Tarantulas Eating Raw Meat?

[The Spider House]

Back in the 90s I remember hearing about someone who fed beef chunks to their Theraphosa to try to break size records. Tied the chunks to string so they could move it around and induce a feeding response. Pretty sure it did not enhance growth as hoped…

I remember that too, and yes, there was no impact on growth rate. The Vegans though were apoplectic!

Another article describing spider predation on vertebrates:

Tropical Spiders Cause 'Surprising Amount of Death,' Hunting Opossums, Frogs and More

In the Amazon lowlands, spiders as big as dinner plates dine on opossums.

www.livescience.com

To sum it up, as another person said, there's no reason to believe that feeding a T ground beef or ground turkey is any more harmful than feeding dubias to a tarantula that doesn't live in the same natural habitat as dubias. I do it every 2 to 4 weeks as I said and the main reason why I think it might be a bad idea sometimes has nothing to do with safety, and everything to do with the mess you'll have to deal with afterwards.

Reading the article you attached and then clicking on other links, like you do, one thing that came up and something I have yet to try was that a scientist claimed the main prey of the Theraphosa blondi was in fact.... earth worms!
I am always worried about taking insects or other live prey from my garden as you never know where they have been or what they could have picked up. I never use insecticedes/pesticides in my garden but can't say the same for my neighbours so I don't take the chance. Earth worms though do intrigue me now

 

[Olan]

Reading the article you attached and then clicking on other links, like you do, one thing that came up and something I have yet to try was that a scientist claimed the main prey of the Theraphosa blondi was in fact.... earth worms!
I am always worried about taking insects or other live prey from my garden as you never know where they have been or what they could have picked up. I never use insecticedes/pesticides in my garden but can't say the same for my neighbours so I don't take the chance. Earth worms though do intrigue me now

If you get earthworms from a big baitshop, they should be pesticide free. I’ve done this before. Some T’s seem to love them, others hate the slime

 

[TechnoGeek]

Reading the article you attached and then clicking on other links, like you do, one thing that came up and something I have yet to try was that a scientist claimed the main prey of the Theraphosa blondi was in fact.... earth worms!
I am always worried about taking insects or other live prey from my garden as you never know where they have been or what they could have picked up. I never use insecticedes/pesticides in my garden but can't say the same for my neighbours so I don't take the chance. Earth worms though do intrigue me now

Several reptile shops in my area carry earthworms. I've used them as feeders for my frogs before

 

[The Spider House]

Several reptile shops in my area carry earthworms. I've used them as feeders for my frogs before

My regular shop that I get my feeders from is also a bait shop so I will speak to them about where they get them from etc and give some of my bigger Ts a treat I reckon

 

[darkness975]

I've been looking though this site looking for interesting feeders for T's when I noticed photos of people feeding their tarantulas beef...Is this safe?

Nope. Not because of biology but rather because of all the garbage they pump into our food now.

 

[The Spider House]

Nope. Not because of biology but rather because of all the garbage they pump into our food now.

Good point, well made.

 

[TJ 68]

Is it safe? Yes. Is it necessary? No. Is it a good idea to feed them meat as a staple food? Probably not. But not because it might hurt them.

Large tarantulas eat vertebrates all the time, that they only do this rarely is a myth. A recent study confirmed that spiders in general (not just Ts) eat more vertebrates than we previously thought, to the point that some species evolved certain abilities to help them bring down vertebrates:

"The habitual vertebrate-eaters have evolved prey-capture adaptations such as (1) sufficient physical strength coupled with large body size, (2) the use of potent venoms, and (3) the use of highly efficient prey-catching webs."

Source:

https://bioone.org/journals/the-journal-of-arachnology/volume-50/issue-2/JoA-S-21-054/Spiders-feeding-on-vertebrates-is-more-common-and-widespread-than/10.1636/JoA-S-21-054.full

Having said that, I still don't think it's a good idea for 2 big reasons: enclosure hygiene, and convenience. You see, every time you feed them meat any leftovers will decompose and stink and be disgusting to remove. Plus it's less convenient to thaw and slice chicken or ground beef or whatever, than to just drop an insect or 2 in there.

I feed my large tarantulas meat once a month or so, sometimes twice a month, and I only give them a piece that I know they'll finish off. It's a good protein treat every now and then.

Another article describing spider predation on vertebrates:

Tropical Spiders Cause 'Surprising Amount of Death,' Hunting Opossums, Frogs and More

In the Amazon lowlands, spiders as big as dinner plates dine on opossums.

www.livescience.com

To sum it up, as another person said, there's no reason to believe that feeding a T ground beef or ground turkey is any more harmful than feeding dubias to a tarantula that doesn't live in the same natural habitat as dubias. I do it every 2 to 4 weeks as I said and the main reason why I think it might be a bad idea sometimes has nothing to do with safety, and everything to do with the mess you'll have to deal with afterwards.

