Do you ever feel bad for the prey?

sid1221

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 17, 2016
Messages
15
Since you own a tarantula, is the empathy there for little critters like the prey that you feed your tarantulas? Ever made eye contact with a cricket right before he or she leaves this world?
 

Ryan C

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May 11, 2016
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2
Nah, the best part is leaving it in there for a bit. Then hearing the T take it down while you are watching tv or something, like a bear trap going off. Pretty satisfying :p. Best not to gett attached lol.
 

LuiziBee

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Apr 19, 2012
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321
Yeah. I try not to pay attention to the crickets. In my early days, I used to spend more time watching them than my tarantulas (let's face it. Crickets can be pretty entertaining to watch) and would feel especially guilty.
 

14pokies

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Oct 25, 2014
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In my early days, I used to spend more time watching them (let's face it. Crickets can be pretty entertaining to watch) .
I breed my own crickets and love watching them late at night.. They are always so damn busy.. Watching them and listening to them churp puts me right to sleep..Lol
 

louise f

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Jul 8, 2012
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Since you own a tarantula, is the empathy there for little critters like the prey that you feed your tarantulas? Ever made eye contact with a cricket right before he or she leaves this world?
First of all love that avatar:D
No i dont feel guilty about feeding T's with chricks or whatever. They have to eat too. That's just nature of life. If i was going to feel guilty about it, i wouldn't even own T's in the first place. I dont feel guilty either when putting my teeth in a nice big steak,and feel sorry for the cow :DNo way.
 

Andrea82

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Jan 12, 2016
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I don't feel sorry for prey when just tossing it in. What i don't like doing is crushing heads. A quick death is way more preferable than watching it squirm and struggle.
But i am a bit of a hypocrite i guess, since i don't keep snakes because of their food being mice and rats..
 

Haemus

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Feb 11, 2016
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128
Yah, I like munching on veggie sticks and feeding them the ends. They even have their own glass enclosure lol. On the flip side I love choosing out a nice fat worm after a molt :)
 

chanda

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I try not to think about it. It is, after all, the natural order of things that some animals are predators and others are prey. Generally it doesn't bother me - especially not when I'm just tossing them in alive and intact - but when I have an animal that requires special care (like ripping the back legs off a cricket so it will be easier to catch) I do feel a little bit bad about doing that. At least tarantulas usually kill their prey quickly - mantises don't bother with such niceties. They just grab hold and start eating, so it isn't uncommon to see one munching on half of a cricket - and then realize that the thing is still alive and struggling.

When I've had orb weaver spiders that were picky eaters and wanted moths instead of crickets, I've found myself being a bit picky about which ones to feed them. I'd leave my porch light on, then go out and look for some nice, plump candidates - but if they were especially pretty or a species I hadn't seen before, I'd let them go and wait for one of the grey splat-on-the-windshield moths to come along instead. When it comes to feeding my snake, I absolutely hate feeding live prey. I'm so glad he'll take frozen/thawed instead! That way I don't have to hear it squeak.
 

BossRoss

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Sep 18, 2014
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74
Since you own a tarantula, is the empathy there for little critters like the prey that you feed your tarantulas? Ever made eye contact with a cricket right before he or she leaves this world?
Not even Ace himself felt empathy for all creatures... Even if I need to pull off the Ovipositor I don't feel much for them. It is the cycle of life. If you have been on a game drive/safari and seen a lion taking down and killing a zebra, or similar, then you will know the wild is cruel and harsh.

That being said my crickets/roaches get the best vegetables and cricket crunch, they live a wonderful life up until they become the necessity for my Tarantula's wonderful life.
 

tonyiscool65

Arachnopeon
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Jun 3, 2016
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36
I had a dubia that I named papa roach in my T's enclosure. my regalis was in premolt so he was in there for like a month. Let's just say I was a little sad when I checked on my T one night to see papa roach in her mouth :( RIP Papa roach.
 

Matabuey

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
96
Nope, because I think locusts and the like are disgusting/ugly animals.

Unlike cute mice or chicks, that I have to feed to my snakes. Makes me wish my snakes could be veggie haha.
 

louise f

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Joined
Jul 8, 2012
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936
What i don't like doing is crushing heads.
Haha, i dont mind that either. That is the best part :p:D Just joking :angelic: If i should mind that, i would have to sit and prey :angelic::angelic:for poor chricks and meal worms every second day hundreds of them.. Gees peeps you need to get some more T`s :):D
 

Andrea82

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Jan 12, 2016
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Haha, i dont mind that either. That is the best part :p:D Just joking :angelic: If i should mind that, i would have to sit and prey :angelic::angelic:for poor chricks and meal worms every second day hundreds of them.. Gees peeps you need to get some more T`s :):D
:eek:
Chris is right, you ARE a bloodthirsty viking underneath that nice lady-form! :D
Jk ;)
 

AphonopelmaTX

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Since you own a tarantula, is the empathy there for little critters like the prey that you feed your tarantulas? Ever made eye contact with a cricket right before he or she leaves this world?
Well now I do since you put it like that. :(
 
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