Earth worms as prey for Hysterocrates sp?/ larger Theraphosids

[Venom1080]

Just wanted to add on..

I've kept using worms since, good fatty feeders but arboreals seem to have trouble with them stretching and poking them from behind. Some of my Avics just drop theirs.

 

[Poec54]

did you try the deep frier? Everything's good if its fried

Well, that explains your breath. They taste like chicken, right? Do the grocery stores get snowed in during the winter and you have to resort to whatever feeders you have on hand? I don't know that I'd ever get that hungry.

 

[14pokies]

Just wanted to add on..

I've kept using worms since, good fatty feeders but arboreals seem to have trouble with them stretching and poking them from behind. Some of my Avics just drop theirs.

Same here, I still use them pretty regularly. I mainly feed them to my large terrestrials, Theraphosa and larger baboons etc.. I haven't tried them with any of my arboreals, they get horn worms instead.

The nightcrawlers are a nice addition to my selection of feeders and are taken eagerly by every species I have offered them too.

 

[cold blood]

Same here, I still use them pretty regularly. I mainly feed them to my large terrestrials, Theraphosa and larger baboons etc.. I haven't tried them with any of my arboreals, they get horn worms instead.

The nightcrawlers are a nice addition to my selection of feeders and are taken eagerly by every species I have offered them too.

funny, the only ts ive given them to with any regularity is large arboreals...specifically pokies.

Using sterilite, my vent holes are large enough to put a worm through and hold it for them to take.

 

[14pokies]

funny, the only ts ive given them to with any regularity is large arboreals...specifically pokies.

Using sterilite, my vent holes are large enough to put a worm through and hold it for them to take.

It's not out of the question, I just haven't offered it to any of my arboreals yet. I happen to like my pokies a little more than most of my terrestrials so they get the more expensive horn worms ..​

 

[Rittdk01]

i just used whatever ones i caught off my driveway after a rain.
good feeders overall.

I would never feed something to my t’s I found outside.

To the op—I have used bait crawlers to feed my bigger tarantulas. The lp and T stirmi jump on them.

 

[14pokies]

I would never feed something to my t’s I found outside.

To the op—I have used bait crawlers to feed my bigger tarantulas. The lp and T stirmi jump on them.

Yea, out of all my T's the pair of stirmi I have seem to really go nuts for them.. Lol..

I have heard from other keepers that they eat massive worms in there native habitat.. I'm not sure how true that is, it's just what I've been told.

 

[Venom1080]

I would never feed something to my t’s I found outside.

To the op—I have used bait crawlers to feed my bigger tarantulas. The lp and T stirmi jump on them.

Well, aren't you responsible?

I've been doing this for 3 years now. On and off. I don't trust bait shops much either.

 

[Paul1126]

Leftovers from taking the nephew fishing...always end up with bonus earthworms and wax worms.

I have a question completely unrelated (apologies). I like to feed different things to my Ts and have been using mealworms, what substrate do you use for them? I find the oats go bad in less than a week.
I've had to chuck 40 or so mealworms out because of this.

 

[cold blood]

I have a question completely unrelated (apologies). I like to feed different things to my Ts and have been using mealworms, what substrate do you use for them? I find the oats go bad in less than a week.
I've had to chuck 40 or so mealworms out because of this.

i dont keep them on sub....i keep them in the fridge...they go dormant and last a long long time.

I do keep supers on a bed of oats, but they never go bad....ive had the same oats in there for like a year....just keep everything dry.

 

[Venom1080]

I have a question completely unrelated (apologies). I like to feed different things to my Ts and have been using mealworms, what substrate do you use for them? I find the oats go bad in less than a week.
I've had to chuck 40 or so mealworms out because of this.

I've used cheerios before.

I do find dead mealworms and beetles sometimes, but i don't think it's because of the oats. Just keep water far far away from the cage.

Mold kills mealworms like the plague.

 

[StampFan]

There some some older threads with Stan Schultz where the consensus appeared to be that its impossible to minimize/ignore the pesticide exposure and accumulation risk in any earthworms/night crawlers, even in bait shop stock. That said, quite a bit of research and folks witnessing t's eating earthworms in the wild.

