Tarantulas and waxworms. (What else besides crickets and roaches can I feed a T?)

[Jmanbeing93]

Are waxworms fattening to a tarantula? I know in birds and reptiles, it is and usually considered as adult occasional treat for them. I was considering breeding waxworms when I got my T but it would really suck if I didn't know better and inadvertently shortened my spider's lifespan by making it molt early in the process.

Is it a good or really idea to feed waxworms only to a T? I am not too keen on crickets, apparently they really smell something fierce and I am not so sure about them. Startles me every time crickets jump. Plus, some tarantulas don't care for roaches and the thought of a roach or a cricket injuring a freshly molted T gives me cause for concern and makes me feel really wary about feeding crickets and roaches.

Any other good, safe alternatives? Your advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Ungoliant]

Any other good, safe alternatives?

Depending on the size of the tarantula, mealworms or super worms.

 

[Jmanbeing93]

Depending on the size of the tarantula, mealworms or super worms.

Ok, thank you. So what about the waxworms? Are they meant to be used to sparingly or as a treat?

 

[johnny quango]

Are waxworms fattening to a tarantula? I know in birds and reptiles, it is and usually considered as adult occasional treat for them. I was considering breeding waxworms when I got my T but it would really suck if I didn't know better and inadvertently shortened my spider's lifespan by making it molt early in the process.

Is it a good or really idea to feed waxworms only to a T? I am not too keen on crickets, apparently they really smell something fierce and I am not so sure about them. Startles me every time crickets jump. Plus, some tarantulas don't care for roaches and the thought of a roach or a cricket injuring a freshly molted T gives me cause for concern and makes me feel really wary about feeding crickets and roaches.

Any other good, safe alternatives? Your advice is greatly appreciated.

Waxworms are perfectly fine to feed to tarantulas of certain sizes as in slings/juvenile and if you have adult dwarf species.

Many of my larger adults won't entertain the idea of eating them as I think they're a little too small, my avics and other arboreals on the other hand love them and will gladly take them. I also use them to fatten smaller slings up after a moult and they work fantastic personally I think it's better to feed a variety of prey items if you can although feeding only crickets is fine

 

[Jmanbeing93]

Many of my larger adults won't entertain the idea of eating them as I think they're a little too small

Interesting,I never thought of that. So it wouldn't work out with an adult B.vagans or B.albopilosum?

I think I will take Ungoliant's advice and use superworms mainly.

 

[KezyGLA]

I use waxworms mostly with spiderlings and juveniles as they increase growth through the fragile stages and once around the 2" mark I only offer them occasionally.

They are excellent for helping regeneration of limbs between moults. I have fed diet of only waxys to 7 legged adult female P. lapalala to have a full leg regenerated after one moult. And a 3 legged, one palp C. sanderi have all limbs back after 1 moult.

As beneficial as they are, I wouldnt feed all the time. A varied diet is always healthiest.

Calciworms and small crickets and roaches are great for slings.

 

[johnny quango]

Interesting,I never thought of that. So it wouldn't work out with an adult B.vagans or B.albopilosum?

I think I will take Ungoliant's advice and use superworms mainly.

Some of my adults will take them but it's a little fiddly for them for not much reward. Superworms work fine for adults as do locust but I'm not sure they're legal in the states

 

[Ellenantula]

All my Ts (mostly adult) enjoy a good wax worm. And for arboreals -- it's nice that if they delay eating -- they get a wonderful moth to catch later. For me, waxies are nice because they don't pose a threat to a T that might be pre-moult. Just my experience.
I don't like to feed my Ts a strict diet of any sole item -- I like to mix it up -- with roaches being main prey (crix are fine too -- I just happen to breed B lats); and adding in mealies/waxies just for variety from time to time.
I found slings particularly enjoyed a smallish waxie. It's also an easy post-moult treat for any T.

 

[mconnachan]

This is something I have to address, I've only been offering B. dubia roaches, I'm going to my local pet shop to see what's on the menu, it's quite difficult to offer a varied diet when you have different sized tarantulas, I find having a dubia colony is easy as they're all different sizes. I grudge paying £3-£4 delivery for any feeders, especially when the feeders cost less than the postage. Having said this I do feel my spiders are all well fed and don't really need "fattening up", what are your thoughts on the subject and are there any suitable alternatives.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Is it a good or really idea to feed waxworms only to a T? I am not too keen on crickets, apparently they really smell something fierce and I am not so sure about them. Startles me every time crickets jump. Plus, some tarantulas don't care for roaches and the thought of a roach or a cricket injuring a freshly molted T gives me cause for concern and makes me feel really wary about feeding crickets and roaches.

It won't hurt to feed waxworms to slings/juvies, other good feeders include:

Mealworms
Red Runner roaches (Tarantulas go nuts for them)
Calci worms

For adults I generally use:

Superworms
Large dubia roaches

I honestly don't know what people are doing with their crickets for them to die off in droves or stink as much as people claim they do, I'd buy 100 and lose less than 20 (including DOA) and they'd only smell really bad if I didn't clean them out every fortnight or so.

My only problems with crickets are that they outgrow my slings (meaning I end up with a surplus of adult crickets) and they chirp constantly, even if you get the "silent" crickets the MMs still chirp.

I don't bother with locusts at all, they're bloody disgusting.

I grudge paying £3-£4 delivery for any feeders, especially when the feeders cost less than the postage.