I have seen multiple instances of T "vertebrate-eaters" in the Wild,lizards,mice even fish. I think if you want to Increase or add Animal fat/ Protein to Your Ts diet, A Better way is to feed your Crickets/feeders Dog food and then feed Them to the T.

I remember that too, and yes, there was no impact on growth rate. The Vegans though were apoplectic!


Reading the article you attached and then clicking on other links, like you do, one thing that came up and something I have yet to try was that a scientist claimed the main prey of the Theraphosa blondi was in fact.... earth worms!
I am always worried about taking insects or other live prey from my garden as you never know where they have been or what they could have picked up. I never use insecticedes/pesticides in my garden but can't say the same for my neighbours so I don't take the chance. Earth worms though do intrigue me now

I have Given A blondi Earthworms before She loved them. Also as a Side Note.. In 2001 I Won an Earthworm Eating Contest... And I'm Just Fine ( Only Minimal Blain Dablagde)

 

[TechnoGeek]

I have seen multiple instances of T "vertebrate-eaters" in the Wild,lizards,mice even fish. I think if you want to Increase or add Animal fat/ Protein to Your Ts diet, A Better way is to feed your Crickets/feeders Dog food and then feed Them to the T.

Crickets are animal protein, regardless of whether or not they're fed high protein diet. All the protein in crickets is animal protein

 

[The Spider House]

I have Given A blondi Earthworms before She loved them. Also as a Side Note.. In 2001 I Won an Earthworm Eating Contest... And I'm Just Fine ( Only Minimal Blain Dablagde)

That brightened my morning. Very funny

 

[TJ 68]

Crickets are animal protein, regardless of whether or not they're fed high protein diet. All the protein in crickets is animal protein

Crickets are animal protein, regardless of whether or not they're fed high protein diet. All the protein in crickets is animal protein

How Can You Quote my post and not Read it? A Cricket is Obviously not Plant protein and I Never even came close to stating that. I said " I think if you want to Increase or add ". ,, A Cricket Gut Loaded with Oats,Carrots,etc, Will Have less Animal Protein/Fat than one Loaded with Dog food.

 

[Angelo]

Many years ago I used to feed my Salmon pink and rosehair small chunks of beef or chicken every now and then.

I stopped because they were usually still feeding on it on the fourth day, and by then the meat was rotting and smelled horrible.

To answer the initial question, both of the aforementioned tarantulas are alive and kicking so safe to assume that it is safe.

 

[The Spider House]

Update.
I got x10 xlarge Lob worms (Lumbricus) used for feeding Axolotls fish. My Therephosa eat them with gusto. I have a T stirmi that has been paired and she has had 4 so far in the last 2 weeks along with her normal food intake so hoping any extra nutrients will help with sac production.

 

[Introvertebrate]

Worms are underrated as feeders. Easy to breed, once you have a colony set up.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Is it safe? Yes. Is it necessary? No. Is it a good idea to feed them meat as a staple food? Probably not. But not because it might hurt them.

Large tarantulas eat vertebrates all the time, that they only do this rarely is a myth. A recent study confirmed that spiders in general (not just Ts) eat more vertebrates than we previously thought, to the point that some species evolved certain abilities to help them bring down vertebrates:

"The habitual vertebrate-eaters have evolved prey-capture adaptations such as (1) sufficient physical strength coupled with large body size, (2) the use of potent venoms, and (3) the use of highly efficient prey-catching webs."

Source:

https://bioone.org/journals/the-journal-of-arachnology/volume-50/issue-2/JoA-S-21-054/Spiders-feeding-on-vertebrates-is-more-common-and-widespread-than/10.1636/JoA-S-21-054.full

Having said that, I still don't think it's a good idea for 2 big reasons: enclosure hygiene, and convenience. You see, every time you feed them meat any leftovers will decompose and stink and be disgusting to remove. Plus it's less convenient to thaw and slice chicken or ground beef or whatever, than to just drop an insect or 2 in there.

I feed my large tarantulas meat once a month or so, sometimes twice a month, and I only give them a piece that I know they'll finish off. It's a good protein treat every now and then.

