll shut up now):laugh:


----------



## eldondominicano (Feb 9, 2015)

Poec54 said:


> I like superworms for variety and because they last longer than crickets.  I use forceps for all my cage maintenance.  Many T's will take superworms post-molt when they're starving.  I drop them next to the spider, and if they're not grabbed within 2 or 3 seconds use the forceps to take them right out.  I don't need to crush their heads.


I do the exact same thing


----------



## edgeofthefreak (Feb 10, 2015)

Ellenantula said:


> Just a brag ... my beetles have produced baby mealworms!  3 could fit on 1 oatmeal piece, so tiny, so they have probably been growing a few weeks but too small for me to notice?
> Do I feed tiny mealworms to slings or just let them mature a bit more?
> <----very proud mealworm mommy -- cuz I didn't BUY these -- I RAISED them! (okay, I'll shut up now):laugh:


Mealworms aren't as bite happy as superworms, but I'd still make you see that tiny worm gets eaten, or promptly removed.

Also, grats on your brood! They're almost cute when they're that small, yah?

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## miserykills (Feb 11, 2015)

I love superworms for variety for most of my tarantulas and it seems like my G. rosea who is usually a pretty picky eater (as expected) almost never turns down a superworm. I don't crush the heads I just drop them near the spider and if they don't IMMEDIATELY go for it I pick it up and drop it again a couple times with some 10" tongs until they go for it.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## freedumbdclxvi (Feb 11, 2015)

So few of my spiders go for them, i find it's just easier to give them to my monitors.


----------



## bchbum11 (Feb 11, 2015)

I always crush the heads on supers before feeding, and I use them as a staple for many of my larger Ts. Even with a crushed head they'll still wiggle around for quite a while. Most Ts with a strong feeding response will take them right away, but some of the shyer ones will find and eat them a day or 2 after they are dropped in. I've had several, Brachys in particular, that have refused to eat them from tongs or strike at a falling target, but are more than happy to grab and consume them after the lights are out. Head crushing sounds brutal, but the worms fate is already sealed, so I don't see any point in leaving anything to chance. It only takes a second, allows the spider to eat at its leisure, and removes the possibility of prey becoming predator.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Sana (Feb 11, 2015)

bchbum11 said:


> I always crush the heads on supers before feeding, and I use them as a staple for many of my larger Ts. Even with a crushed head they'll still wiggle around for quite a while. Most Ts with a strong feeding response will take them right away, but some of the shyer ones will find and eat them a day or 2 after they are dropped in. I've had several, Brachys in particular, that have refused to eat them from tongs or strike at a falling target, but are more than happy to grab and consume them after the lights are out. Head crushing sounds brutal, but the worms fate is already sealed, so I don't see any point in leaving anything to chance. It only takes a second, allows the spider to eat at its leisure, and removes the possibility of prey becoming predator.


Is it still possible for them to burrow with the head crushed though?  I've heard terrifying stories about crickets with crushed heads up and running around the enclosure the next morning.


----------



## cold blood (Feb 11, 2015)

They won't be able to burrow with a crushed head.  Its the main reason to do the crush.


----------



## Ellenantula (Feb 11, 2015)

edgeofthefreak said:


> Mealworms aren't as bite happy as superworms, but I'd still make you see that tiny worm gets eaten, or promptly removed.
> 
> Also, grats on your brood! They're almost cute when they're that small, yah?


Thank you, I am so proud you'd think I did more than just throw beetles into an enclosure together. :biggrin:
Now... Ignorant newbie alert:
I thought they were the same thing but superworms had been treated/medicated somehow so they would grow bigger and not molt into beetles.

---------- Post added 02-11-2015 at 11:05 AM ----------




miserykills said:


> I love superworms for variety for most of my tarantulas and it seems like my G. rosea who is usually a pretty picky eater (as expected) almost never turns down a superworm. I don't crush the heads I just drop them near the spider and if they don't IMMEDIATELY go for it I pick it up and drop it again a couple times with some 10" tongs until they go for it.


Well, that was how I got my first G _rosea _threat posture -- I put in a mealworm, it tried to burrow, I pulled it back, re-offered it -- my Rosie found this offensive behavior on my part (or just really really wasn't in the mood for a mealworm).  I had to let her chill for 10 minutes before I could retrieve it.  Luckily, it got mangled in her web carpet and hadn't burrowed yet and she had walked away so I could proceed with caution.
I have also lost a mealworm (before I knew how quick they could burrow and that I needed to be on stand-by with tongs).  Hence, having to change out her substrate last month looking for mealworm lost months ago.


----------



## Sana (Feb 11, 2015)

Ellenantula said:


> Thank you, I am so proud you'd think I did more than just throw beetles into an enclosure together. :biggrin:
> Now... Ignorant newbie alert:
> I thought they were the same thing but superworms had been treated/medicated somehow so they would grow bigger and not molt into beetles.
> 
> ...


That's such a pain.  I stand guard over them in a rather extreme fashion to avoid having to go digging.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Tim Benzedrine (Feb 11, 2015)

Ellenantula said:


> Thank you, I am so proud you'd think I did more than just throw beetles into an enclosure together. :biggrin:


I put about 50 pupae in a tub and as they transformed into beetles I'd transfer those into anther tub. After I had about fifty beetles I left them for a couple weeks and moved them again. I removed them after a few weeks and moved them to another tub. Now I have tiny ones in the tub I first kept the beetles in, but I won't be able to determine if I got a large yield until they get big enough to sift out and count..

