[fact or fiction]Are Earwigs poisonous for T's?

[B00]

My little H. Tachira just got a hold of a little earwig that crawled into her enclosure. It got me thinking about something I read somewhere on-line that said Earwigs are poisonous for a Tarantula to eat. I'm not sure weather or not this is true, so I decided to bring this little bit of info here for some "myth-busting".

Also, I've never tried to get food away from a T before. I assumed if I give her a large meal, that she would do her happy dance and at some point put the food down to web it up. Then I could try and snatch it.

 

[Malhavoc's]

I believe earwigs release a noxious order when threatend and pinch with their hind quarters. rather then ask how an earwig got in, I'll say I would not worry I see earwigs eaten by other true spiders often with little effect, though they are not a favoured prey item they will be eaten. so I do not see any ill effect unless the noxious spell deters it, or it gets pinched by the back end of the earwig.

 

[JimM]

Most tarantulas naturally encounter much nastier items, by several orders of magnitude, than an earwig.

 

[B00]

It's not the Earwig it's self that poses a threat, it had something to do with the way a tarantula's venom broke-down the earwig's body and created some kind of toxin (harmful to the tarantula) in the processes.

 

[Malhavoc's]

again, doubtful, and never heard anything like it.

 

[Crysta]

you reminded me of an article i skimmed through before, but not sure if its worth the read cause i am still lazy to read it haha.

quote

"Avoid some earwigs and certain beetles (some earwigs and some beetles, such as chafer beetles, can be poisonous to tarantulas when eaten)."
http://atshq.org/articles/Caresheet.pdf

maybe that is where you saw it ?

 

[B00]

That's a similar warning to the article I read. I'm looking though some tarantula books to see if I can find it. I remember it going into a little more depth.

 

[Travis K]

It's not the Earwig it's self that poses a threat, it had something to do with the way a tarantula's venom broke-down the earwig's body and created some kind of toxin (harmful to the tarantula) in the processes.

Sounds like poppycock to me!
I have fed earwigs to some of my Ts before with no ill effect.

 

[Malhavoc's]

like I said earlier on the reason especialy for beetles is the noxious chemicles they hold and release on consumption to try and avoid said death, However. Earwigs do not seem to be so potent at least not NA species. not towards any wild spiders I've observed eating them anyway, mostly just those pincherso n the tail can latch on and cause some serious damage.

 

[BatGirl]

Insects crawling into the tarantula habitat = B A D

The other perhaps more important issue is 'where has the earwig been?'

You probably shouldn't have just any old insect entering your tarantula's habitat from sources unknown as they may be carring pesticides, parasites, etc. which can do great harm.:barf:

I'd put out some sticky traps for the vermin!