feeders

EndlessForms

Arachnoknight
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Oct 14, 2010
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i'm considering breeding my own feeders. and was wondering if earthworms are acceptable feeders for scorps. thanks to anyone who responds
 

ArachnoYak

Arachnoknight
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Jul 12, 2007
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I'd never recommend feeding earthworms to any arachnid. The protective slimecoat will be spread all over your T or Scorp and will be stuck there until next molt, possibly even covering up airways that could lead to breathing problems for your arachnid, even mobility problems for your arachnid when the mucus dries. This is not to mention how it would affect your animal's appearance.

There's a video on youtube of someone feeding an earthworm to a P. irminia sling and this earthworm is writhing this way and that getting completely coating the sling with the stuff. So unless you've developed a safe way to wash off your invertebrates, keep annelids off of the menu.
 

Envyizm

Arachnoknight
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Oct 5, 2008
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194
Personally I would go with blatta lateralis for scorps due to the fact that they are quick so they trigger feeding responses well, cant climb glass, have a high birth count and are very tolerant to husbandry mistakes/neglect. I feed mostly lats to all of my buthids.
 

Michiel

Arachnoking
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Joined
May 22, 2006
Messages
3,478
Worm = underground lifestyle
Scorpion= above ground lifestyle

The worms will dig into the substrate where the scorpion cannot find them.....so No, not an ideal food, IF they like them in the first place.......which I cannot imagine.

It would be great if they loved them, it would save me 350 euro's (around 400 USD) a year worth of crickets.....
 

EndlessForms

Arachnoknight
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Oct 14, 2010
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well i originally wanted a roach colony but my parents won't let me [:p] so i was looking into something that would take up less space 'n stuff. i know they prefer crickets, and i would rather use crickets or roaches, but i have almost no income and crickets are so dang expensive [and their tiny! they call that 'large'? i don't even want to know what the smalls look like :p] i used to live by a harware store where i could get them [captive bred] for 80 cents for about 50. plus they were almost an inch long [my scorps loved them] these dang pet stores sell crickets that are adults and only .24 inches :p.
 

John Bokma

Arachnobaron
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May 31, 2005
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486
Worm = underground lifestyle
Scorpion= above ground lifestyle
It's more complicated than that (in my experience at least). I recall that Emps in the wild feed on termites. Also, I feed them "superworms" and they are very happy with that. I have some species that don't mind superworms (Diplocentrus). Others (Centruroides) prefer crickets and grasshoppers (and even moths!). Note that I don't say "feed your emps worms" ;-). But a lot of scorpions will encounter a lot of animals inside their hiding places, and some they will eat (crickets, ground termites, etc.). And a moth that lands near a scorpion climbing in a bush will be on the menu. A C. gracilis I kept managed to grab one from the air. Mind, there was not much flying space.

Superworms are easy to grow, by the way. I give them prekilled (head cut off) to some of the species I keep. Note the prekilled. I lost a few scorpions (couldn't even find their bodies back) over the years and I guess that superworms do eat anything they can get at, including a scorpion. Question is: was it alive (molting, maybe)?.
 

EndlessForms

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Messages
224
It's more complicated than that (in my experience at least). I recall that Emps in the wild feed on termites. Also, I feed them "superworms" and they are very happy with that. I have some species that don't mind superworms (Diplocentrus). Others (Centruroides) prefer crickets and grasshoppers (and even moths!). Note that I don't say "feed your emps worms" ;-). But a lot of scorpions will encounter a lot of animals inside their hiding places, and some they will eat (crickets, ground termites, etc.). And a moth that lands near a scorpion climbing in a bush will be on the menu. A C. gracilis I kept managed to grab one from the air. Mind, there was not much flying space.

Superworms are easy to grow, by the way. I give them prekilled (head cut off) to some of the species I keep. Note the prekilled. I lost a few scorpions (couldn't even find their bodies back) over the years and I guess that superworms do eat anything they can get at, including a scorpion. Question is: was it alive (molting, maybe)?.
yeah, and i have some [and they love them] and i've even been able to hand-feed them 8) but the problem is, i also keep tree frogs and they don't eat the super worms. so i'm looking for something that all my T's and scorp's and frogs will eat. and after reading some of this, have decided to go with something other than earth worms [i didn't like the idea of the worms much in the first place but they were all could do] now i'm aiming toward a raoch colony, or breeding my own crickets [but of course, the roaches are much cleaner and much quieter] so i'm may go with the roaches. [assuming i can convince my parents that is :p]
 

John Bokma

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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May 31, 2005
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486
Superworms are extremely easy to keep. I keep them in a Rubbermaid (not so) clever latch 16.61 x 38.71 x 38.84 cm (15.55 liters). About 5cm of substrate (similar to jungle bed) with 2 pieces of wood and some large chips of coconut shell. This has been running for years without any problem. Only thing to be careful with is the amount of moisture: too wet and you get less "worms".

No idea how much a roach colony takes up, but a box like above you can keep under your bed {D
 

Vfox

Arachnobaron
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Sep 1, 2007
Messages
530
While roaches are likely the ideal feeder for you...it can be difficult to convince parents of their vastly superior feeder status based on the fact that roaches still gross people out. I keep several roach species (dubia, discoid, lats, fusca) and they are non climbing and non flying. They are easy to care for, easy to breed, and non pest species (except lats). But if you're including frogs in the mix I would say use lats, prolific, small, soft bodied, and non glass climbing...however the adults can flutter fly and they are known to be a potential infestation species if not properly handled.

Now, if your parents won't let you get roaches and because you are feeding multiple types of animals I would say start breeding crickets. They actually breed well in a damp mulch (untreated) with plenty of food. I just hate crickets though, they are loud, smelly little critters.
 
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