Vinegaroon alternate feeder insects?

[Ajohnson5263]

Hi, im interested in keeping a vinegaroon, Mastigoproctus giganteus, however, in my current living situation, i am not allowed to keep crickets or roaches for feeders. could this species be sustained on alternations between earth worms and meal worms? I would also be able to feed dead insect feeders, but whatever food item i choose it must be able to be refrigerated. Also, Which tends to be bigger. males or females?

 

[Dennis Nedry]

I don't know if there's a big difference in size between males and females, but they're generalist predators and should be fine on things like mealworms, wax worms and maggots

 

[Galapoheros]

People worry about pesticides and parasites but this is way too hyped up so what I would do is simply catch a moth, grasshopper, cricket, (whatever) now and then and feed it that way. Do you have a porch light to go to? Of course you won't catch much in winter unless you have some logs, boards and other things to look under. When you do find something, you can put it in the freezer to feed it later. When you freeze the feeder, I would put water in the freezer bag, enough to surround the feeder in ice so it doesn't dehydrate, aka, "freezer burn". Then just thaw it out, the vinegaroon will eat it once it touches it if it's hungry. They don't need to eat often, that's how I would do it. The biggest vinegaroon I've seen was a male I found on a road, it was unusually large. I messed up and accidently left it at a motel haha. The motel owner was scared to death of those things. He said one time he saw one kill a horse. I'm sure he just saw a horse die and their happened to be a vinegaroon there also.

 

[Aquarimax]

Hi, im interested in keeping a vinegaroon, Mastigoproctus giganteus, however, in my current living situation, i am not allowed to keep crickets or roaches for feeders. could this species be sustained on alternations between earth worms and meal worms? I would also be able to feed dead insect feeders, but whatever food item i choose it must be able to be refrigerated. Also, Which tends to be bigger. males or females?

I offer mine both crickets and mealworms. They are very happy to munch on mealworms!

 

[Sarkhan42]

I struggle to find things that mine WON'T eat, they'll eat just about any invert I put in with them, living or dead. This includes mealworm larvae, beetles, and pupae. They end up being my collection garbage disposal, and I love em for it.

 

[Gogyeng]

What sort of beetles? Mine wouldn't touch the Morios. Anybody feeding beetles?

 

[StampFan]

I offer mine both crickets and mealworms. They are very happy to munch on mealworms!

So do you physically put the mealworm on the cork bark or will it hunt from the ground? Tong feed?

 

[basin79]

So do you physically put the mealworm on the cork bark or will it hunt from the ground? Tong feed?

Like tarantulas mealworms or morio worms should be fed whilst watching to make sure they don't get to bury or prekilled.

 

[Galapoheros]

What sort of beetles? Mine wouldn't touch the Morios. Anybody feeding beetles?

It may not be hungry, or temporarily not eating for some reason. I've never seen a hungry one turn down anything, including stink bugs. I was curious to see if the stink bug's(common name, "rough skinned stink bug") defense would be enough to deter the vinegaroon but no. It was kind of funny, it backed up after it grabbed it but hung in there and ate it. Maybe 30 years ago, I put a banded gecko in with one thinking it would leave the lizard alone, it grabbed it in seconds, too late to save it and it ate it.

 

[mantisfan101]

These things are literal tanks. I’ve seen some eating millipedes despite the toxic quinones. Just make sure that whatever you feed them has no pesticides or herbicides. The real question you should be asking though is “what will these guys NOT eat?”

 

[mantisfan101]

Also keep in mind that they go through periods of fasting. If it’s not feeding don’t feed it. One of mine is now pushing 7 months without food and it’s still alive and kicking. They also appear to have a really slow metabolism.

 

[Ajohnson5263]

UPDATE: I've had my vinegaroon for about a year now. he is very picky, won't touch nay live prey. I have to crush mealworms heads and then offer it to him. scared of tongs too, I have to leave it out overnight. he's a weird guy lol