No-Cricket Diet?

[TomFoolery]

Hi everybody, new user here, (UK based) not an owner, just planning ahead for future furry-legged friends.

I would absolutely love a tarantula one day, and my wife is coming around to the idea. There’s only one problem – she has an incredibly intense fear of crickets, grasshoppers and anything similar. There is no way she’d ever let me store any on the property. Ever.

So, how practical / healthy is it to have a diet free of crickets? What are some realistic alternatives?

Thank you,
Tom

 

[PanzoN88]

Hi everybody, new user here, (UK based) not an owner, just planning ahead for future furry-legged friends.

I would absolutely love a tarantula one day, and my wife is coming around to the idea. There’s only one problem – she has an incredibly intense fear of crickets, grasshoppers and anything similar. There is no way she’d ever let me store any on the property. Ever.

So, how practical / healthy is it to have a diet free of crickets? What are some realistic alternatives?

Thank you,
Tom

Superworms, mealworms, and dubia roaches are great alternative feeders. All three of my E. Sp. red do not like crickets so I only feed them superworms. Crickets aren't a must, they are just the most widely available. Crickets also stink.

 

[TomFoolery]

Thanks. So do most species not need variation in their diet? Can you basically just feed them one bug for their lives? (I have tried Googling these things, but couldn't find clear answers)

 

[PanzoN88]

Thanks. So do most species not need variation in their diet? Can you basically just feed them one bug for their lives? (I have tried Googling these things, but couldn't find clear answers)

It's not necessary, some do mix it up, but some will stick to one source.

 

[xTN-ANTMANx]

I use mainly dubia roaches myself. Occasionally I do get a small thing of crickets but that's just if I get some small slings most the time. They are a lot softer than dubia. That is till I can get me some B. lateralis roaches which i've been trying to do for some time now. Guess I'm going to have to just break down and order some cuz no one around me ever has any or doesn't carry them. But yea, once I can get them, I highly doubt ill use crickets anymore. I don't like crickets personally.

 

[octanejunkie]

I keep a colony of Blatta lateralis (rusty red) roaches as food items. Easy to keep, easy to breed and they can't climb glass.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[Arachnoclown]

I have a 16 year old B. hamorri that only eats superworms. She refuses other prey items for a good 12 years now. She will coexist with them till they die or I take them out. So yes, they can live on just one prey item. I just gut load the worms with different food items so it changes up the nutrients that she gets.

 

[MassExodus]

Crickets are dirty little disease spreading murderers. Roaches and superworms are great. A fear of crickets..that's fascinating! Your wife has good instincts though, if they ever catch her molting they'll most assuredly eat her legs off..

 

[Whitelightning777]

I try to feed all mine on the widest variety of food possible. Mealworms are the most convenient however.

Just let the wife understand that they need to be chilled in the fridge.

 

[ALD]

I was wondering the same thing, I myself am not a huge fan of crickets. I am not opposed to a small amount around to feed. I was looking into mealworms as the main source of food. I thought then I would sometimes grab some crickets to feed. I figure they are fine on one food source- but who doesn't like variety? I have to ask- do you HAVE to keep them in the fridge? I figure this is to slow them down from turning into beetles correct?

 

[Whitelightning777]

It extends their life preservation and keeps them slow long enough for the spider to catch them.