Small feeder colony

[ZachMcG]

Wanted to know if anyone had advice on if it’s possible to make a feed insect colony (other than mealworms) to only support feeding around 5-8 Ts. Not wanting to start a massive roach colony and to be honest the only place to buy feeders near me is a large scale pet shop and I don’t trust their feeders as most of the time they are either almost all dead and kept near bleach/cleaning supplies.

 

[BoyFromLA]

Red runners if your tarantulas are small enough. Dubias if your tarantulas have some sizes.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

Can't go wrong with runners.
You could keep a small clony small if you wanted.

 

[Hakuna]

What about super worms?

 

[ZachMcG]

Red runners if your tarantulas are small enough. Dubias if your tarantulas have some sizes.

How small could I keep a colony and in what size sort of setup? Like possibly a large critter keeper?

 

[BoyFromLA]

How small could I keep a colony and in what size sort of setup? Like possibly a large critter keeper?

It all comes down to:

1. How often do you feed?
2. How many do you feed at once?

I order 1000 small red runners each time. It’s cheaper, and last long.

 

[ZachMcG]

It all comes down to:

1. How often do you feed?
2. How many do you feed at once?

I order 1000 small red runners each time. It’s cheaper, and last long.

Relatively often to be honest. I live in southeast Georgia so naturally is warm and humid. T keepers paradise haha.

 

[nicodimus22]

Relatively often to be honest. I live in southeast Georgia so naturally is warm and humid. T keepers paradise haha.

Roach paradise too...whatever you go with, be careful to avoid infestation of your dwelling. Not fun.

 

[ZachMcG]

Roach paradise too...whatever you go with, be careful to avoid infestation of your dwelling. Not fun.

That’s definitely another consideration I have to worry about. My Ts of course are just not fond of mealworms

Red runners if your tarantulas are small enough. Dubias if your tarantulas have some sizes.

How big would you say a spiderling should be before using Dubai nymphs? I’ve never actually seen Dubai nymphs

 

[BoyFromLA]

How big would you say a spiderling should be before using Dubai nymphs? I’ve never actually seen Dubai nymphs

You can feed dubia nymph to slings. But they tend to play dead, thus I like red runners better.

 

[ZachMcG]

You can feed dubia nymph to slings. But they tend to play dead, thus I like red runners better.

ahh, that's very helpful. DO you think I could use an xl critter keeper to start it? I'm really trying to avoid using a big tun or anything

 

[MrGhostMantis]

You can feed dubia nymph to slings. But they tend to play dead, thus I like red runners better.

Dubias are a total pain sometimes when playing dead. Sometimes I’ll hurt them so they move their legs to try to get away from me therefore triggering the T’s into catching them.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

No point in starting a roach colony unless you have dozens of tarantulas and/or can easily sell your excess roaches, they will reproduce much faster than you can feed them off, I have 67 tarantulas to feed and I still have to periodically sell off hundreds of roaches just to keep my colony manageable.

 

[ZachMcG]

I might be able to find someone to sell to. Maybe I can also justify picking up a great eating argentine tegu today at least help with population control lol

 

[jay444]

I have a small cricket colony since roaches (at least the practical ones to keep) are illegal in Canada. Easy breeding and care. You'd be surprised how easier than you think it is.

 

[ZachMcG]

Honestly I’ve done a cricket colony when I had some panther chameleons and I’m not going to lie, I hated it. Tbh anyone who can have a cricket colony and does well with it/is able to put up with all the “cricketness” for lack of better words, to you I say bravo