Will a roach eat a molting T?

TarantulaBella

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Mar 10, 2017
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I have a colony of B. lateralis and would like to know if they could hurt a T while molting.
 

Ellenantula

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Well, anything is possible; but B lats are far less likely to bother a moulting T than crickets. I breed B lats.

It's one of the reasons I prefer B lats to crickets. I have left B lats in before (not deliberately, of course) and B lat became moulted T's first meal afterwards.
Not saying this is ideal... but it has happened to me.

As Chris states, it's always a risk-- but I consider it a much lower risk than with many other feeders.

(Obviously, always remove a feeder if you can!)
 

TownesVanZandt

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Well, anything is possible; but B lats are far less likely to bother a moulting T than crickets. I breed B lats.

It's one of the reasons I prefer B lats to crickets. I have left B lats in before (not deliberately, of course) and B lat became moulted T's first meal afterwards.
Not saying this is ideal... but it has happened to me.

As Chris states, it's always a risk-- but I consider it a much lower risk than with many other feeders.
Well, there´s another risk as well. A freshly moulted T cannot eat for a while, and to have a live prey item roaming about in the enclosure might trigger it to attack it and thus injuring his fangs in the process.
 

Nightstalker47

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Just remove the feeders if the spider isn't interested, usually when they are hungry they eat right away. If you have a skittish specimen and it doesnt eat in front of you, then you could leave them in overnight and if they haven't dissappeared by morning remove them.
 

TarantulaBella

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Mar 10, 2017
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Ok. My G. rosea sling has not been interested in food so I haven't fed her in a while, but she hasn't molted. I am trying to decide wether to try to throw a roach in or not. She has locked herself in her hide btw.
 

Nightstalker47

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Ok. My G. rosea sling has not been interested in food so I haven't fed her in a while, but she hasn't molted. I am trying to decide wether to try to throw a roach in or not. She has locked herself in her hide btw.
Give it a shot, but don't be surprised if she doesn't eat, this species is known to fast. It may not mean an impending molt, so all you can do is try feeding once in a while until you notice signs of pre molt.
 

Trenor

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Jan 28, 2016
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If she has webbed up her hide I'd make sure she has fresh water in her water dish and wait for her to come out before feeding.

Good luck.
 

Rittdk01

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Oct 4, 2016
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I had read that roaches will not. Crickets and worm beetles will for sure. Crunch the heads of roaches and you don't have to even wonder if it's possible ;)
 

cold blood

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Ok. My G. rosea sling has not been interested in food so I haven't fed her in a while, but she hasn't molted. I am trying to decide wether to try to throw a roach in or not. She has locked herself in her hide btw.
Never feed a t that's blocked in a hide...that's a do not disturb sign. This species has about the lowest food requirements in the t world, they need very little food to thrive. Most in captivity are very over fed and as a result, most of them eventually fast for extended periods of time...sometimes theyre molting, sometimes they are just not hungry. Wait till it emerges and starts hunting to feed.

I had read that roaches will not. Crickets and worm beetles will for sure. Crunch the heads of roaches and you don't have to even wonder if it's possible ;)
While its pretty uncommon for a roach to munch a t, it is certainly possible and has happened.

A roach with a crushed head wont, but they don't die, so they are still an attractive prey item.
 
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