feeding t's with wc beetles (100% sure chemical free!)

[Dreamslave]

So other than the risk than carrying chemicals that could be dangerous to my t's, what are the risks of feeding wc June Beetles (Phyllophaga sp.) to my t's? At this size they could be as good as dubias, slightly more crusty! LOL

 

[UrbanJungles]

Aside from pesticides, most beetles carry some sort of defense cocktail naturally and there is a good chance they can defend themselves agains your T. "JuneBugs" and "Chafer Beetles" as well as "Lightening bugs" have been directly linked to the death of tarantulas.

 

[Dreamslave]

Oh my! Lets forget this idea then! Thanks for the info!

 

[Richard McJimsey]

Why would you even want to use beetles?
There's more cons than pros, just stick to your normal feeders.

 

[Sooner]

On a side note, I don't spray my garden. When I dig up the garden for weeding, I often find big fat beetle grubs. Are these grubs harmless?

 

[Frankie_Dank]

Oh my! Lets forget this idea then! Thanks for the info!

If I had these beetles around me in large numbers I would have thought it wasn't the worst idea either... Good thing I found out the easy way!!

 

[Tcollector]

The only beetle I found safe to use is the ones mealworms turn into. Not sure of scientific name but T's love them. Slings like the heads of them too

 

[Autumnvicky]

Tcollector has the right idea.

Wax worms turn to moths, meal worms into beetles. Their adult forms would provide interesting feedings. Plenty of feeder insects to choose, safer than wild caught. Pollution/pesticides from other yards can seep through the ground, especially when it rains. Not worth the risk.

 

[spiderfield]

The only beetle I found safe to use is the ones mealworms turn into. Not sure of scientific name but T's love them. Slings like the heads of them too

Tenebrio molitor (Darkling Beetle)

 

[Tecnition4life]

The only beetle I found safe to use is the ones mealworms turn into. Not sure of scientific name but T's love them. Slings like the heads of them too

From what i read those have no nutritional value though, and also i had a praying mantis who was perfectly healthy climbing around the cage so i feed him one of those beetles. Next day he was dead

 

[xhexdx]

If you're gonna breed mealworms and use the beetles as food, why not just use the larvae instead?

This is drifting kinda OT now though...

 

[Tcollector]

From what i read those have no nutritional value though, and also i had a praying mantis who was perfectly healthy climbing around the cage so i feed him one of those beetles. Next day he was dead

Can you show me the document or website?

Kind of odd your mantis died like that. Unless it was the end of his life. I fed 3 pinktoes, scorpion, and a B. albop with them and nothing went wrong. I dont know.....

 

[xhexdx]

Can you show me the document or website?

Kind of odd your mantis died like that. Unless it was the end of his life. I fed 3 pinktoes, scorpion, and a B. albop with them and nothing went wrong. I dont know.....

You fed spiders and a scorp. He fed a mantis.

That's like saying you ate chocolate and were fine, so you gave some to your dog.

I'm not saying it's the obvious cause of death, but it's pretty good evidence.

 

[Kirk]

I've never understood this inordinate fixation on going beyond standard food items for tarantulas. It's like pondering the possibility of shooting squirrels out of one's trees to feed to their cats and dogs in lieu of store-bought food.

Would seem enough satisfaction taking the most conservative routes to feeding, to ensure the objective of keeping t's in the first place (aside from peculiar desires to watch prey getting eaten).

 

[Tcollector]

I've never understood this inordinate fixation on going beyond standard food items for tarantulas. It's like pondering the possibility of shooting squirrels out of one's trees to feed to their cats and dogs in lieu of store-bought food.

Would seem enough satisfaction taking the most conservative routes to feeding, to ensure the objective of keeping t's in the first place (aside from peculiar desires to watch prey getting eaten).

They probably thought about that when people started useing roaches, or crix which ever came first. Their could be tons of things that is safe to use and nobody might not know it. As far as taking things out of the backyard or where ever it is not safe.

 

[barabootom]

I have fed June bugs with no adverse affects to my T's at all. My large parahybana regularly eats them in May and June. I only feed them to my largest T's. They are extremely common in my area almost to the point of being pests. The June bug I'm referring to is the large brown June bug in this area. I'm not sure if other's refer to June bugs as the same specie or not. I live in the country (actually inside a 10,000 acre State park, so pesticides aren't an issue at all). In the wild T's eat anything that wonders by that is small enough and I'm sure they eat all sorts of nocturnal beetles in the wild.

 

[Kirk]

In the wild T's eat anything that wonders by that is small enough and I'm sure they eat all sorts of nocturnal beetles in the wild.

That's very true. But, we can also assume that tarantulas have adapted to species-specific toxicity associated with native beetles in the wild. The nature of that toxicity, and adaptation, might not apply world wide.

 

[barabootom]

That's very true. But, we can also assume that tarantulas have adapted to species-specific toxicity associated with native beetles in the wild. The nature of that toxicity, and adaptation, might not apply world wide.

I think you are exactly right for common species, but in the tropics the variety is quite amazing and I would assume they occasionally eat rare or uncommon beetles as well, without having adapted to every single specie. However, whenever you try a new food source there is always a risk. I just happen to have used June bugs from my area with no adverse affects to the T's I keep (large NW terrestrials).