Large Feeders For Large Spiders (?)

[Greg]

So, I have quite a few spiders in my collection moving into adulthood. Coming with that = size. I have 5 Theraphosa along with some Pokies and other randoms - all achieving very large sizes. Crickets aren't cutting it. I have a Dubia colony going but it will prolly be 90 days before I can actually start feeding from it.

I have a guy that I used to buy roaches from but that entails 2 issues - one being he's about an hour away and two - he sold most of his colonies. So back to my original question - what else are you guys feeding your big Theraphosa? Where can I order large insects but not have to purchase a thousand at a crack or whatever. Ideas(?)

When my Brazilian white knee got up to 5-6 inches, I starting feeding him hissing cockroaches. They make a pretty big meal, so not needed to feed very often. It takes nearly a whole day to eat; it' quite a process.

 

[liquidfluidity]

Actually, hissers are on my list to start soon.

Did you have a colony going?

 

[Greg]

I don't have a colony. Fortunately, I have deal with a pet store that sells them to me for $1 because they are feeders and not pets. I don't need a colony because my other tarantulas are smaller and still eating dubias. Good luck!

 

[MBullock]

Ive seen true spiders accept fish flakes, and i've seen solifugae eat dog food,
I bet you could just make a simple cheap food item at home..

It's just gotta be something pliable and soft that dissolves readily in saliva. You could just roll it into a wormlike shape and drag it and the tarantula would eat it. put some kind of oil in it for fat and taste.. maybe drop some repashy into the mix too for nutritive content.

 

[liquidfluidity]

Ive seen true spiders accept fish flakes, and i've seen solifugae eat dog food,
I bet you could just make a simple cheap food item at home..

It's just gotta be something pliable and soft that dissolves readily in saliva. You could just roll it into a wormlike shape and drag it and the tarantula would eat it. put some kind of oil in it for fat and taste.. maybe drop some repashy into the mix too for nutritive content.

That's an interesting idea that I've never heard of. I'll definitely do some research on that

 

[Papaya]

Claus Schwab wants people to eat bugs instead of meat and now our Ts are supposed to eat fake bugs? Good lord make it stop

 

[MBullock]

Claus Schwab wants people to eat bugs instead of meat and now our Ts are supposed to eat fake bugs? Good lord make it stop

i'll just eat the eurasian collared doves that are all over the place. they look pretty plump.

 

[Astrozombies]

Just defrost a mouse of whatever is the right size. Leave it in the spiders tank overnight.
Changes are irk be gone in the morning then a day or so later the remains will be seen balled up.
I used this method for over 20 years with bigger spiders.

 

[Blackdog]

Just defrost a mouse of whatever is the right size. Leave it in the spiders tank overnight.
Changes are irk be gone in the morning then a day or so later the remains will be seen balled up.
I used this method for over 20 years with bigger spiders.

What is the cleanup like? I heard it is a nasty mess

 

[Astrozombies]

What is the cleanup like? I heard it is a nasty mess

Not at all, the spider just dumps the leftover ball in a corner and you fish it out.

 

[Astrozombies]

What is the cleanup like? I heard it is a nasty mess

Although I did once have a King Baboon who took a rest pup into her hole and left it. That started to smell quick in a heated room.

 

[Blackdog]

Not at all, the spider just dumps the leftover ball in a corner and you fish it out.

The things we do for our tarantulas!

 

[liquidfluidity]

Think I'll steer away from that. I also had a King Baboon way back in the day, that I used to feed mice....live mice. I have since moved away from feeding like that. I'd rather drive an hour to a shop that always has adult Dubia for sale as feeders.

At this point , with adding all that I did to my colony, I should be a bit better off. Now it's about diversity in foods.

My other half is into snakes but she is also bringing up a Pacman frog. I may snag a night crawler from her to try out.

 

[SB300]

Consider a colony of blaberous hybrids I bought 50 (Giganteus/Fusca/Cranifer) as feeders for my bigger Ts but they were so pretty and huge (smallest ones are 7/8cm and there are bigger ones) I've kept them and will just feed excess males off and only had them a few months and there are literally 100s of nymphs which seem to be growing very fast (they're having 20+ at a time)

I've also found my Halloween Hissers are very fast breeding once established and a very meaty roach again I feed excess males to my bigger Ts
SB

 

[Greg]

Yeah, my local shop wants $10 each.

How does their growth rate against Dubia?

That colony is a good deal if the growth rate is similar.

I'll definitely check into them. Thanks for the pro tip of the day for sure. Going to look around for locusts too. Would like to break it up a bit.

Just over crickets at the amount I'm going through and my roaches could be fed but they are not close enough to start feeding the oldest yet.....

My pet shop cut a deal with me when they realized I was needing the hissers as feeders for my tarantula, and not as pets. One buck each. Maybe they'll work with you. My large A. geniculata takes a whole day to eat one, and so I don't worry if I don't feed him for the next two weeks.

 

[davegrimm1]

So, I have quite a few spiders in my collection moving into adulthood. Coming with that = size. I have 5 Theraphosa along with some Pokies and other randoms - all achieving very large sizes. Crickets aren't cutting it. I have a Dubia colony going but it will prolly be 90 days before I can actually start feeding from it.

I have a guy that I used to buy roaches from but that entails 2 issues - one being he's about an hour away and two - he sold most of his colonies. So back to my original question - what else are you guys feeding your big Theraphosa? Where can I order large insects but not have to purchase a thousand at a crack or whatever. Ideas(?)

theinvertshop.com

 

[davegrimm1]

theinvertshop.com

I actually use hissers for my big T's, I do crush the head so they are not so combative but they do keep thrashing around for quite a while so the T is still interested. I have a tank full of hissers that don't meet color standards and mixed species that I use for feeders and I will sell them cheap, the tank is very crowded and could use thinning down. My email address is on the contact page of my website if you are interested in some.