Feeding mealworm pupae

[reunsch]

I've gotten some mealworms to try feeding to my B. smithi, and while I was looking through them I started wondering if anyone has ever fed the pupae to any T's? I had a quick look around on some other forums and saw that people have had mixed success with it; has anyone else tried and succeeded (or failed)?

 

[Kazaam]

There's a big chance they won't even recognize it as food.

 

[BobGrill]

Yeah unless you're able to get it to move a lot, they may not even view it as prey.

 

[reunsch]

Good point, these ones seem to move quite a lot only when they're being handled; other than that they just sit very still. I'll try next time I feed and see what Timothy does.

 

[Poec54]

Mealworms and superworms quickly bury themselves in substrate, and hide from spiders, making for a very short window for a spider to be able to get them. They've been known to resurface and kill molting spiders. Use them carefully.

 

[korg]

I feed my spiders mealworm pupae all the time and have never had any problems with refusal. As others have said, you may have to rely on your smithi "scavenging."

 

[Aviara]

I agree with Poec54, beetle larvae tend to make poor feeders for tarantulas. That said, if you have a tarantula that tong-feeds, you should have no trouble feeding pupae to it. As far as I know, there is no nutritional reason not to feed them - I purchase mealworms and superworms often for my reptiles and feed the pupa if I end up with any with no ill effects. The adult darkling beetles, on the other hand, are not accepted well, although I'm not sure how tarantulas would react to them as I've only offered them to herps.

 

[BobGrill]

I agree with Poec54, beetle larvae tend to make poor feeders for tarantulas. That said, if you have a tarantula that tong-feeds, you should have no trouble feeding pupae to it. As far as I know, there is no nutritional reason not to feed them - I purchase mealworms and superworms often for my reptiles and feed the pupa if I end up with any with no ill effects. The adult darkling beetles, on the other hand, are not accepted well, although I'm not sure how tarantulas would react to them as I've only offered them to herps.

They refuse to eat the zoophobia darkling beetles due to the odor they emit when they feel threatened. And frankly, I can't blame them as that stuff smells like burnt plastic and the smell alone makes me nauseous.

 

[Curious jay]

They refuse to eat the zoophobia darkling beetles due to the odor they emit when they feel threatened. And frankly, I can't blame them as that stuff smells like burnt plastic and the smell alone makes me nauseous.

You will be surprised what the 'dustbin appetite' Ts will eat I've had LP and Nhandu chromatus feed on the beetles... Generally down to the individual T.

 

[BobGrill]

You will be surprised what the 'dustbin appetite' Ts will eat I've had LP and Nhandu chromatus feed on the beetles... Generally down to the individual T.

That's definitely not typical behavior then, because I have never had one eat a superworm beetle, and I am willing to bet it's because of that odor of theirs.

 

[prairiepanda]

Indeed, my rosie won't touch the larvae or pupae, but she loves the beetles!

As for the pupae...maybe if you tie one on a string and pull it around? Not sure about the safety of the string, though.

 

[reunsch]

As for the pupae...maybe if you tie one on a string and pull it around? Not sure about the safety of the string, though.

I watched a video a while ago of someone feeding their T by tying string around a superworm, and it seemed to work well enough, although I suppose it might be a bit risky. If there's one thing I don't want it's to end up with my smithi wrapped in string while trying to eat! I tried holding the pupae with tongs, and it wriggled around quite a lot. All that my smithi did was feel over it for a while and then walked away. He's barricaded himself in his hide again, so I suppose I'll have to try when he's out and about.