Brachypelmas albopilosum... Eating a watermelon

[Andy00]

So pasimachus beetles aren't just carnivorous? Maybe I'll try to feed mine some fruit someday

 

[BobBarley]

So pasimachus beetles aren't just carnivorous? Maybe I'll try to feed mine some fruit someday

I had thought that they were just carnivorous. But I saw a post of someone feeding a fruit (forgot which fruit it was) to their Pasimachus, and I decided to try it.

 

[BobBarley]

I had thought that they were just carnivorous. But I saw a post of someone feeding a fruit (forgot which fruit it was) to their Pasimachus, and I decided to try it.

Thought it was on AB, guess not: Pasimachus and fruit - General Beetle Discussions - BeetleForum.Net

 

[bryverine]

EulersK stands for Euler's Constant. Since so much of mathematics is done in German, and the German word for "constant" is "konstant", you'll see the letter "k" be used for a constant in mathematics most often. Hence, EulersK.

My undergraduate work was in mathematics, and I'm currently working on an MS in Industrial Engineering. Hence, Arachnoengineer

Beautifully nerdy, eh?

I'm more of an application type guy... all those math theories just hurt my brain...

Guess I know who I'm going to PM with math homework problems...

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

This is very interesting. Herbivory has been studied in several web building and wandering spider species (including Araneidae and Lycosidae) and the results concluded that it prolonged the life of experimental animals and provided much better reproductive success in females. It is thought that the additional nutrients, amino acids, and sugar (fructose and sucrose) is responsible for the apparent health benefits. These same studies also showed that of the studied spiders that are generally considered strictly carnivorous, they did in fact chose to eat non-animal matter (pollen and an artificial sucrose solution). It makes sense that orb weavers would come into contact with pollen and eat it by accident when recycling their webs, but in the studied wolf spiders it means they would have to come across it and find it by their olfactory senses (taste/ smell). It would then mean wold spiders would eat plant matter on purpose. It's an interesting thought that tarantulas or other sedentary ambush predators would choose to eat plant matter to supplement their carnivorous diet. In the wild, it would be very unlikely that a female tarantula would accidentally come across suitable plant material to consume for the nutrient and energy boost, but perhaps wandering male tarantulas would. Wandering males, like wandering spider species, would get the most benefit from fructose as they need the energy to keep them going in search of females. Immature tarantulas would likely get the same benefit as they need the energy and additional nutrients to keep growing. A summary of the research on the topic of herbivory in spiders can be found in the book "Spider Ecophysiology" published by Springer.

I like the out of the box thinking that led to seeing what would happen if a watermelon is given to a tarantula. It sort of implies that even tarantulas exhibit the same behavior and have similar nutritional needs as Araneomorph spiders. Too many times we accept that spiders are a certain way and never deviate from accepted beliefs. It's too bad as pet keepers we choose not to try something different because of the unfounded fear that something different could be detrimental to our pets' health and never learn anything new.

 

[Vanessa]

It is an interesting theory that spider digestive systems break down these materials with the same results that mammals get - the added energy from fructose and sucrose specifically. Although I could see them eating it as a source for hydration - it would not occur to me that they would derive the same benefits that we do from the sugar content. That is very interesting.
Females might have the opportunity to eat fruit if their burrows are situated under fruit trees. It would make for an easy meal when the ripened fruit fell from the trees en masse at certain times of the year. Maybe even becoming a main source at the end of the season when insects are in shorter supply?

 

[Trenor]

Salt on watermelon? Lol never tried that, I'll try it today.

How was it? I like the salty sweet you get with it. Just don't do the rookie move and over salt.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

I bet you people even feed their crickets watermelon sometimes.

I'm one of those people! Melon of all types, including watermelon, is a staple food source for my crickets and dubia roaches for its high water content. My dubia roaches can't seem to get enough of the melon and in turn they make up the primary diet of my Theraphosa adults and spiderlings. Since Viper69 pointed out the sugar content of fruit, now I'm convinced the roaches go after it, and other fruits, with such gusto because of it. It seems kind of obvious now.

 

[Trenor]

I want cheat codes for mathematics...

