Bean beetles as feeders!

Realevil1

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 7, 2016
Messages
56
Bean beetles - Callosobruchus maculatus are gaining popularity as food staples for dart frogs where available. I read they are also a good choice for Mantids, Spiders and Tarantulas.
Ive seen them mentioned once or twice on here now.

Bean beetles are 30% higher in protein than crickets, and are much much easier to cultivate (breed) as a steady supply of food.

If creatures as delicate as dart frogs and other small terrestrial frogs are able to consume these small insects without issues you would think spiderlings would have no problem right?
(Well frogs are known to consume poisonous ants aswell.)

Now this being said, Bean beetles diet contains toxins due to the high lectins in the beans they consume.
??This doesnt seem to bother frogs of any kind as far as whats been researched on this topic.
but will it have an effect on Arachnids. that i dont know....

SO is anyone else using bean beetles as a food source currently?

I may make the leap to keeping this species of beetle as a feeder to see how it works out.

I believe variety in diet is crucial for any captive species kept, whether that be Insects, arachnids, amphibians, reptiles and even birds!
 

Bread

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 11, 2016
Messages
26
They are sold as weevils here in the UK, I've used them for tiny (1cm) slings and have mixed results.
various baboons/incei seem to have no problem with them, but the more docile (as adult) T's such as brachys/Grammastola run away from them.

I bought mine as a small tub with about 50 beans in there and thought huh it's small. a week later there are literally 500 weevils in there. they can climb flat plastic and glass so watch for escapees.

** these are the ones I bought.
http://www.thespidershop.co.uk/bean-weevil-culture-p-1682.html#.V9QtLigrKkE
 

Kymura

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 1, 2015
Messages
182
Nothing wrong with a bit of protein :)
Your very bad..same thing my son said about the things living in the rice sack...:depressed:
The fda allows a certain percentage of "insect matter" inside of various products we consume. Peanut butter scores high on the list.​
Gah!!! Don't remind me!:sour:


Now, I have a few tiny slings. Thought about these before, may give them a try if they are harmless to my 8-legged kids.
 
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