Flour beetles???

[Tgotty90]

I got a colony of flour beetles a while back, I was told they make good feeders for small spiderlings 1/2" or under so figured I'd try them. For the longest time my little H.chilensis was the only T small enough to accept them but never would touch them, almost seemed to irritate it so I never tried again. I just got more slings yesterday and now have a abundance of little beetles but not sure if they really edible for the T or if my chilensis is just a picky eater. I usually just cut up mealworms for my slings but since I have a lot of these little buggers, figured id ask if anyone here has ever used them with any success?

 

[ilovebrachys]

I've personally never used them,i have used Bean weevils for small slings with them eating them quite eagerly though I'm sure if they would accept the flour beetles quite readily- @Arachnoclown might be the one to ask on this

 

[Rs50matt]

I've also not used flour beetles but have found my h chilensis wasn't too keen on bean weevils even thou I've had nothing but success with them with all other slings. I think it's just live prey in general. I cut into a meal worm (small one) and left that in enclosure and my chilensis got a good fill. Maybe try prekilled with some juices out

With other slings I think you'll be fine. They like to hunt live prey but sometimes it's hard to find crickets or roaches small enough.

 

[PanzoN88]

I have heard of people using flour beetles as feeders, but I think they would only be good for better eaters than the H. chilensis, I have two H. chilensis and they won't eat anything but superworms.

 

[Avicularia Kael]

Did you feed them the larvae or the beetles? If you fed them the beetles try the larvae.

 

[Rs50matt]

They aren't very big but even at 1/2" my h chilensis has never eaten a live bean weevil.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Tarantulas can be picky...some may not eat them. A lot of Beetles secret a nasty smell that I think detours predators. I dont know much about Beetles but my Ts have passed on them in the past. I just use Beetles for breeding more worms.

 

[Tgotty90]

Well I put them to the test again today and so fare my p.cancerides and e.murinus slings both took em down, which doesn't surprise me, both species seem to be garbage disposals when keeping them in the past so figured they would take em. My a.moderatum, b.emilia and g.pulchripes still haven't touched em, probably just picky like my h.chilensis. Not gonna keep pushing it on em but if the other 2 keep talking them atleast I know they work with more aggressive eaters.