(Re)production of venom?

[boina]

I think either the severe damage cause by two large fangs puncturing an insect's exoskeleton by itself, or the venom by itself, are each enough to kill. I just wonder how essential the venom is to digestion.

Well, considering all those proteinases I'd be very surprised if it wasn't essential. What else would they be for? There are better and faster toxins for killing, but nothing better for digestion.

 

[nicodimus22]

Well, considering all those proteinases I'd be very surprised if it wasn't essential. What else would they be for? There are better and faster toxins for killing, but nothing better for digestion.

I seem to recall someone here having a tarantula lose one or to fangs in a bad molt, and feeding it cricket slurry to get it to the next molt. In that case, no venom was used, but the T could still eat. So maybe it's helpful, but not mandatory? I'm not sure.

 

[viper69]

I don't think so. Here's an article about Grammostola venom: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26828374 and the abstract states that it's full of neurotoxins and proteinases. That's quite enough to kill any insect.

Edit: and here's my favorite article on spider toxins: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26085827
a comparison of Brachypelma, Poecilotheria and Ceratogyrus

Nice find, just goes to show you that not all OW Ts are more venomous than NW, at least for insects

 

[viper69]

I seem to recall someone here having a tarantula lose one or to fangs in a bad molt, and feeding it cricket slurry to get it to the next molt. In that case, no venom was used, but the T could still eat. So maybe it's helpful, but not mandatory? I'm not sure.

Quite a few of us have done this, some successful, some not. Watching your T die of starvation is not fun.

11-2013

• viper69
• Dec 1, 2013
• hapalopus sp. columbia "large"

 

[sasker]

I don't think so. Here's an article about Grammostola venom: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26828374 and the abstract states that it's full of neurotoxins and proteinases. That's quite enough to kill any insect.

Edit: and here's my favorite article on spider toxins: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26085827
a comparison of Brachypelma, Poecilotheria and Ceratogyrus

I agree that the venom would likely be strong enough to kill any insect. But whenever I feed my spiders (all NW for now) a superworm, I notice that the prey item stays alive for quite some time. I can even see the legs move when it is almost chewed in two. I am always amazed how hardy these superworms are.

The articles did not mention how long it takes for insects to die. The second article mentioned something like 48 hours but I am not sure how much venom is usually injected by the spider and how long it would take to kill an insect with that amount. Anyway, I often have the feeling that being chewed up and eaten is more often the cause of death than a single venomous bite. But that's just my own observation. I am no biologist