Will this hurt my tarantula?

[SoulSpiegel12]

So I woke up this morning and found a beetle transformed from a superworm in a hole while looking at the side of my T's enclosure. I went and dug it out and successfully caught it as I didn't want my T getting it since she ate two days ago. Well tje beetle somehow slipped through the tongs and fell, thus she nabbed it. my question is, will this hurt her? She is a large g. pulchripes.

 

[mack1855]

Well,if she grabbed it,shes probably a happy girl!SCORE!!!!!!,more food.
"I cant believe I ate the whole thing".

 

[darkness975]

To my knowledge, while not an ideal feeder, it should not be an issue.

 

[mack1855]

To my knowledge, while not an ideal feeder, it should not be an issue.

Ya,just keep a eye on her for a while,she will just eat it, or,walk away.Then you can get it out,or you don't need to feed her again for a while.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

my question is, will this hurt her? She is a large g. pulchripes.

No :-s

 

[clive 82]

So I woke up this morning and found a beetle transformed from a superworm in a hole while looking at the side of my T's enclosure. I went and dug it out and successfully caught it as I didn't want my T getting it since she ate two days ago. Well tje beetle somehow slipped through the tongs and fell, thus she nabbed it. my question is, will this hurt her? She is a large g. pulchripes.

As darkness975 said not an ideal feeder but wont harm. In the wild Ts will feed on beetles.

 

[14pokies]

No won't hurt it but I'm shocked it ate it.. Over the years I have offered darkling beetles to my Ts and I have never had a taker..

I've often wondered if they give of a bad smell or have a bitter taste or something..

 

[WeightedAbyss75]

No won't hurt it but I'm shocked it ate it.. Over the years I have offered darkling beetles to my Ts and I have never had a taker..

I've often wondered if they give of a bad smell or have a bitter taste or something..

I have smeeled a foul odor from them, and only my P. cam has ever eaten one. They definitly smell nasty, but how would a T pick that up? Wish I could use them as feeders, they could be great to at least have them be "of use".

 

[Haksilence]

I always feed off the adult beetles if I ever find them. They are safe. Although less aggressive eaters may not be that interested or fail to pierce it. Give it to a A genic or something and they sure as hell will eat it

 

[Ellenantula]

No harm but none of my Ts would touch a darkling beetle. My bearded dragon loves them though -- go figure.
I also heard they put out an odour or something to repel predators. (You know how that goes-- might be true, might not -- but eventually it spreads as truth either way).

 

[14pokies]

They definitly smell nasty, but how would a T pick that up?

://www.researchgate.net/publication/18400923_The_ultrastructure_of_chemoreceptor_sensilla_in_Ciniflo_Araneida_Arachnida

 

[WeightedAbyss75]

Trying to create an account now, but doing a little digging and I never knew that! Super interesting, love little tid-bits of cool info like that

 

[EulersK]

How has nobody brought this up?

You should always, always crush the heads of mealworms before feeding them to tarantulas. A mealworm has the capability to easily kill a molting tarantula, even moreso after it pupates into a beetle. They are predators and scavengers, remember that. There is nothing wrong with feeding mealworms, but their heads absolutely need to be crushed to avoid any issues.

 

[Haksilence]

How has nobody brought this up?

You should always, always crush the heads of mealworms before feeding them to tarantulas. A mealworm has the capability to easily kill a molting tarantula, even moreso after it pupates into a beetle. They are predators and scavengers, remember that. There is nothing wrong with feeding mealworms, but their heads absolutely need to be crushed to avoid any issues.

i agree, i usually dont bother with adult specimens with 5 months or so until their next molt though.

 

[Abyss]

Superworms is mostly all i feed an i usually dont crush the heads. I generally watch a make sure the T takes them an if it doesnt, i just put em back an try again a few days later

 

[Jeff23]

So I woke up this morning and found a beetle transformed from a superworm in a hole while looking at the side of my T's enclosure. I went and dug it out and successfully caught it as I didn't want my T getting it since she ate two days ago. Well tje beetle somehow slipped through the tongs and fell, thus she nabbed it. my question is, will this hurt her? She is a large g. pulchripes.

If a super worm transforms into a beetle and the T eats the beetle then the T will transform into a super worm.