- Joined
- Mar 18, 2009
- Messages
- 1,650
Few questions about tarantulas scavenging
For my smallest slings, I'll leave cricket drumsticks, tiny crickets cut in half, or whole dead tiny crickets to scavenge upon. Works well, but was wondering how they find the food. Has anyone witnessed anything that would lead them to believe that they can sense (i.e. smell) the food? I've never watched long enough to see if there is any significant taxis towards the food or if its just a random "oh here's something to eat" bumping into it. Mine have always found it, by some means....
Also, will juvies and adults scavenge as well? I've never tried leaving a dead cricket in with one. But if an adult tarantula happens into freshly dead (or not so fresh) prey item, will they pick it up? Or will they not even recognize it as food if it's not moving or they haven't killed it themselves?
Any thoughts?
For my smallest slings, I'll leave cricket drumsticks, tiny crickets cut in half, or whole dead tiny crickets to scavenge upon. Works well, but was wondering how they find the food. Has anyone witnessed anything that would lead them to believe that they can sense (i.e. smell) the food? I've never watched long enough to see if there is any significant taxis towards the food or if its just a random "oh here's something to eat" bumping into it. Mine have always found it, by some means....
Also, will juvies and adults scavenge as well? I've never tried leaving a dead cricket in with one. But if an adult tarantula happens into freshly dead (or not so fresh) prey item, will they pick it up? Or will they not even recognize it as food if it's not moving or they haven't killed it themselves?
Any thoughts?