Phoenix worms for slings

[Arachnobrian]

I bought these phoenix worms at a recent show. I figured they would be easier to wrangle into pill vials than pinheads.

I am curious though, as they are very high in calcium, would this have any negative effects as a regular diet for slings?

Has anybody fed these to tarantulas with success or failure?

I am sure, I'm not the only person who has bought these.

So far, A. vesicolor sling - refused it, G. pulchra sling - snatched it up right away.

 

[JungleGuts]

never used em for my slings but my venis fly traps sure do love them...i would think they would be fine......

 

[Arachnobrian]

After a little searching.

Save your money and stick to conventional feeders.

 

[Talkenlate04]

I have never heard of them before, anyone have a picture?

 

[Arachnobrian]

talkenlate04 - I tried to upload a photo of one, but it wouldn't work.

They are Black Soldier Fly maggots, they more or less look like regular fly maggots

 

[Taceas]

They're just a really large, spiny maggot. They don't look or feel like the typical fly maggot I've seen, which are smoother and more squishy.

Here's their main webpage: http://www.phoenixworm.com/servlet/StoreFront

I use them occasionally for my leopard gecko and tiger salamander, but none of my tarantulas ever went for them. I don't think the high calcium in them would be too bad provided the diet was varied and Phoenix worms only comprised a very small portion of the diet. They're too expensive for a mainstay in any animal's diet as far as I'm concerned.

Have you thought of regular fly maggots? I used to buy mine from some bait store on Ebay, they came packaged in moist sawdust and you kept them in the fridge for what seemed like months with little losses.

Or heck, start up your own colony of roaches, much more fun and cheap as dirt.

 

[Arachnobrian]

They get spiney when larger? I bought the small size, perhaps the spines come at a later state of development.

I was reluctant to start a roach colony for a small collection (10), but I am starting to reconsider this idea.

 

[Talkenlate04]

They don't look or feel like the typical fly maggot I've seen

Feel like???

Thanks for the info guys, hey Taceas do you think I can feed those to my Crested Gecko?

 

[Taceas]

Feel like???

What, you've never willingly felt maggots before? They're not that bad once they're washed and out of the yickiness they came from.

Thanks for the info guys, hey Taceas do you think I can feed those to my Crested Gecko?

The Phoenix worms, or regular maggots?

My leopard gecko and salamander gobbles up the Phoenix worms like they're going out of style, but like I said, they're pricey here. And I used to buy the regular fly maggots for my leos and beardie and they adored those as well.

So I see no reason why a crestie couldn't eat them. The Phoenix worms are really high in calcium, which is always a good thing for captive herps, especially insectivorous geckos. The regular maggots are really high in protein and low in fat, which is what attracted me to them at the time, which was before I knew about roaches.

I'm just not sure if they're naturally high in calcium, or if its from what they're fed before they're packaged up. The material in the cup didn't ever seem to be eaten, so I presume they were raised up on something nutritious.

 

[Talkenlate04]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I have seen them at bait shops before, and you are right they are kinda pricey but he variety is the spice of life lol. I might even feel them too lol.

 

[Taceas]

No problem.

The guy on Ebay I used to buy the maggots from said he doesn't carry them anymore, but recommended this place to buy them from:

http://www.beaverbait.com/Spikes.html

VERY reasonably priced. I think I might pick up some myself and give them a whirl with my G. pulchra slings that seem to be picky about what they eat.