 

[Nightstalker47]

Ive used them for many species....all seem to take them readily....pokies really dig them, at least mine do.

I will say that a whole earthworm is a formidible opponent....i always cut them in half....still a large meal.

Same here man. I buy the large ones so they are probably around 5" long. Good enough to feed two spiders, and saves them from struggling with it.

First time I tried them was when I had leftovers from fishing too. Some of my spiders won't readily take them but there's a few gluttons that do. It's not something I feed often though, only once in a blue moon.

@14pokies Never had any issues with them being contaminated, just make sure to buy a fresh batch, sometimes their half dead if they've been sitting there for too long.

I have been feeding my pair of African Bulfrogs the same worms for months and they go crazy for them. Never had any issues.

There some some older threads with Stan Schultz where the consensus appeared to be that its impossible to minimize/ignore the pesticide exposure and accumulation risk in any earthworms/night crawlers, even in bait shop stock. That said, quite a bit of research and folks witnessing t's eating earthworms in the wild.

Same could be said about pretty much any feeders. As they are primarily fed fruits/vegetables that have likely been exposed to pesticides somewhere down the line. Heck so do we, it's not like the fruit you buy in grocery stores is pesticide free. I would think that if the nightcrawlers really had pesticide build up they wouldn't be alive.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

I have heard from other keepers that they eat massive worms in there native habitat.. I'm not sure how true that is, it's just what I've been told.

It is 100 percent true...

Nyffeler, Martin, et al. "Spiders feeding on earthworms revisited: consumption of giant earthworms in the tropics." Journal of Arachnology 45.2 (2017): 242-247.
Download Open Access Article

 

[Sergic]

Has anyone tried setting up an enclosure with living earthworms for a tarantula to feed on?
This thread by @Venom1080 discussed P. muticus sometimes refusing to eat when kept on deep substate. http://arachnoboards.com/threads/keeping-p-muticus-on-shallow-substrate.300128/
It seems like it might be worth setting up an enclosure with deep topsoil and live earthworms as constantly available food. Has anyone tried this? Or, is there a reason this would not be worth trying?

 

[Venom1080]

Has anyone tried setting up an enclosure with living earthworms for a tarantula to feed on?
This thread by @Venom1080 discussed P. muticus sometimes refusing to eat when kept on deep substate. http://arachnoboards.com/threads/keeping-p-muticus-on-shallow-substrate.300128/
It seems like it might be worth setting up an enclosure with deep topsoil and live earthworms as constantly available food. Has anyone tried this? Or, is there a reason this would not be worth trying?

Cage would have to be very large. Else the spider will eat them all quickly and get super fat.

Feeding the wroms is another thing to worry about, but I don't think that would be very hard.

I also hear that the worms die in higher temperatures. Like low 80s.

 

[Sergic]

Cage would have to be very large. Else the spider will eat them all quickly and get super fat.

Good point. Maybe introduce a few worms at a time, but use free-digging worms as the primary feeder.

I'd imagine feeding the worms is easy as long as there are isopods or springtails to clean up any mold that grows on the worm food.

My house stays between 72 and 78 year round. All of my spiders are healthy, but they do seem to grow noticeably slower than the same species kept a bit warmer.

 

[Venom1080]

Good point. Maybe introduce a few worms at a time, but use free-digging worms as the primary feeder.

I'd imagine feeding the worms is easy as long as there are isopods or springtails to clean up any mold that grows on the worm food.

My house stays between 72 and 78 year round. All of my spiders are healthy, but they do seem to grow noticeably slower than the same species kept a bit warmer.

I already use leaves in alot of my cages. Shouldn't be hard.

That would be cool to try. Have to be a humid species too. Like Hysterocrates or Megaphobema.

 

[Sergic]

I figured those two, or any Asian fossorial. I haven't kept any humid fossorials yet, but it may be worth a try if I get into keeping them.

 

[14pokies]

It is 100 percent true...

Nyffeler, Martin, et al. "Spiders feeding on earthworms revisited: consumption of giant earthworms in the tropics." Journal of Arachnology 45.2 (2017): 242-247.
Download Open Access Article

Ahh.. Links that give us a glimpse into the natural habits of these beasts.. I love it, thanks for stopping in.. I'm tied up ATM but as soon as I can read the article I will.