Feeders that can be mailed in a small amount?

Spyders

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 18, 2017
Messages
27
I have 1 adult Mexican Redknee. I bought her as an adult and always fed her crickets. I usually feed her 6-7 "large" crickets every two weeks (not really that large...just what Petco calls them). She's the only pet I have that eats live food, so I would normally just go out to buy them each time. But with the pandemic and my city being one of the worst hotspots in the US, I'm leaving the house less and less (we have 3 immunocompromised people living in the house so leaving the house is a big deal to us). Is there an appropriate food I can have mailed to me? She's generally not a good eater - she often lets the crickets hop around for an hour before she eats them, so I don't think she will eat prey thats not moving (but I can try).

Is there any feeders that can be mail delivered?
Would they be the right size for a full grown T?
Would they be alive and moving when I feed them to her?
How long is "too long" in between feedings?
If I can't get feeders delivered, I'm wondering if I can go longer between feedings without causing her discomfort. She's got what to me looks like a very large, plump abdomen, so I dont think she's in danger of going hungry... In fact I wonder if she's a bit "fat." LOL Her abdomen is easily twice as long as her carapace and a bit wider. It's been about 10 months since she last molted.
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
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Mar 7, 2012
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4,096
Is there any feeders that can be mail delivered?
Many live feeders can be shipped, although sites may have minimum quantity requirements.


Would they be the right size for a full grown T?
If you pick something the right size, yes. Otherwise, you can feed more of something smaller.


Would they be alive and moving when I feed them to her?
It depends on what they are and how you're keeping them. Mealworms, for example, can be kept chilled to prevent them from pupating and developing into beetles. (When you're ready to feed, take out the mealworm, let it warm up and feed on some fruit or veggies to rehydrate, crush the head, and give it to your tarantula.)


How long is "too long" in between feedings?
It depends on the spider, but plump arid species can go a long time (weeks) between feedings.

Another member just found an Aphonopelma chalcodes that had been missing in his house for a week. She was skinny but still alive.
 

Smotzer

ArachnoGod
Arachnosupporter +
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Jan 17, 2020
Messages
5,275
You can order roaches online, and feed them. You can also order super worms and use them. Just have to feed a few at a time depending on size.

but you can go mamy multiples of weeks in between feeding on rather plump adults.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
I have 1 adult Mexican Redknee. I bought her as an adult and always fed her crickets. I usually feed her 6-7 "large" crickets every two weeks (not really that large...just what Petco calls them). She's the only pet I have that eats live food, so I would normally just go out to buy them each time. But with the pandemic and my city being one of the worst hotspots in the US, I'm leaving the house less and less (we have 3 immunocompromised people living in the house so leaving the house is a big deal to us). Is there an appropriate food I can have mailed to me? She's generally not a good eater - she often lets the crickets hop around for an hour before she eats them, so I don't think she will eat prey thats not moving (but I can try).

Is there any feeders that can be mail delivered?
Would they be the right size for a full grown T?
Would they be alive and moving when I feed them to her?
How long is "too long" in between feedings?
If I can't get feeders delivered, I'm wondering if I can go longer between feedings without causing her discomfort. She's got what to me looks like a very large, plump abdomen, so I dont think she's in danger of going hungry... In fact I wonder if she's a bit "fat." LOL Her abdomen is easily twice as long as her carapace and a bit wider. It's been about 10 months since she last molted.
1. Yes, many - small amount - not likely, at least not from the big commercial outfits, you'd need to find someone from the classifieds
2 Yes
3 Yes- no one ships dead animals for dinner
4 I owned AF of this species, can easily go a month or more w/out food, provided abdomen is a good size, not hard for this species to have huge ab
5 Post a pic
 

Spyders

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 18, 2017
Messages
27
Thank you all!

Mealworms, for example, can be kept chilled to prevent them from pupating and developing into beetles. (When you're ready to feed, take out the mealworm, let it warm up and feed on some fruit or veggies to rehydrate, crush the head, and give it to your tarantula.)
Is the above true for superworms as well?

I think chilling them (I assume you mean in the fridge or freezer?) is a good solution because she wont eat that much at once...so hopefully when I get whatever the smallest amount available is, then they will stay good and alive until she gets through them all. Is there a maximum time that they can be chilled before they start dying?

Whats a good reliable site to purchase from?

Thanks again
 

NukaMedia Exotics

#1 Tarantula Vendor in the USA! Ships Nationwide.
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Jul 31, 2017
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695
I'd say ordering superworms are the best in your situation, you can just keep them in a little tub of damp dirt/cocofiber and drop a carrot or two in once a week and they'll last quite a while. Lot less chance of all of them dying off like crickets. Usually pretty damn cheap and one is as fattening as a few crickets.
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
Joined
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Messages
4,096
I think chilling them (I assume you mean in the fridge or freezer?)
The mealworms can be kept in the refrigerator; the freezer would kill them.


Is there a maximum time that they can be chilled before they start dying?
I actually keep mine at room temperature and let them breed, but that's overkill for one tarantula.

Get mealworms. You can store them in the fridge for up to 6 months. They will readily eat a small piece of carrot, but as they would be dormant in the fridge, they wouldn't need regular feedings.
plus mealworms can be bought in a 50 count and kept in the fridge....when cold, they go dormant and will last 6 months or more......something you cant do with tropical superworms.

Is the above true for superworms as well?
I haven't used superworms, but they will not survive in the refrigerator. For additional information, see this post by WildSpider.
 

Spyders

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 18, 2017
Messages
27
Thank you again! I'll try Josh's Frogs or another source for mealworms and refrigerate them.
 

Spyders

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 18, 2017
Messages
27
Is it normal for Ts to be picky eaters? I crushed the head of a mealworm, it squiggled for a second and then stopped moving. She didnt take to that one at all since it wasnt moving - showed no interest/response. So I gave her one alive to see if she'd respond better, and she did use her pedipalps to gather it near her mouth, but didn't bite it at all. she just.. crouched her mouth near it. and then after a few minutes she reverted back to a normal position and let it crawl away. I wiggled it near her, and she did that whole thing again, still not eating it, and then letting it go.

I dont know if she's not recognizing it as food.. or being picky?? I dont know if shes ever had any food other than crickets. I've only had her for 2 years as an adult and always fed her crickets.

Or is she just not that hungry? She hasnt eaten in over a month now. She still looks plump in the abdomen. But she did behave in way that I interpret to be hungry: she'd get ready to jump at the tool I use to move things around the enclosure, which she seems to do when she hasnt eaten recently. If only she had jumped at the mealworms that way :/

How dangerous is it to not crush the head? This is the reason I only did it with one because I understand it can turn into a darkling beetle and hurt her? Can she eat the darkling beetle?
 

EpicEpic

Arachnoangel
Joined
Apr 13, 2020
Messages
872
Crushing the head is only so it doesn't burrow. Any non-eaten prey should be removed the next day. Her non-feeding response tells you she's either not hungry or going into a molt. Not likely she's being picky. I wouldn't worry.
 

NukaMedia Exotics

#1 Tarantula Vendor in the USA! Ships Nationwide.
Joined
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Roaches are usually shipped in the smallest amounts and are hardiest if you have few tarantulas to feed they don't die off in weeks like crickets.
 
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