Where are you ordering from? I've never paid shipping for live food.

 

[Nightstalker47]

the thought of a roach or a cricket injuring a freshly molted T gives me cause for concern and makes me feel really wary about feeding crickets and roaches.

Any other good, safe alternatives? Your advice is greatly appreciated.

Most feeders can chew on a molting T, superworms and mealworms included. It's not exclusively crickets and roaches you need to be wary of, just remove the prey if your T doesn't show interest. I wouldn't avoid those feeders for solely that purpose.

I agree with offering a varied diet, I believe its probably healthier as well. I think that in the wild Ts would eat whatever they can find and overpower, plus different creatures offer different nutritional value, it can't be ideal for them to only ever eat one type of feeder.

I usually rotate between feedings, I feed mainly crickets with mealworms and superworms as a substitute.

 

[mconnachan]

Where are you ordering from? I've never paid shipping for live food.

Usually TSS or E-bay, not had to buy feeders for so long, so most likely if I were to buy some red runners or mealworms now I probably wouldn't need to pay shipping (P&P) that said, where do you get your feeders @The Grym Reaper, I would like something suitable for slings and sub-adults alike. What would be the best feeder to go for, I've heard red runners can be small and large in a colony, but I don't think my partner would like another colony in the house, so something with both slings and sub-adults in mind, I do have a colony of dubias, which I find easiest due to differing sizes. I feel it's important to offer different prey periodically, I think I'm going to buy some supers as an alternative, my t's are healthy, plump, and molt accordingly, so dubias must be a great source of nutrition compared to crickets alone.

 

[Smokehound714]

Wax worms are fine. It's good to switch it up and offer something new. A monotonous diet probably has lots of negative impacts on tarantulas

 

[darkness975]

It won't hurt to feed waxworms to slings/juvies, other good feeders include:

Mealworms
Red Runner roaches (Tarantulas go nuts for them)
Calci worms

For adults I generally use:

Superworms
Large dubia roaches

I honestly don't know what people are doing with their crickets for them to die off in droves or stink as much as people claim they do, I'd buy 100 and lose less than 20 (including DOA) and they'd only smell really bad if I didn't clean them out every fortnight or so.

My only problems with crickets are that they outgrow my slings (meaning I end up with a surplus of adult crickets) and they chirp constantly, even if you get the "silent" crickets the MMs still chirp.

I don't bother with locusts at all, they're bloody disgusting.



Where are you ordering from? I've never paid shipping for live food.

I agree, I also have not had such issues with Crickets unless I don't clean the tank they live in ever and all kinds of debris piles up. That would happen with any living thing, though. They are more prone to dirtying up the tank quicker, I won't deny that. But giving the tank the necessary attention does not allow for such a build up of waste in there.

 

[darkness975]

Wax worms are fine. It's good to switch it up and offer something new. A monotonous diet probably has lots of negative impacts on tarantulas

I haven't seen any noticeable issues with feeding crickets almost exclusively. I would offer a more varied diet if roaches were allowed where I am

 

[Jason Brantley]

You don't have to worry about waxworms giving your tarantula high blood pressure. All feeders are safe as long as they aren't too big, you don't leave them in the cage during a molt, in the cage for too long, etc.

 

[mconnachan]

What about feeders for T. blondi, apophysis, stirmi, etc. this may be contentious but does anyone feel the need to offer lizards, mice, mammals of any description, within reason of course, are they a necessity for larger species, so they get the nutrition required. I've seen certain species with these feeders recommended maybe twice yearly, or is this just not necessary. Your opinions please.....

 

[Trenor]

I don't think varying feeders are as important for tarantulas as it is for other pets. My BD needs a well rounded diet but my Ts grow like weeds and are healthy with only ever having a dubia roach diet.

Just remember the smaller the feeder (conpaired to the T) the more you feed and the larger the less. I have larger Ts that will pick up tiny (compared to them) dubias to eat if I drop them in. You just have to feed more often that way. I feed less and offer larger prey items.

 

[Jmanbeing93]

What about feeders for T. blondi, apophysis, stirmi, etc. this may be contentious but does anyone feel the need to offer lizards, mice, mammals of any description, within reason of course, are they a necessity for larger species, so they get the nutrition required. I've seen certain species with these feeders recommended maybe twice yearly, or is this just not necessary. Your opinions please.....

I don't have a spider yet but I have read on Arachnoboards that mice, lizards or other mammals are not really good for tarantulas because of the high calcium content which can cause molting issues. Plus you have to deal with something bloody and rotting in the enclosure and might not be able to get out right away. It is not worth it, that was the general consensus.

 

[Trenor]

I don't have a spider yet but I have read on Arachnoboards that mice, lizards or other mammals are not really good for tarantulas because of the high calcium content which can cause molting issues.

There is no evidence for this one way or the other. Calcium has not been shown to affect molting though I've often seen people say this.

Plus you have to deal with something bloody and rotting in the enclosure and might not be able to get out right away.

This is true as left over food of this type would start smelling like the time you forgot that pack of chicken on the kitchen counter during a hot summer. Where as left over insects dry out and so they have less smell.

It is not worth it, that was the general consensus.

It really comes down to what the keeper is willing to deal with. A lot of people approach this on the mouse/lizard/rat lives matter more than insects so I prefer not to us them as feeders.

In reality, the T probably doesn't care what the food is as long as it gets some without being injured.