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

[Ellenantula]

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

If this isn't completely accurate, then I'll just say this is my philosophy.
I just like to offer variety....

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.

Could be reading older posts -- most contemporary husbandry guidelines would probably disagree. I still am not a fan of feeding mice & lizards, but I don't believe it would harm my T.

 

[mconnachan]

If this isn't completely accurate, then I'll just say this is my philosophy.
I just like to offer variety....

That makes sense, we as humans need a varied diet, as do T's and other inverts, it's logical that in the wild no invert would be eating the same prey week in week out, so to offer different prey would have a positive impact on your spiders. I'm thinking about "HUGE" spiders when I mentioned offering small lizards etc. Surely they need the extra high nutrition in their diet.

 

[Nightstalker47]

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.

Mealworms and crickets are great, there's always an assortment of sizes wich works great for slings and juveniles.

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.....

Not necessary, but you would have to feed those species alot more then most others when they get large. I feed my large female stirmi either 3 adult female crickets or a superworm every few days, she puts on weight but it takes a while.

 

[Trenor]

That makes sense, we as humans need a varied diet, as do T's and other inverts, it's logical that in the wild no invert would be eating the same prey week in week out, so to offer different prey would have a positive impact on your spiders. I'm thinking about "HUGE" spiders when I mentioned offering small lizards etc. Surely they need the extra high nutrition in their diet.

A lot of people I know keep larger Ts only use one maybe two feeders with no issues. For the longest time most only used crickets and their Ts were fine and healthy. A larger person doesn't need a more varied diet. They just usually need more of the same diet smaller people do as they can burn up more calories moving the largeness about.

Now my BD can end up with problems like metabolic bone disease if I don't feed him the appropriate and varied food he needs. Not to mention having the right wave length UVB light so his system can make use of the food to get what he needs.

I've not seen anything like that for tarantulas. If you like varying their food it's not likely to hurt but I doubt it's any better for them then just the same feeder.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

where do you get your feeders @The Grym Reaper, I would like something suitable for slings and sub-adults alike.

Livefoods direct are pretty good for most feeders, they do mix and match deals, have a good selection and shipping is free, or Ebay for red runners

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.....

It's optional and provides no additional benefit to your Tarantula, people who use mammals/reptiles as feeders are probably only doing so for their own entertainment, if you want to go bigger than dubia/supers for those species then get some Giant Madagascar Hissers, Theraposa sp. won't have a problem duppying those off.
The main reasons we'd advise against using mice/lizards as feeders are that they can injure/kill your Tarantula while struggling, the boluses would be horrible to clean up and would probably stink up your room quite quickly if the T decided to hide the bolus.

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.

I'm pretty sure that's a myth that's been carried over from years ago.

 

[viper69]

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.

Well, I can't speak to wax worms. But I can speak to another high fat animal, mealworms. I had 5 N. incei, all from the same sac as @cold blood (he produced them). Now he keeps his Ts about 3-5 degrees warmer than I do. He fed them on a mealworm diet, when I received mine I switched them over to crickets only. At every point his incei remained larger than my own.

SO in this small "experiment", the data suggests that increased temps and higher fat feeders equals a faster growth rate. This isn't a surprise to me, but it was something I observed as I feed mostly crix to the critters.

 

[Andrea82]

@Jmanbeing93 , don't forget to crush heads of the meal-and superworms so they won't burrow.
I use whichever is on offer or rotate feeders. Not really for variety but just because i can
Red Runners, meal-,super- or buffaloworms, dubia roaches, locusts, fly larvae. Only small slings get crickets, i don't like them much.
All of the spides pretty much eat everything, except for my T.violaceus and A.metallica. The first prefers dubia or locusts only, the last mealies, fly larvae or flying food. Picky little ladies.

 

[mack1855]

I have a couple of picky M.mesomelas that will not eat dubias or crickets
but always accept horn worms.My P.cambridgei also gets one every month.
Pistachio ice cream for T,s.

 

[Jmanbeing93]

@Andrea82 .

Would you say that waxworms are too small for adult terrestrial T's or is that not a problem for them. I am drawn to the easy care and breeding of waxworms.

