Picky eaters!

ao4649

Arachnopeon
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Apr 17, 2016
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This has definitely been done before but in lieu of necroing old threads let me tell you a story of frustration
so my a. metallica who i love very dearly has been a fussy eater. she's refused roaches, refused worms (both super and meal varieties, if there's a difference), and for a while i thought she was eating the worms and not just hiding them until i noticed her abdomen wasn't growing. i figured it wasn't a premolt fast, because she's still very active and her abdomen was alarmingly small.

today i finally bit the bullet and bought crickets as a last ditch resort (i avoid them because of the smell, noise, and horror stories of them chewing on molting t's; for that matter i figured she'd take something else if she was hungry enough) and, naturally, she went right for it.

so basically im starting a cricket culture for one singular tarantula (everyone else likes the worms just fine).

that said, does anyone else have any absurd tales of fussy eaters?
 

Trenor

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Nope, I've yet to hit one that wouldn't eat the roach I put out for it. Even Ts I've bought from others who mostly feed crickets have all eaten roaches. I have heard stories of others who had Ts who would only eat crickets, I've just not seen it.
 

Ellenantula

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Mine are not picky at all and my B lat roaches are a huge hit here. I've read others complain that some Ts will refuse dubias. But I've never heard of a T refusing a cricket unless they are pre-moult or something is wrong. (Or, I suppose, if it's a fasting rosie. lol)
 

TownesVanZandt

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I´ve had several T´s refusing to eat dubia, but never had one refusing to eat crickets. I just buy the crickets I need from a shop instead of dealing with raising them myself. Too much work, too much smell and too much noise for it to be worth it, IMO.
 

Trenor

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But I've never heard of a T refusing a cricket unless they are pre-moult or something is wrong.
I have, sometimes a T is full. I hear all the time how people have to pick them back out because they were not eaten. I've had to do this with dubias as well. A lot depends on how often you feed them and they size of the prey. I've noted that my roaches that are the same size as a cricket seem to have more filling(stuff on the inside) then a cricket. So trying to feed them like people do crickets leads to Ts filling up and not eating longer periods of time.

I had a C.cyaneopubescens sling molt and come out to eat. I fed him three dubias that were right for his size over a few days. His abdomen plumped out and he went back in his web hide. I doubt he'll eat again till he molts but I offer him food on his regular schedule.

I think most keepers give out before the T gets really hungry. Like how a lot of dog owners starts worrying if their dog (that just lays on the sofa) skips a meal or two when they change dog foods. Pets like people often go with whats familiar and resist change.
 

ao4649

Arachnopeon
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Apr 17, 2016
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Buying them is probably easier in this case, since they're dirt cheap. It's just tricky around here because all the petstores are either morally reprehensible, have horrible customer service, or have awful shipping services (the local petsmart has stock issues with crickets because the shipping service they use is always late and, well, nothing live ships well in texas heat).

they seem to be a hit with all of my adults/sub adults though, so i definitely wont run into any excess. the only refusal i had was from my portreri (but that's par for the course) and my a. chalcodes (the living trash compactor) has developed this habit of webbing the floor in circles when i give her crickets (she'll eat literally anything, though).

but i digress, im just glad i got her eating because while i realise tarantulas just sort of dont eat at times, her abdomen was just sad (far more akin to a tube than an oval) and im a touch paranoid now since a friend of mine recently had a t inadvertently starve to death.
 

scott308

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Apr 6, 2008
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I tried feeding roaches, but most of my Ts didn't care for them. In fact, I used to have a Chilobrachys fimbriatus that ended up with a roommate. I could see the roach hanging out in the hide next to the spider, but the T had no interest in eating the roach. It was there quite some time before I was finally able to catch and remove the darn thing.
 

Poec54

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After over 40 years and thousands of tarantulas, all of them eat crickets. Every other prey is hit or miss.
 

Poec54

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Nope, I've yet to hit one that wouldn't eat the roach I put out for it. Even Ts I've bought from others who mostly feed crickets have all eaten roaches. I have heard stories of others who had Ts who would only eat crickets, I've just not seen it.

For the record, how long have you been in the hobby, how many species have you had, how many spiders have you raised from sling to adult? There's a number of tarantulas that won't eat roaches, and stories of cohabitation are common.
 

Trenor

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For the record, how long have you been in the hobby, how many species have you had, how many spiders have you raised from sling to adult? There's a number of tarantulas that won't eat roaches, and stories of cohabitation are common.
I've been keeping for just about a year now. The OP asked to share our stories about picky eaters and I've not had any, so I said so. I even said that I had heard of others who had. When I hit one, I'll let you know.
 

KezyGLA

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Apr 8, 2016
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I have 2 B. Auratum that won't touch anything but crix. They are also picky on size. I've had to offer them smaller crickets more regularly.

I believe this to be a product of being captive bred. Every WC specimen I have owned has destroyed anything that hits the sub.
 

louise f

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Many of my pokies are picky, they wont eat roaches.. Darn picky pokies :p But well we cant really expect the spiders to love all food. Just like us humans. :D
 

Andrea82

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My A.metallica sling is fussy about food. Roaches? Nope. Crickets? Meh. Mealie? Oh, allright, if you insist..
Bluebottle fly? GIVE IT TO ME,MINE MINE! :p
Flying food goes down every single time.
 

Andrea82

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I've never tried these though I have heard that they like moths and other flyers a lot.
I have them already for my mantids, and actually saw my A.metallica sling react to one that had escaped and was sitting on the outside of her delicup. I figured 'why not' and threw it in. She caught it as soon as i let it go from the tweezers.I am calling the sling a she, don't know the sex yet.
I still throw in a crcket or dubia occasionally, but it's mainly bluebottles now, and she eats far more, and has molted twice since the change of diet. So I guess it is nutritious enough :)
 

ao4649

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Apr 17, 2016
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I believe this to be a product of being captive bred. Every WC specimen I have owned has destroyed anything that hits the sub.
this is a cool theory! id be fascinated to see some kind of study of wild-caught vs captive bred specimens including some sub-study on multigenerational CBs. imagine: domesticated spiders

My A.metallica sling is fussy about food. Roaches? Nope. Crickets? Meh. Mealie? Oh, allright, if you insist..
Bluebottle fly? GIVE IT TO ME,MINE MINE! :p
Flying food goes down every single time.
i may have to try it! do you know any place that sells moths or larvae? i think this may help since im thinking part of the problem is her spending so much time up on the upper walls/ceiling of her enclosure and therefore not being able to sense the food.
 

EulersK

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After over 40 years and thousands of tarantulas, all of them eat crickets. Every other prey is hit or miss.
No animal will starve itself. I've had several tarantulas refuse dubias... but a few months without food makes anything look like prey. After they take down their first roach, they never have an issue with them again.
 

crlovel

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Nov 23, 2011
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Crickets, roaches, superworms - I've not had anything hungry turn down a meal. The only thing I do crickets for are slings. Everything else gets roaches.
 

Andrea82

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this is a cool theory! id be fascinated to see some kind of study of wild-caught vs captive bred specimens including some sub-study on multigenerational CBs. imagine: domesticated spiders



i may have to try it! do you know any place that sells moths or larvae? i think this may help since im thinking part of the problem is her spending so much time up on the upper walls/ceiling of her enclosure and therefore not being able to sense the food.
Sorry, can't help you there, im not from the US ;)
 
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