Another article describing spider predation on vertebrates:

Tropical Spiders Cause 'Surprising Amount of Death,' Hunting Opossums, Frogs and More

In the Amazon lowlands, spiders as big as dinner plates dine on opossums.

www.livescience.com

To sum it up, as another person said, there's no reason to believe that feeding a T ground beef or ground turkey is any more harmful than feeding dubias to a tarantula that doesn't live in the same natural habitat as dubias. I do it every 2 to 4 weeks as I said and the main reason why I think it might be a bad idea sometimes has nothing to do with safety, and everything to do with the mess you'll have to deal with afterwards.

What peice of meats are you feeding your Ts? I Had no idea this was a thing ?

Back in the 90s I remember hearing about someone who fed beef chunks to their Theraphosa to try to break size records. Tied the chunks to string so they could move it around and induce a feeding response. Pretty sure it did not enhance growth as hoped…

Wow bulking up that Goliath ! I wonder if giving your roaches meat like hamburger will gut load them with beef flavor for my Ts?

 

[Frogdaddy]

What peice of meats are you feeding your Ts? I Had no idea this was a thing ?

Wow bulking up that Goliath ! I wonder if giving your roaches meat like hamburger will gut load them with beef flavor for my Ts?

If stupid ideas are a thing than yes, it's a thing.
I'm picturing NW tarantulas evolving over millions and millions of years eating an insect diet till the European colonists brought cattle to South America. Then they all switched diets. Even the tree cows to feed Avicularia.
In fact that's why Cortez conquered the Mayans, to take their land to raise cattle to feed tarantulas.
Off all the dumb ass things I've ever seen, this whole feeding beef thing is near the top. Along with honey water.
I guess it's true, common sense ain't common.

 

[spideyspinneret78]

Blattodea Bits (TM) now with added Angus Beef flavor, gut loaded to perfection! Also try our Palp-Lickin' Chicken Crickets for a very special snack!

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Blattodea Bits (TM) now with added Angus Beef flavor, gut loaded to perfection! Also try our Palp-Lickin' Chicken Crickets for a very special snack!

I hear orange head roaches are more carnivorous maybe I should feed them leftover hamburger?? I don’t plan on eating it haHa
treating them like kings!! Although none are getting fed off until I have a few 100.

 

[TechnoGeek]

If stupid ideas are a thing than yes, it's a thing.
I'm picturing NW tarantulas evolving over millions and millions of years eating an insect diet till the European colonists brought cattle to South America. Then they all switched diets. Even the tree cows to feed Avicularia.
In fact that's why Cortez conquered the Mayans, to take their land to raise cattle to feed tarantulas.
Off all the dumb ass things I've ever seen, this whole feeding beef thing is near the top. Along with honey water.
I guess it's true, common sense ain't common.

I think you still don't understand that a. Most tarantulas don't eat crickets superworms or dubias in the wild. And b. tarantulas aren't picky and they don't eat exclusively insects even in the wild. Either you still don't understand these 2 points or for some reason you don't wanna accept it.

Some tarantulas aren't even native to the same continent as many of the staple feeder insects that we feed them in captivity. And tarantulas like all ambush predators are very opportunistic, and as such when something runs into them, and provided they feel that they can overpower it, they'll eat it.. doesn't matter if it's a vertebrate, a lizard, an insect, or even another T.

There's no reason why feeding beef is any less "natural" than feeding a desert T dubia roaches. I already explained that it isn't necessary, and that enclosure hygiene would be harder to maintain.. but this idea that Ts would be harmed if they were fed meat because it isn't natural is pretty stupid.. just saying.

Worms are underrated as feeders. Easy to breed, once you have a colony set up.

I hate feeding worms most of the time because they dig and hide in the substrate and then they might turn to beetles and come back to hurt your spider. An exception to this rule is silkworms, hornworms, and waxworms. Some of my Ts eat like pigs and would pounce on the worm the second it hits the substrate, but others are more shy and take their sweet time and worms are a pretty bad match for these.

Honestly if I had to rank feeders it would be crickets (provided you only buy as many as you'll use in 24-48 hours), dubias, silkworms, mealworms, superworms.

 

[Frogdaddy]

I think you still don't understand that a. Most tarantulas don't eat crickets superworms or dubias in the wild. And b. tarantulas aren't picky and they don't eat exclusively insects even in the wild. Either you still don't understand these 2 points or for some reason you don't wanna accept it.

Some tarantulas aren't even native to the same continent as many of the staple feeder insects that we feed them in captivity. And tarantulas like all ambush predators are very opportunistic, and as such when something runs into them, and provided they feel that they can overpower it, they'll eat it.. doesn't matter if it's a vertebrate, a lizard, an insect, or even another T.

There's no reason why feeding beef is any less "natural" than feeding a desert T dubia roaches. I already explained that it isn't necessary, and that enclosure Hygiene would be harder to maintain.. but this idea that Ts would be harmed if they were fed meat because it isn't natural is pretty stupid.. just saying.

