Tong Feeding, Safe or NOT?

[SuzukiSwift]

The only Ts I tong feed are my avics, mainly because they are lazy and rarely go down to look for food lol Some Ts are safe to tong feed but others are not of course, you'd be surprised how strong they can be. I tried tong feeding my 6" genic once and she grabbed the tongs so hard she actually pulled them out of my hand She then proceeded to sit on them the rest of the day to gloat about her victory -_-

However I do agree with Mark, I think tong feeding is unnecessary, however it is an interesting feeding method to try once and again if you like. Just be careful what size and what species of T you're attempting this with unless you really know what you're doing

 

[Poec54]

Why do some people tong feed them???, i get thay maybe slings, if so freshly dead pray will do?,, I understand if thay can't feed/missing fang or legs etc, they were born to hunt/stalk pray whether its WC or CB.

+1. These have perfected their hunting skills over millions of years, they certainly don't need to be hand fed. It's not like they're Yorkshire terriers all dressed up in fancy bows.

 

[catfishrod69]

I do it so i know the tarantula takes the food. I dont tong feed every tarantula, or the same one every time. Its better than a roach being left to rot because the tarantula didnt find it.

 

[ArachnidSentinl]

I do it so i know the tarantula takes the food. I dont tong feed every tarantula, or the same one every time. Its better than a roach being left to rot because the tarantula didnt find it.

This. Nine times out of ten it's never a problem, but it still drives me nuts whenever I find a dubia alive and well six months later, or a superworm pupating. I suppose I just like to know what's going on (who's eating, who's not).

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[MarkmD]

I do it so i know the tarantula takes the food. I dont tong feed every tarantula, or the same one every time. Its better than a roach being left to rot because the tarantula didnt find it.

I agree it's better having your T(s) eating than not, however you dont need to leave a roach to rot, as you know just take it out the next day/evenin your around, they will always eat if hungry (wether if its live or dead) so that mutes tong feeding, one thing I will say is they are better hunters than most give credit, we all know that to.be fact.

 

[Hobo]

Why tong feed?
I would think it quite obvious with just a moments thought.
Outside of being fun, and knowing a spider ate, it also prevents the possibility of feeders hiding somewhere and eventually dying in inaccessible crevices.
It also allows you to feed feeders that would otherwise immediately escape or burrow away, like super worms or Dubia without having to crush their heads. Sometimes these guys are still able to get away and rot somewhere, especially from arboreals that typically won't go digging to grab something. What if it finds someplace to hide where even you can't find it to remove it before it dies?

Now obviously you can't feed every tarantula with tongs or tweezers; some are too wary, some won't be fooled, and some you just wouldn't want to take a chance with. It also depends on the enclosure.

Same with feeders. Unless you're feeding slings, trying to feed crickets from tweezers and tongs can be difficult. It's best to feed larger feeders or slow feeders who don't elicit a feeding response. Grab the feeders with a "handle" (wing, leg, etc.) that is far away from the spider; this will lessen the chance of it grabbing the wrong thing. If it does grab the tongs/tweezers with fangs, let it have it. don't try to pull it away. Tarantulas aren't stupid, and will quickly realize when something isn't food. Any attempts to free it will only make it think whatever it's got is alive and trying to get away leading them to bite more. Give them a little credit, right?

I've been feeding some of my tarantulas and all of my slings with tongs and tweezers with no problems. I don't even think I had one bite down on the tongs, let alone chip a fang.
I have, however, had a B. boehmei chip a fang while chewing on ventilation. This same spider also somehow mildly injured herself (leaking behind the knee, she kept off of it for a few weeks, molted out fine eventually) while whipping around to grab a cricket.
So, as far as my experience goes, I'd say it has the same amount of risk as keeping ventilation holes/screen and feeding live: low to none.

 

[MarkmD]

I also agree with Hobo, as i said, it probably works well on most occasions, all be it, they dont need baby fed with tongs they will hunt or eat dead pray, if they dont eat then fine just try your next feeding day, they don't die that fast.

 

[Beary Strange]

The reasons I tong feed are pretty much exactly what catfishrod and Hobo said: I like to be assured that my T has gotten a hold of particular prey. I have no problem simply dropping a cricket in, but I rarely feed those. My go-tos are dubias and mealworms, both of which can burrow into the substrate very quickly and while I know a dubia isn't a threat like a mealworm is, I still prefer not to have them just loose in the enclosure. I'd rather not further disturb a T that didn't want to eat by fishing through it's substrate for loose feeders. :/

 

[viper69]

The only Ts I tong feed are my avics, mainly because they are lazy and rarely go down to look for food lol

Man, they have you trained!

 

[SuzukiSwift]

Man, they have you trained!

Lol cant argue with that!

 

[Mysteryavic]

+1 Hobo that is 100% spot on! I agree with what he has said and im quite positive he has plenty of XP to back up his clams. Thanks for your input

 

[Introvertebrate]

Why do some people tong feed them???

I just think its fun. Its my bonding time with my animals. :biggrin: Well, okay. I'm bonding, they're just eating.

 

[BobGrill]

Obviously there are certain species you can't tong-feed, but for more docile arboreals, such as most Avics, tong-feeding is an easier method of insuring that the T actually eats, and that they prey item doesn't either crawl off and die somewhere (thus rotting and attracting phorid flies or mites or causing mold to grow on it), or that it doesn't hide out and then make an unexpected reappearance when the T is molting. Plus, it is sort of fun, and if it's not dangerous to either the owner nor the T, then I fail to see what harm it is causing.

 

[hyllusgiganteus]

Wouldn't you want to ENCOURAGE hunting? I mean, you don't want to make them completely dependant on you

 

[BobGrill]

Wouldn't you want to ENCOURAGE hunting? I mean, you don't want to make them completely dependant on you

Again, there's nothing wrong with tong feeding. It's all about personal preference and it hasn't been shown to harm the T, so what's wrong with letting people do it? Also, I'm not sure if a T would really "become dependent" on the owner the way a reptile would. Tarantulas are more or less opportunists and eat whatever comes within their reach and which they can also overpower.

 

[Mysteryavic]

hyllusgiganteus, How are thy already not "completely dependant on you". I feed, I water, I rehouse, I remove poop. Just asking is all. i don't raise free range Ts. Lol.... Now that would be a T room. "Watch ur footing there is usually an OBT under their". Altho "Watch ur head that poci goes crazy some times" hummm...

 

[Erwynn]

I rarely tong feed, I mostly use the tongs to remove debris and do cage maintenance. I've had too many rushing up the tongs on the few times I used to tong feed, including the OBT, so I'll pass lol. *shudders*

 

[BobGrill]

That's why you don't tong feed fast moving/defensive species.

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[Stan Schultz]

I often read/see people using forceps of varying sizes to feed insects to their Ts. ...

Those people have far too much time on their hands. Or, they're keeping the wrong pet.

... I'm wondering if people have heard/observed any negative side effects of tong feeding?

It apparently doesn't do any harm, but it seldom is necessary either. Who or what in nature hand feeds all the wild tarantulas?



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"UNATTENDED CHILDREN WILL BE FED TO THE HUNGRIEST TARANTULA IN INVENTORY!"
- R. W. Schultz

 

[BobGrill]

So if it isn't harmful then let people do it.

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