What to feed it?

U

Unregistered

Guest
I just got threee new Ts today!

I got one awesome 1.5" L cristatus. I also got a cute little 0.5" Usambara. And, as a freebie, I got a cute little 0.25" Puerto Rican Pygmy.

BTW, I should add that Kelly Swift rocks. He even gave me a bunch of baby crickets for the little fellows. How cool is that?

Anyway, I've got my cricket colony started, and eggs should be hatching soon (I hope).

I've never dealt with something as small as 0.25" before, so I was surprised to learn that it's very easy to feed the little critter. Tiny crickets are the perfect size for him.

And 1.5" is definitely large enough to eat store-bought crickets.

But, 0.5" seems like a tricky size. It's too small to eat store bought crickets, but (seemingly) too large to pay any attention to baby crickets. As far as I can tell, my little Usambara is the only one of the dudes who hasn't eaten yet. Of course, I could be wrong. It might be eating the baby crickets I put in his bottle, but it's hard to SEE the crickets. Even harder to see when the crickets are disappearing.

Anyway, is there an intermediate sized food I can feed a T? How about maggots? They'd seem to work, since they grow fast and are easy to raise. Anybody feed maggots to your small Ts?

Oh well, I guess I'll start some maggots going tomorrow. When they hatch, I'll let you know whether or not my T likes them.

whoami?
 

SkyeSpider

Spider Queen
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 17, 2002
Messages
1,250
I've always used small crickets. Not pinheads (new borns) but a few molts past it. My 1" spiderlings have been eating 1/8" crickets since they were 1/2" themselves :)

-Bryan
 

King_Looey

Arachnoprimate
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 19, 2002
Messages
304
All Tarantulas will survive quite happily on nothing but crickets, if your not sure, dont get creative. Crickets come in all sizes, so im sure you could find some the right size to give your intermediate spider.
 

Valael

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 19, 2002
Messages
756
At the .5 mark, I gave them pinheads, but quickly got sick of it.


So I'd take a nice, juicy, and large cricket and slam it against the ground as hard as I could and tossed it in. They seemed to enjoy that...all except my Giant White Knee (Who was only .25 and would hardly even touch pinheads, let alone something 5 times his size.)


But after a little more experience, I'd definently say try the 1/8th inch crickets.



Oh, and Ed on petbugs said he hates dealing with pinheads and just gives his smaller slings full grown cricket legs and it worked fine for him.
 
J

Justin

Guest
If I can't get the right sized crickets for something I use termites..Just find a peice of rotten wood and if they are on it just beat the wood and they should fall off..Try not to get the soldiers( they re the ones with a gold and pointy head) they may injure it but I dont think it would but i don't chance it..
 

King_Looey

Arachnoprimate
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 19, 2002
Messages
304
Dont listen to Justin, thats very bad advice. All termites could kill a Tarantula of any size, stick to crickets.
 
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