What do I use as feeders for just 1 tarantula?

[Fade]

I am planning to get my first tarantula and am not sure what to use as feeders.

I prefer to use Dubia roaches as they don't make noise, easy to care for, don't smell, can't climb smooth surfaced walls, can't jump, can't infest, etc. But it seems overkill to breed as well as buying roaches online as the minimum count usually is 25. I am guessing you use 1 roach a week. Wouldn't they grow too big for my tarantula if I get a bunch like that? Not sure what size of T I will get but hoepfully my local expo will have an adult or near full grown T.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Andrea82]

Depending on the size you could get mealworms or superworms if you don't want the hassle. Superworms stay alive on some oatmeal and fruits/veggies for fluids for at least three months with minimal care.
Mealworms can last long as well if you keep them in the fridge. Just take them out every week for a few hours to rehydrate and feed and you're good to go.

Edit:
You know the best solution is just to get more spiders.....

 

[Theneil]

Have you looked for a local reptile shop in the area? They might have roaches that you could buy on an individual basis. Personally I don't like dubias much for my tarantulas because they don't usually stimulate a good feeding response.

My two cents though is for a single tarantula just go to a pet store and get a couple crickets. They are usually only about 10 cents each and so easily available that you don't need to take care of them. Just buy 1-4 at a time when you are going to feed.

 

[Sinned]

Instead of dubia roaches, might wanna consider red runners (B. lateralis). They don't try to burrow or play dead as often. Same benefits, they can't climb smooth surfaces, easy to keep, less smell then crickets etc. Tad smaller though then dubia's, so if you end up getting a larger T, you end up feeding more at once --and you have less of a colony to keep if you buy a box now and then.

Edit:
You know the best solution is just to get more spiders.....

This works, solved my issue... my single T experience ended within a month or so. The young red runners I end up with are often tossed in with some of my smaller T's and slings. You can use this as an excuse to order some slings

 

[Fade]

Instead of dubia roaches, might wanna consider red runners (B. lateralis). They don't try to burrow or play dead as often. Same benefits, they can't climb smooth surfaces, easy to keep, less smell then crickets etc. Tad smaller though then dubia's, so if you end up getting a larger T, you end up feeding more at once --and you have less of a colony to keep if you buy a box now and then.

The only reason the I don't want to keep those is I hear they can infest as dubias don't depending on where you live. Other than that from my research they look great.

 

[Belegnole]

For a small collection I do not breed feeders, so I get whatever I can source locally. Crickets are usually the cheapest around where I am. They're around 15 cents locally so I buy a few extra and if they die before I use them it's no big loss.

 

[Fade]

Can I use mealworms as feeders regularly? I thought I heard somewhere that you shouldn't feed exclusively mealworms.

 

[Theneil]

Instead of dubia roaches, might wanna consider red runners (B. lateralis). They don't try to burrow or play dead as often. Same benefits, they can't climb smooth surfaces, easy to keep, less smell then crickets etc. Tad smaller though then dubia's, so if you end up getting a larger T, you end up feeding more at once --and you have less of a colony to keep if you buy a box now and then.



This works, solved my issue... my single T experience ended within a month or so. The young red runners I end up with are often tossed in with some of my smaller T's and slings. You can use this as an excuse to order some slings

I'd have to disagree with you about the smell. I have a cricket colony, dubia colony, and a lat colony. The lat is a small fraction of the size of the crickets or dubias but it can out stink them both. Granted that could be something I am doing wrong.

 

[Belegnole]

Best bet is to do a search for "feeder insects nutritional value". You can do a relativly direct comparison of what you can get locally.

I will say that no matter what you want to use, your tarantula may chose something else. Ask the breeder that you purchase from what your new T has been eating.

 

[Sinned]

I can't actually buy single feeders around here I think, but if you can do so around your parts Fade, your set

I'd have to disagree with you about the smell. I have a cricket colony, dubia colony, and a lat colony. The lat is a small fraction of the size of the crickets or dubias but it can out stink them both. Granted that could be something I am doing wrong.

I don't have them on any substrate, just some egg cartons. I throw in (small) handful of cat food and/or fish pellets now and then. I often change out the fruit/vegetables I give them. If I don't, that does start to smell. Misting/spraying, I try to keep at a minimum... I haven't had any horror movie like partial-molts from any runners yet.

Still the smell is nothing compared to the crickets I kept at first though. But I admit that I quickly started hating the jumpy chirping cannibalistic bastards that they are... and switched to the red runners pretty fast. So, I might very well have been keeping those(crickets) wrong

 

[Ian1980]

I am planning to get my first tarantula and am not sure what to use as feeders.

I prefer to use Dubia roaches as they don't make noise, easy to care for, don't smell, can't climb smooth surfaced walls, can't jump, can't infest, etc. But it seems overkill to breed as well as buying roaches online as the minimum count usually is 25. I am guessing you use 1 roach a week. Wouldn't they grow too big for my tarantula if I get a bunch like that? Not sure what size of T I will get but hoepfully my local expo will have an adult or near full grown T.

