Is vertebrate prey required for larger Ts?

[Case]

I'm just curious: For larger species like C. crawshayi and T. blondi, is vertebrate prey like mice a requirement, or optional? That is to say, can one of these spiders live and be healthy on a strictly invertebrate diet?

Scott Case

 

[Godzilla2000]

I'd like to know that too since I own an L. parahybana and I intend on getting a T. Blondi in the future.

 

[jwb121377]

No. Any tarantula will thrive on a invertabrate diet alone.

 

[Palespider]

I wouldn't say it's *required* but an occassional pinky would be good to throw in every now and then for variety. And it also helps to get the bulk back on them after a molt.
The critter zoo by my house has a huge L. parahybana and T. blondi and they said they feed them nothing but roaches.

Jim B.

 

[Phillip]

It's not required.

They can do fine on inverts only however it is great for bulking them up and putting weight back on them after a molt. Plus it's a great way to get rid of mice that snakes don't eat.

Phil

 

[whoami?]

And don't forget to make sure that the mice haven't been in cages that were treated for fleas.

 

[Arachnopuppy]

Well, it is not a must-have, but my T. blondi doesn't take anything smaller than a mouse. How often do you find a crix that is as big as a mouse?

 

[skadiwolf]

i actually have fed my 3" G. rosea a few pinkies and she LOOOOVED them. took her a while to eat them but she just adores them. those and waxworms are by far her favorite food.

Ts can actually eat an incredibly varied diet. in the TKG they actually mention them even eating things like crawfish. crazy.

i think like any other animal variety might benefit them as long as they get a base diet of a very nutritious food, like crickets.

 

[danread]

If you dont want to feed vertebrates to large Ts, you can always use locusts and large mealworms. A full grown locust is a good meal for even the largest T.

Cheers,

Dan.

 

[Wade]

Large species of cockroaches are big enough for any T. I culture 4 different species .

I don't think anyone's shown that there's an actual nutritional advantage in vertebrate prey versus invert prey, but I suspect the advantage comes into play when you start takling about how much of the prey animal is actually consumed by the T. There is simply more digestable "meat" on a mouse than in an equivelent weight in insects. The inedible hard exoskeleton of insects take up alot of their weight to volume. Mice have indigestable parts too (hair and bones), but they make up a lower percentage of the total mass. Pinkies (hairless with soft bones) are even better.

Most of my T's have never seen vertebrate prey. They only time any of them do is when (as Phil mentined) I've thawed out rodents that the snakes don't want.

Wade

 

[abstract]

Is it possible for them to digest the bones/hair as well? I have fed pinkies to several of my spides, and most leave leftovers. I did have a PZB that ate EVERYTHING - i mean i thouroughly checked the cage and could not find ANY remains....