If you think handling is bad...

[Polenth]

My main issue is the texture. The majority of invertebrates I've tried have had textures I can't swallow without issues. Either too crunchy or too chewy. Tarantulas look like the worst combo of both. Prawns are at least soft when shelled, but if I find shell pieces I'm done.

 

[Tarantulafeets]

On the bag, the ingredients says that the sp is Haplopelma albostriatum. At least there are no urticating hairs

 

[Smotzer]

I mean I dont see anything wrong with it, Entomophagy (or eating insects) to be honest is probably can be one of the most sustainable sources of food or protein when produced per acreage and cost of diet. I am not a stranger to supplementing protein in my diet with cricket protein.....They make powders and some protein bars that the protein comes from crickets and insects. Historically and in ancient times insects have, in some parts of the world, always been a staple of native peoples diets and even considered delicacies. I think people just associate it with shock value, and the stigma that insects are gross or icky. We in America are very posh about what we will only choose to eat, wasting many parts of produce and parts of animals. My two cents. Smotzer out... lol

 

[Arachnophobphile]

I don't know whether to be disturbed or laugh that alot of you have ate bugs.

I mean I know you love tarantulas and if you break it down they are a big bug but to eat them....well....I....dunno.

All I know is in a survival situation I'm eating whoever is with me.

In a famine situation with no available food there is 300+ million people walking around in the U.S. alone, I will not starve lmao.

Yes I'm joking......in other countries it's normal to add insects to eat, just not me.

 

[SpiderCamp]

Although it is the norm in some cultures, I would never consider eating something I consider a pet.

 

[8 legged]

I would never eat the commercial crap in a bag. But if I were traveling in Asia and had contact with the relevant culture, I would definitely give it a try!

 

[hestoncv]

I personally would never eat it. I don't think they are really prey animals so I couldn't imagine they would taste good. That would be like eating a lion or something. A cricket makes more sense, still grosses me out though. I'm all for respecting other cultures, I don't think finding their foods gross is disrespectful

 

[Jess S]

Cyriopagopus albostriatus will eventually be eaten to extinction in Cambodia. I really don't think the west should be getting in on that, by importing those products.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

I don't know whether to be disturbed or laugh that alot of you have ate bugs.

I mean I know you love tarantulas and if you break it down they are a big bug but to eat them....well....I....dunno.

All I know is in a survival situation I'm eating whoever is with me.

In a famine situation with no available food there is 300+ million people walking around in the U.S. alone, I will not starve lmao.

Yes I'm joking......in other countries it's normal to add insects to eat, just not me.

So you find eating bugs more disturbing than cannibalism? Is that what you are saying?

 

[Arachnophobphile]

So you find eating bugs more disturbing than cannibalism? Is that what you are saying?

Maybe.......maybe not I'm not saying

 

[8 legged]

Cyriopagopus albostriatus will eventually be eaten to extinction in Cambodia. I really don't think the west should be getting in on that, by importing those products.

Where does this information come from? I know that the spider is partly bred, which is a delicacy in certain regions. But I have not yet heard that the animal is being eaten from the planet. It has been eaten there for centuries... It is more endangered by the lack of living space. Since I am currently writing a paper I would be grateful for a link to this info.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

I saw an episode of bizarre foods with Andrew zimmern where he was cooking. He had a big space and designed an unusual menu to serve. One of the items was tarantula. Whatever species he used, they were new worlds and the hairs weren't burned off or removed. It caused issues for everyone who tried them.
I thought it was hilarious. He ate them in Asia and thought they were good. Sourced some spiders back here in the states and figured he was just gonna fry them or something. Lmao.

 

[Jess S]

Where does this information come from? I know that the spider is partly bred, which is a delicacy in certain regions. But I have not yet heard that the animal is being eaten from the planet. It has been eaten there for centuries... It is more endangered by the lack of living space. Since I am currently writing a paper I would be grateful for a link to this info.

This is the article I read:

Tarantulas: Cambodia's disappearing delicacy – DW – 08/15/2018

Eating a fried tarantula has become a popular photo opportunity for tourists in Cambodia. However, this delicacy is in danger of disappearing, thanks to deforestation and over-harvesting of the spiders.

www.dw.com

There was also an article in Bloomberg about 'Cambodia's Tarantula Hunters'.

I'm sure I've seen a video as well but can't recall who by.

All the sources put most of the blame on deforestation, but also the high demand by tourists etc is driving people to catch anything up to 100 a day each to fry and sell. Considering these are sub adult and mature tarantulas, where both females and SA males get dug up from burrows, in my opinion, there is no way the remaining population in Cambodia can breed enough to mitigate against the double whammy they've been dealt.

Please correct me if I'm wrong though, as I'd like to learn more about this

 

[8 legged]

This is the article I read:

Tarantulas: Cambodia's disappearing delicacy – DW – 08/15/2018

Eating a fried tarantula has become a popular photo opportunity for tourists in Cambodia. However, this delicacy is in danger of disappearing, thanks to deforestation and over-harvesting of the spiders.

www.dw.com

There was also an article in Bloomberg about 'Cambodia's Tarantula Hunters'.

I'm sure I've seen a video as well but can't recall who by.

All the sources put most of the blame on deforestation, but also the high demand by tourists etc is driving people to catch anything up to 100 a day each to fry and sell. Considering these are sub adult and mature tarantulas, where both females and SA males get dug up from burrows, in my opinion, there is no way the remaining population in Cambodia can breed enough to mitigate against the double whammy they've been dealt.

Please correct me if I'm wrong though, as I'd like to learn more about this

Thank you!
So far, the erasure is only a dark theory - good that they recognized the possibility in time and how it can be recognized at least between the lines, they will probably take appropriate measures in the future.

So far, no worries have come true, even P. metallica is back. When I started in the 90s, B. or better said T. vagans was threatened, today you can find them everywhere and their natural habitat has almost doubled (partly by forced measure). I believe that when there is no one around, there will still be a large number of spiders.

Thank you again for the link, I can use that for my work!

 

[Matt Man]

I never looked at it that way, you are right!!!

Lobster and Crabs are essentially oversized cockroaches, They al live in nooks and crannies out of site and grab stuff that falls to the floor to eat.

 

[Kitara]

Lobster and Crabs are essentially oversized cockroaches, They al live in nooks and crannies out of site and grab stuff that falls to the floor to eat.

OMG If I wasn't already a vegetarian, this may have just pushed me right over the edge. Just reading that made my stomach flip over.

 

[Matt Man]

OMG If I wasn't already a vegetarian, this may have just pushed me right over the edge. Just reading that made my stomach flip over.

seriously think about it, they all occupy the same niche in their respective environments. If you've even been lobster diving it becomes painfully clear

 

[hestoncv]

seriously think about it, they all occupy the same niche in their respective environments. If you've even been lobster diving it becomes painfully clear

I couldn't imagine a roach being tasty, nor the yield of meat being very high, yuck

 

[Kitara]

seriously think about it, they all occupy the same niche in their respective environments. If you've even been lobster diving it becomes painfully clear

Oh I get it. So gross. I could have gone the rest of my life not making that connection. YUCK!

 

[ColeopteraC]

Haplopelma have no urticating hairs, big meaty abdomen and carapace. Would imagine it rather much like a soft shell crab (wonder how it’d do in Ramen)

Would go for it if it weren’t so environmentally damaging and pricey!