Any help is appreciated.

Hi, this may or may not help. My local reptile centre allow me to take only a couple of food items at a time and i pay about 10p for each bug. I had to purchase the pot from them but they are happy for me to do this as long as i reuse the pot. They are the only pet store for miles that i know of that do this but it might be checking with the stores local to you to see if they can offer such a service. I am quite new to the hobby and only had one T 6 weeks ago. I now have 5 so give it time, they are addictive.

 

[Andrea82]

Can I use mealworms as feeders regularly? I thought I heard somewhere that you shouldn't feed exclusively mealworms.

You can, depending on the species really. An adult A.geniculata will need more than just some mealworms, but you can switch to supers in that case.
Just make sure you crush/pinch the head of mealies and supers, to prevent them from burrowing and making a snack out of your molting spider.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Superworms stay alive on some oatmeal and fruits/veggies for fluids for at least three months with minimal care.

They can stay alive for at least 6 months on bran with no fruit/veg.

The only reason the I don't want to keep those is I hear they can infest as dubias don't depending on where you live. Other than that from my research they look great.

Can I use mealworms as feeders regularly? I thought I heard somewhere that you shouldn't feed exclusively mealworms.

While they're easier to breed than dubia roaches, lats won't infest your house unless you live in a sweatbox, we had a cool summer here and mine stopped breeding altogether.

Mealworms are fine for tarantulas (it's reptiles that shouldn't be fed them exclusively), I feed only mealworms until they're big enough to take lats.

 

[cold blood]

Can I use mealworms as feeders regularly? I thought I heard somewhere that you shouldn't feed exclusively mealworms.

Mealworms are good feeders.

Best bet is to do a search for "feeder insects nutritional value".

There's never been any proof or indication that any of the feeders one might use aren't sufficient on their own. People have raised ts for decades on just mealworms or crickets

 

[viper69]

Breeding waste of time for only 1 T. Buy crix or mealworms. The latter is more nutritious though.

 

[Ungoliant]

Can I use mealworms as feeders regularly? I thought I heard somewhere that you shouldn't feed exclusively mealworms.

Yes. These are my primary feeders. I especially like them for slings, as I can either use baby mealworms or cut larger ones in pieces.

My larger tarantulas also get dubia roaches.

While they're easier to breed than dubia roaches, lats won't infest your house unless you live in a sweatbox, we had a cool summer here and mine stopped breeding altogether.

I wouldn't necessarily assume that Blatta lateralis can't infest a home. This invasive species has already become established in the arid southwest and the more humid southeast, and it is said to be displacing Blatta orientalis (the Oriental cockroach) in urban areas.

I'm not saying that you should never use lats just for this reason, but IMO, you should take extra precautions to contain them.

I live in a warm climate that would easily support Blatta lateralis, so I stick with the dubias, which would not survive our winters.

 

[NukaMedia Exotics]

Even if you only have 1 tarantula you'll still want to give it a somewhat varied diet if at all possible. Switch between at least 2 different prey insects, 3-4 would be better. I personally feed mine crickets or mealworms, and once in awhile a nightcrawler for the bigger ones. Next time I pick up feeders I'll probably get some roaches, so probably every third month or so they'll get fed roaches instead of crickets.

 

[Andrea82]

Yes. These are my primary feeders. I especially like them for slings, as I can either use baby mealworms or cut larger ones in pieces.

My larger tarantulas also get dubia roaches.




I wouldn't necessarily assume that Blatta lateralis can't infest a home. This invasive species has already become established in the arid southwest and the more humid southeast, and it is said to be displacing Blatta orientalis (the Oriental cockroach) in urban areas.

I'm not saying that you should never use lats just for this reason, but IMO, you should take extra precautions to contain them.

I live in a warm climate that would easily support Blatta lateralis, so I stick with the dubias, which would not survive our winters.

I've had an escapee living in my house for a few months in summer as well.
The name has been revised btw, it's now Shelfordella lateralis

 

[Dannica]

Even if you only have 1 tarantula you'll still want to give it a somewhat varied diet if at all possible. Switch between at least 2 different prey insects, 3-4 would be better. I personally feed mine crickets or mealworms, and once in awhile a nightcrawler for the bigger ones. Next time I pick up feeders I'll probably get some roaches, so probably every third month or so they'll get fed roaches instead of crickets.

Can you further explain why a varied diet is needed? I feed solely dubia roaches, so if a varied diet truly is a necessity (as opposed to a personal preference) it would certainly be helpful.

 

[cold blood]

Even if you only have 1 tarantula you'll still want to give it a somewhat varied diet if at all possible. Switch between at least 2 different prey insects, 3-4 would be better. I personally feed mine crickets or mealworms, and once in awhile a nightcrawler for the bigger ones. Next time I pick up feeders I'll probably get some roaches, so probably every third month or so they'll get fed roaches instead of crickets.

Certainly not a bad idea...but not absolutely necessary for the general health of the t.