There isn't one. The best cheat code is a good understanding of the basics. Everything will keep showing up over and over again as you learn more advanced stuff. It was always a basic piece (like decimals or fractions) that tripped up people I tutored. They would get the Calculus idea fine but blow the simple basic stuff.

 

[magicmed]

This is very interesting. Herbivory has been studied in several web building and wandering spider species (including Araneidae and Lycosidae) and the results concluded that it prolonged the life of experimental animals and provided much better reproductive success in females. It is thought that the additional nutrients, amino acids, and sugar (fructose and sucrose) is responsible for the apparent health benefits. These same studies also showed that of the studied spiders that are generally considered strictly carnivorous, they did in fact chose to eat non-animal matter (pollen and an artificial sucrose solution). It makes sense that orb weavers would come into contact with pollen and eat it by accident when recycling their webs, but in the studied wolf spiders it means they would have to come across it and find it by their olfactory senses (taste/ smell). It would then mean wold spiders would eat plant matter on purpose. It's an interesting thought that tarantulas or other sedentary ambush predators would choose to eat plant matter to supplement their carnivorous diet. In the wild, it would be very unlikely that a female tarantula would accidentally come across suitable plant material to consume for the nutrient and energy boost, but perhaps wandering male tarantulas would. Wandering males, like wandering spider species, would get the most benefit from fructose as they need the energy to keep them going in search of females. Immature tarantulas would likely get the same benefit as they need the energy and additional nutrients to keep growing. A summary of the research on the topic of herbivory in spiders can be found in the book "Spider Ecophysiology" published by Springer.

I like the out of the box thinking that led to seeing what would happen if a watermelon is given to a tarantula. It sort of implies that even tarantulas exhibit the same behavior and have similar nutritional needs as Araneomorph spiders. Too many times we accept that spiders are a certain way and never deviate from accepted beliefs. It's too bad as pet keepers we choose not to try something different because of the unfounded fear that something different could be detrimental to our pets' health and never learn anything new.

So, if a captive T would eat watermelon,and it could possibly receive benefits from the melon, would giving T's a chunk of watermelon a couple times a year be a bad Idea? What do you think would be overdoing it? Or do you think it would be more detrimental than good?

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

So, if a captive T would eat watermelon,and it could possibly receive benefits from the melon, would giving T's a chunk of watermelon a couple times a year be a bad Idea? What do you think would be overdoing it? Or do you think it would be more detrimental than good?

I have no idea on any of your questions and that's the cool part! Since they are your pets, it's really up to you if you feel comfortable experimenting on them. I won't make any definitive conclusion on whether or not tarantulas derive any benefit from eating fruit or it would be a good idea to do it. All I can say though is based on the very limited research done already on spiders we accept to be primarily carnivorous, there should not be any detrimental effects, but positive ones. I really would like to know if your B. albopilosum would eat another piece of watermelon and if any other species would. If they would, it would be cool to know if spiderlings grow faster, mature males live longer, and if mated females produce bigger and/ or more fertile eggsacs.

 

[magicmed]

I have no idea on any of your questions and that's the cool part! Since they are your pets, it's really up to you if you feel comfortable experimenting on them. I won't make any definitive conclusion on whether or not tarantulas derive any benefit from eating fruit or it would be a good idea to do it. All I can say though is based on the very limited research done already on spiders we accept to be primarily carnivorous, there should not be any detrimental effects, but positive ones. I really would like to know if your B. albopilosum would eat another piece of watermelon and if any other species would. If they would, it would be cool to know if spiderlings grow faster, mature males live longer, and if mated females produce bigger and/ or more fertile eggsacs.

If it's been done in the past without ill effects, then I may just give it a shot. I do have 2 hapolopus sp columbia slings that are both at about 1cm. I could use one as a control and give the other a small slice once a month or so and see what happens.

Out of curiosity I think I will try a small slice to my Aphonopelma hentzi tomorrow.

 

[bryverine]

It was always a basic piece (like decimals or fractions) that tripped up people...

Ah, decimals, my old nemesis...

