Birds...

[That_Guy]

Has anyone REALLY givin a blondi or something of that size a bird? Im not saying a full grown bird, like a duckling or a chick?

 

[bluerich74]

I dont know but i saw one on tv eat a 2 to 3 ft. fer-de-lance(venomous snake).said it took it 17 hrs.looked like a peice of flat leather when the blondi drug it out of its den.

 

[pelo]

I've not done it myself,but I'm sure a mature T.blondi would have no problem with a duckling or chick.Personally I don't think I could bring myself to tossing a duckling or chick into a T.blondi cage...pinkies,frogs,lizards..yea I could bring myself to that...

>I've got three parrots....you should see them go into a frenzy when I showed them a T...so there must be some potential for T's to be a threat..even to full grown birds......peace..

>my meyers parrot isn't much bigger than a duckling.It has it's moments and can screech an ear peircing scream.Now that I've got the T.blondi..lol..I'll have to make sure to clean the feathers out the tank..lol..girlfriend would have my hide..lol.....Come on J.D..screech once more...lol....

 

[si_sleaf]

I was talking to a friend the other day who keeps parrots and cockatiels who told me that there are some parrots which literally drop dead when they SEE a Tarantula (I assume only a big one like a blondi). He thinks it's probably the shock and fear that gets them, heart attack or something.

So I wonder if that's true, anybody else heard this? Could explain why your birds don't like them.

 

[rapunzel]

I used to breed cockatiels and

whenever they would see a housespider on the wall, they would freak out. Nature, i suppose. They are naturally afraid of the 'unknown'.
I could NEVER feed something like a chick or a duckling to a T, but the petstore used to carry frozen chicks. I always assumed they were for the snakes.

 

[pelo]

I don't think a T is much of a threat to a parrot in the open...but you let a T into a parrots nesting hole.It's a threat for sure.It'll kill both adults and young..same goes for snakes.They're a threat to them also."Instinct"tells them so.Most parrots are from places that have a wide variety of lethal T's and snakes...from south america to Africa.My parrots also go into a frenzy around snakes....peace..

 

[That_Guy]

I only brought this up cause when I go to the flea market, they sell ducklings and chicks there. I just thought of another food source

 

[pelo]

I'm sure your T.blondi would have no quarrel if you were to toss a chick or duckling it's way."Variety" of foods is also the best way to keep them healthy.What's lacking in one food source may be abundant in another.I'd be leary of a live chick though.They may just do some damage with their sharp claws and beaks...even live ducklings.Pre-kill would probably be the best method.If it's the thrill of the kill you seek...maybe a small non-venomous snake or lizard.It'd be an interesting watch .....peace...

 

[Vys]

Well, I must say don't think I'd ever feed a live bird or even rat/mouse of anykind to a T. That being so though, obviosuly doesn't prevent my bloodthirsty side from cheering at the thought of a finch visiting the cage of a big Poecilotheria
Chicks and such birds just sound boring, to be honest.

 

[mebebraz]

this was in the caresheets

 

[That_Guy]

Originally posted by mebebraz
this was in the caresheets

Thats why I brought this up. And no, its not the thrill of the kill, it was just different food's.

 

[RugbyDave]

thats a cool photo.... and come on, admit it, part of it IS the thrill of the kill -- it's ok!

I don't think ANY of us are like, weary or anything, about feeding our Ts... I don't think any of us look with disgust when feeding time comes around.....we may not all look on with intensity since we've seen it so many times, and once you get about 60 Ts it becomes too long to watch everyone eat, but there's always been a level of intrigue with watching them eat.

its ok

pce
dave

 

[pelo]

Ain't it so....feeding time is great.Watching each T take the prey...differences in quickness,stealth and ferocity.It's one of the many characteristics of a T and like Dave said...part of it is the "thrill of the kill"....whether one likes to admit it or not.....peace....

 

[RugbyDave]

yes i agree with you and dave


later

 

[TarantuChimp]

What exactly denfines "Bird eater" or is that just a common name for particular species? I have seen Salmon pinks called a Bird eater before, correct me where necessary.

 

[RugbyDave]

just names that carried over from the good ole days...

and they have been seen eating birds in the wild, but VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY rarely... just one of those crazy misnomers, rooted in a very small amount of truth, like if I say "our very smart president" or "that beautiful woman rosie o'donnell"

ahhhhh the opinion police will be on my tail in, say, oh, 5 minutes?

but yeah, i mean, birds def. are NOT a staple in the T diet.. in fact i'd be surprised if they ate them more than a couple times a year. and even then, there's a question of: did the T catch the bird or is it just eating a dead bird?

so who really knows. untill we can live like a T and with a T for a long time, i guess we'll never know (it would get mighty cramped in the burrow i'd venture to say)

pce
dave

 

[MrDeranged]

@Mark,

Actually, it was in the gallery, not the caresheets

@Tarantuchimp,

Birdeater is pretty much common for any CA or SA tarantula

Baboon is common for an African tarantula

Earthtiger is common for an asian tarantula

This is by no means a hard and fast rule, but in general if any of those nomickers are in the tarantulas name, you can figure out where it's from.

Scott

 

[Steve Nunn]

I think the true bird eaters will end up being the new giant arboreals from Asia found coming into the trade. Phormingochilus and Cyriopagopus spp. that grow to incredible sizes (equaling T.blondi in some cases, info from Soren Rafin and Mark Pennell).

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Vys]

Wooo
No chance they're kind as seaweed ?