No I totally understand. We fed the feeder insects we have have because
A. They are cheap and easy to raise so the feeder industry can make a profit and stay in business and supply us with more feeder insects.
B. Other feeder insects aren't legal. In Europe they feed locusts/grasshoppers. The USDA won't let us ship grasshoppers due to the threat they pose to agriculture. Unfortunate because locusts/grasshoppers make great feeders. I've tried some myself.

Sure T's are opportunistic as are many predators. As are sharks. Do aquariums feed their captive sharks pigs or horses? They do not.
Should I start raising hummingbirds as feeders?
Should I start feeding my Varanus jobiensis rice cakes, tofu, and cantaloupe? No. It's not their natural diet.
What percentage of wild T's diets is compromised of beef? The percentage is so small and minute it's almost infinitesimal. It's predominantly insects and sure occasionally some other vertebrate prey such as lizards or frogs. Anyone feeding lizards or frogs on a regular basis? Rarely do keepers even feed pinky mice, usually due to the mess and smell, not to mention the ethical concerns. So what makes beef different. This is taking into account that T's are far more likely to come across a rodent than a juicy New York Strip insitu.
So what's the point? We can't say with 100% that beef is helpful. We can say it's thought not to be harmful, but again, no one knows for sure. We can say tens of thousands of T's have been raised on feeder insects for generations.
Now if you'll excuse me I have to go fix my collection of Varanus lizards some rice cakes, tofu, and cantaloupe for dinner.
@TechnoGeek @AphonopelmaTX
Either of you going take your most prized T and feed it beef and let it drink honey water?

 

[TechnoGeek]

No I totally understand. We fed the feeder insects we have have because
A. They are cheap and easy to raise so the feeder industry can make a profit and stay in business and supply us with more feeder insects.
B. Other feeder insects aren't legal. In Europe they feed locusts/grasshoppers. The USDA won't let us ship grasshoppers due to the threat they pose to agriculture. Unfortunate because locusts/grasshoppers make great feeders. I've tried some myself.

These points are valid but completely unrelated to what I was replying to. I myself said feeder insects make much more sense as a staple. My objection was to the part about it being unnatural since the evolution of tarantulas to the introduction of cattle and the rest of this bla bla bla.

Sure T's are opportunistic as are many predators. As are sharks. Do aquariums feed their captive sharks pigs or horses? They do not.

Not gonna reply to this part. Honestly comparing giving a T a small slice of meat to feeding great white sharks pigs and horses makes no sense at all.

Should I start raising hummingbirds as feeders?

More nonsense.. comparing throwing a piece of meat in the enclosure to raising and breeding hummingbirds is just stupid (for lack of a better word).

What percentage of wild T's diets is compromised of beef? The percentage is so small and minute it's almost infinitesimal.

LMAO I think you just don't get it then.

The percentage of beef in a T's diet is guaranteed to be 0.. they're not killing cows or even dragging a buffalo carcass into their burrows to feed on it (although they defo eat birds and small reptiles and mammals). But the percentage of dubias in a wild GBB's diet is also 0 in all likelihood. We feed them dubias because it's much more convenient.. not because it's more natural.

It's predominantly insects and sure occasionally some other vertebrate prey such as lizards or frogs. Anyone feeding lizards or frogs on a regular basis?

Occasionally is a meaningless term. I already posted several academic sources mentioning some spiders (not just Ts) literally evolved abilities to help them capture vertebrate prey. I don't feed them frogs or lizards because, surprise surprise, I don't happen to have a few pounds of frog or lizard meat sitting in my freezer.

Rarely do keepers even feed pinky mice, usually due to the mess and smell, not to mention the ethical concerns. So what makes beef different.

Pinky mice are pretty high in fat and have a much smaller protein content compared to lean chicken or beef. There are no ethical concerns here other than human bias, since we assign more value to the lives of vertebrates (mammals in particular) than to those of insects. Objectively a life is a life either way, and tarantulas are predators that need to hunt and kill prey to survive. It's even tricker with Ts because unlike snakes and lizards many won't take prekilled prey (although many do tbh). So if you view this sort of thing as unethical, I respect your opinion, but Ts aren't for you.

So what's the point? We can't say with 100% that beef is helpful. We can say it's thought not to be harmful, but again, no one knows for sure. We can say tens of thousands of T's have been raised on feeder insects for generations.

My point is that meat is just as helpful as dubias or crickets, but it's much more messy and possibly less convenient. This is the point I been trying to hammer home for so long and some people still don't get it.

As I always say, you either get it or you don't. If you don't get it don't call it stupid.