 

[Jerry]

@BobBarley Tajin is a Mexican seasoning of chili, lime, and salt. Sounds bizarre until you try it. It makes fruit even more juicy. Just don't eat it in front of others. The grunts made whiel consuming tajin can make others feel uncomfortable. They sell it at Walmart now.

Its also wonderful with tomato juice and a good beer

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

If it's been done in the past without ill effects, then I may just give it a shot. I do have 2 hapolopus sp columbia slings that are both at about 1cm. I could use one as a control and give the other a small slice once a month or so and see what happens.

Out of curiosity I think I will try a small slice to my Aphonopelma hentzi tomorrow.

I just hope you are not going to try anything based just on my, or other users', forum posts. I will only comment on my posts, which was a summary of a summary of controlled laboratory experiments of feeding a few non mygalomorph spiders either pollen or a sucrose solution. Not to mention my post(s) in this thread are prone to mistakes or inaccuracies. Although it is my opinion based on invertebrate physiology in general that there shouldn't be any detriment in feeding a tarantula watermelon or any other non acidic fruit, one really should do their own research and draw their own conclusions before experimenting.

 

[Cavedweller]

You'll have to start brushing your T's fangs now, otherwise all that sugar's going to give them cavities!

@BobBarley Tajin is a Mexican seasoning of chili, lime, and salt. Sounds bizarre until you try it. It makes fruit even more juicy. Just don't eat it in front of others. The grunts made whiel consuming tajin can make others feel uncomfortable. They sell it at Walmart now.

Man, I wish they sold just the lime and chili powder, I've tried the low-sodium kind but it's still too salty for my taste.

 

[BobBarley]

How was it? I like the salty sweet you get with it. Just don't do the rookie move and over salt.

Not good, I'll stick with straight-up melon from now on.

This is very interesting. Herbivory has been studied in several web building and wandering spider species (including Araneidae and Lycosidae) and the results concluded that it prolonged the life of experimental animals and provided much better reproductive success in females. It is thought that the additional nutrients, amino acids, and sugar (fructose and sucrose) is responsible for the apparent health benefits. These same studies also showed that of the studied spiders that are generally considered strictly carnivorous, they did in fact chose to eat non-animal matter (pollen and an artificial sucrose solution). It makes sense that orb weavers would come into contact with pollen and eat it by accident when recycling their webs, but in the studied wolf spiders it means they would have to come across it and find it by their olfactory senses (taste/ smell). It would then mean wold spiders would eat plant matter on purpose. It's an interesting thought that tarantulas or other sedentary ambush predators would choose to eat plant matter to supplement their carnivorous diet. In the wild, it would be very unlikely that a female tarantula would accidentally come across suitable plant material to consume for the nutrient and energy boost, but perhaps wandering male tarantulas would. Wandering males, like wandering spider species, would get the most benefit from fructose as they need the energy to keep them going in search of females. Immature tarantulas would likely get the same benefit as they need the energy and additional nutrients to keep growing. A summary of the research on the topic of herbivory in spiders can be found in the book "Spider Ecophysiology" published by Springer.

I like the out of the box thinking that led to seeing what would happen if a watermelon is given to a tarantula. It sort of implies that even tarantulas exhibit the same behavior and have similar nutritional needs as Araneomorph spiders. Too many times we accept that spiders are a certain way and never deviate from accepted beliefs. It's too bad as pet keepers we choose not to try something different because of the unfounded fear that something different could be detrimental to our pets' health and never learn anything new.

Very interesting! That particular I actually have two B. albos, with the one that ate the watermelon being the smaller one by about .75". I may keep fruits as part of its diet and see if it can outgrow the bigger albo. Thanks for the info!

EDIT: Oh, and I guess I should note, the albo treated the leftover watermelon like a normal bolus and threw it in the corner.

 

[Trenor]

Not good, I'll stick with straight-up melon from now on.

Maybe it's just a southern acquired taste.

 

[shining]

That's totes adorbs!!!!

It reminds me of my S. dehaani and an apple.
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/apples-and-dubias-its-whats-for-dinner.283712/

@AphonopelmaTX , do you have a link or something to those studies? That would be an interesting read.

 

[magicmed]

As far as salted watermelon- yes please, just like tomatoes, all you need is a little salt