 

[Andrea82]

@Andrea82 .

Would you say that waxworms are too small for adult terrestrial T's or is that not a problem for them. I am drawn to the easy care and breeding of waxworms.

I'd just try. If they take them, you'll have your answer

 

[jaycied]

Everything mentioned (other than lizards/mammals IMO) has its merits. I'm looking at starting a dubia colony to have them on hand for me Ts, but also because they're the best feeder for my gecko.
For small slings I use maggots or pieces of whatever I'm feeding larger animals currently.

 

[nicodimus22]

The occasional Smurf seems good for the larger species. One small drawback is that it turns the (normally white) poop blue for a while.

 

[Jayvicularia]

I was curious about people's thought on earwigs as feeders. I don't agree with feeding wild caught but what about an established colony several generations old. They are communal.. descent size..quite and they don't jump. Might make excellent feeders. They are soft bodied and easy to acquire for a starter colony. I'm no expert but thought it would be an entertaining idea to discuss. Trying to get my points up.

 

[Arachnophoric]

I was curious about people's thought on earwigs as feeders. I don't agree with feeding wild caught but what about an established colony several generations old. They are communal.. descent size..quite and they don't jump. Might make excellent feeders. They are soft bodied and easy to acquire for a starter colony. I'm no expert but thought it would be an entertaining idea to discuss. Trying to get my points up.

If it's anything like the earwigs I'm thinking of, wouldn't the pincers possibly pose a danger to the T? Other than that they seem pretty similar to most roaches, from an outside standpoint. No idea on the nutritional value.

 

[Zymotic]

If you want something exotic to feed your tarantulas you might check out silkworms or hornworms. As a staple feeder, mealworms and super worms are a smart choice due to their availability and cost. If you're up for starting a colony, both of those would be great, and so would dubia roaches and lateralis roaches. Crickets are also a widely available option, though I personally despise crickets. Wax worms are also great, but due to their high-fat content, they're better as an occasional treat.

As they say, variety is the spice of life.

 

[Hellblazer]

Several months ago I had a supply of waxworms and fed them (and nothing else) to one of my avics for several weeks. It ended up having a wet molt, but I managed to get it to its next molt and it survived.
I realize it was probably just coincidence that it was eating only waxworms, but I won't risk it anymore. I would still mix them into their diet occasionally if I had some, just not exclusively like I do with roaches.

 

[StampFan]

Waxworms are great because 1) they're readily available here, 2) they take up little space, 3) don't smell, 4) are easy to keep for relatively long periods, 5) don't run away, escape, jump away, etc.

I will regularly use a waxworm for a first feeding after a molt. Can't imagine those doughy little things could harm a fang that's still too soft if the T decides to feed too early. Just a hunch and a theory, but so far so good. Also for smaller slings.

Don't get me started on the weird "but they're high in fat so they must be bad" weird anthropomorphism that seems to be prevalent. We have *no idea* what constitutes good tarantula nutrition. None. We only know what they might eat the wild.

 

[Jayvicularia]

That's a good thought about wax worms as feeders for T's fangs may be still hardening.

 

[Swoop]

I was curious about people's thought on earwigs as feeders. I don't agree with feeding wild caught but what about an established colony several generations old. They are communal.. descent size..quite and they don't jump. Might make excellent feeders. They are soft bodied and easy to acquire for a starter colony. I'm no expert but thought it would be an entertaining idea to discuss. Trying to get my points up.

I'm experimenting with an earwig colony although they're currently in with my millipedes which are surprisingly fond of eating dead or defenseless bugs, which would probably include earwig eggs. I need to separate them.

I used earwigs a lot as a kid for mantids and jumping spiders. I think baby earwigs would be good sling food but they don't get large enough for much else. And I think pincers would be treated the same as cricket legs, remove them if the feeder is large enough to harm the T.

 

[Jayvicularia]

I read that earwigs actually look after thier eggs and young til first molt. I might try my own small colony as an experiment. Even if I don't get enough for feeders it will be interesting. I might have to wait until spring unless I find more strays in my house.