I'm doing it more as a past-time, it's easier to buy a tub of them. So far, all of my spiders accept them, and the genic accepts the beetles as well. I haven't tried beetles on the others, they are still too small, but the LP is getting into the territory. Although it is such a coward that I'm guessing it will flee from them if I don't kill them ahead of time.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Tim Benzedrine (Mar 2, 2015)

I just did a head count of my small colony. Approximately 301 new mealworms of varying sizes, from teeny to roughly full grown. 301! Beat that, Ellenantula!

Wow,I could make a fortune at this. Lessee...at 50 per tub, that's six tubs, and  at 1.49 a tub I could make...uh...$8.94. Every three or 4 months at this rate!

Jeeze, I just spent 45 minutes individually inventorying mealworms. I really need to get a life.  Maybe if I hadn't named each one, it wouldn't be so bad.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Ellenantula (Mar 2, 2015)

I am guessing about 250 - 300 here. 
I can't count them!
Being methodical, I started sifting through their container from left to right, and was beginning to think I had less than 100.
But then I hit paydirt (and frass powder) on the right side of the container.
Took me forever to get a pix because they kept burrowing back down before I could get my phone ready and focused, 

Appreciate your math -- I wonder if I could quit my job.
Not to brag, but I have crickets too.
I might could bring in $15 bucks every few months.
That's like free Chinese take-out every 90 days!
Free! (nodding)


----------



## bscheidt1020 (Mar 2, 2015)

Poec54 said:


> I like superworms for variety and because they last longer than crickets.  I use forceps for all my cage maintenance.  Many T's will take superworms post-molt when they're starving.  I drop them next to the spider, and if they're not grabbed within 2 or 3 seconds use the forceps to take them right out.  I don't need to crush their heads.


I have a hard time getting my OBT to take them this way unless she is very hungry...same with other skittish "hiders." Sometimes getting the superworm close enough to the T is tough if the T has a really good hiding place. Lucky for me, my OBT has some impressive skills when it comes to digging up worms. I spot the others through the bottom of her tub and take em out within a day or so. I think the skittish species hesitate to eat if they sense a disturbance to their cage which can give the superworm time to burrow. Head crushing has worked for me but I have seen worms still burrow after this and some that just die and cease movement. Not helpful for feeding spiders. Superworm head crushing seems to be an acquired skill. You want to kill em, but avoid "overkill" which can cause the worm to cease any twitching from nerves or whatnot.


----------



## Tim Benzedrine (Mar 2, 2015)

Sounds like we are about even. But, I've never had much luck with crickets. The best I ever did was a breakout of them in a B. smithi enclosure years ago.
 How many beetles did you start with? I had roughly fifty, give or take a few. Seems like a low yield of worms to me, but I don't know how many eggs a female produces over time.
And maybe I have a much higher male-to-female ratio. I dunno.


----------



## Ellenantula (Mar 3, 2015)

Tim Benzedrine said:


> Sounds like we are about even. But, I've never had much luck with crickets. The best I ever did was a breakout of them in a B. smithi enclosure years ago.
> How many beetles did you start with? I had roughly fifty, give or take a few. Seems like a low yield of worms to me, but I don't know how many eggs a female produces over time.
> And maybe I have a much higher male-to-female ratio. I dunno.


Sorry, I started with fewer.  I ordered 50 (but received probably 55 since they always throw in a few extra).
10 died within first week or so (well, they were black and crunchy -- I tossed 'em -- hope they were dead).
Another 6 or 7 died the second week.
OBT ate 10 or so of them, Rosie ate at least 1.
I think I had around 20-25 beetles that were allowed to breed.

Oh, and sorry about my count -- I didn't consider there are probably more mealworms in the newer bin I put the beetles in a few weeks ago.
But those would probably still be too tiny to sort and count.
It's time to move the beetles into yet another container.
But I probably won't.
I haven't found any dead meal worms from my breeding, so I guess the ones you raise yourself are either healthier or shipping causes early death.


----------



## mjlim0802 (Mar 3, 2015)

Quick question, does this also apply to regular mealworms? Should I dig them out?


----------



## TypicalCricket (Mar 3, 2015)

edgeofthefreak said:


> Mealworms aren't as bite happy as superworms, but I'd still make you see that tiny worm gets eaten, or promptly removed.


The last thing you want is for a big ol' beetle to come burrowing out from the ground and give your spider a nip on the backside.


----------



## edgeofthefreak (Mar 4, 2015)

TypicalCricket said:


> The last thing you want is for a big ol' beetle to come burrowing out from the ground and give your spider a nip on the backside.


Beetle or worm, both are equally bad news! Git 'em outta thar!

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Ellenantula (Mar 4, 2015)

edgeofthefreak said:


> Beetle or worm, both are equally bad news! Git 'em outta thar!


Agreed,  Mealworm, superworm, pupae, beetle -- remove immediately if not consumed
I don't leave a crix or roach in either.
You spend time replacing all the substrate from one lost mealworm and you won't ever be lax again either!

EllenSAFETYantula here.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## gambite (Mar 5, 2015)

super worms are a pain to feed with because of this. This might be a case where its actually useful to use a shallow dish or bowl to leave the worms in, the T will find it eventually.

Reactions: Like 1


----------

