Wax worms as feeders??

[Sorafromkh2]

I know they're not a good staple food, but are they an ok food in general? My tarantulas staple food for right now is crickets, but I was thinking of getting something else for her too, I've heard mix opinions about them, some saying they aren't nutritious and are too fatty, and others saying they are meaty and full of nutrients, what do you think?

 

[tarantulas118]

What I think. I think you should get yourself some super worms! There possibly one of the greatest feeders for all tarantula kind. They last very long, they don’t smell, they’re high in nutrients and protein, they come in all sizes, there always readily available and the tarantulas love it, It is my go to feeder choice! I have never tried wax worms but I’ve always heard there very fatty which is why I don’t use them(another is because I could never find ‘em)another nice thing is that super worms are very easy to keep.

 

[tarantulas118]

Another choice of feeder that’s kinda like a ”treat” is hornworms but I think waxworms every once in a while would work. Also crickets don’t last long and smell so try thinking about super worms

 

[MBullock]

fats dont really bother tarantulas, they dont store fat subcutaneously or produce visceral fat like vertebrates do

i'd go more toward gut-loaded prey for elements they wont get from a mealworm.

Try silkworms, those are excellent, you get huge batches per female, too. great feeders for everything, just about.

 

[mrsoul1974]

If you are allowed to keep red-runners, go for it. They are super-nutritous for your T, trigger a great feeding response, won't bury themselves, and not so dangerous to a molting T like crickets. They don't smell either, and are very hardy if you are breeding a colony. Just make sure you are very careful to not have any escape (especially the females!), or you could have a bad situation on hand.

 

[DuneElliot]

If you are allowed to keep red-runners, go for it. They are super-nutritous for your T, trigger a great feeding response, won't bury themselves, and not so dangerous to a molting T like crickets. They don't smell either, and are very hardy if you are breeding a colony. Just make sure you are very careful to not have any escape (especially the females!), or you could have a bad situation on hand.

I dropped an entire container of bean weevils a few weeks back...I am BEYOND thankful it wasn't my red runners. At least bean weevils are slow and at this time of year won't be an issue for crops

 

[Tarántulabro1]

I use a little bit of everything.;

Red runners ( 60%)
Crickets
Dubias
Hornworms
Black fly larvae
Banana roaches
Lobster roaches
Wax worms
Superworms
Mealworms

I'd love to use grasshopper nymphs but they're relatively sold overseas.

 

[Sorafromkh2]

I use a little bit of everything.;

Red runners ( 60%)
Crickets
Dubias
Hornworms
Black fly larvae
Banana roaches
Lobster roaches
Wax worms
Superworms
Mealworms

I'd love to use grasshopper nymphs but they're relatively sold overseas.

Yeah!!! A varied diet for a tarantula is definitely the way to go. I've had
this girl for a little under a month now and have tried two different feeders, crickets and isopods

 

[tarantulas118]

Yeah!!! A varied diet for a tarantula is definitely the way to go. I've had
this girl for a little under a month now and have tried two different feeders, crickets and isopods

You can feed tarantula Isopods?????

 

[timc]

Wax worms are great for larger slings and smaller juveniles. They help them plump up fast and get them to their next molt. They’re too small for a lot of adult tarantulas though. Not something I’d feed all the time, but definitely serve a purpose.

 

[Sorafromkh2]

You can feed tarantula Isopods?????

Yeah!!! I've seen people use the smaller ones a few times, best ones are powder blue and powder orange isopods, since they will not eat a molting T and T’s prefer them as a snack over a lot of isopods where they’d just let them walk by them. Not 100% sure about the nutritional value but she ate it and she didn’t even pounce, she stepped on it with one of her legs to leave it vulnerable where it couldn’t run away I keep them on at least 3 inches of substrate and gutload with veggies/fruits. Carrots and gel cubes worked out good for me. I definitely wouldn’t recommend them over other feeders though they are very small (a little smaller than a thumbnail) and fast, escapers, and climbers, and burrowers of course. Not my preferred feeder It was super hard catching them during feeding time. But yes my tarantula liked it when it was finally in her burrow. xD

 

[Sorafromkh2]

Wax worms are great for larger slings and smaller juveniles. They help them plump up fast and get them to their next molt. They’re too small for a lot of adult tarantulas though. Not something I’d feed all the time, but definitely serve a purpose.

Do they serve any benefits for dwarf T’s or sub adults? Mine is a 3” sub adult dwarf spider, I thought they’d be good for an occasional treat, but I’m not sure if it’s actually beneficial for her at all?

 

[DustyD]

It’s always good to talk about feeder ideas.


I try to mix it up every now and then, mostly between crickets and super worms and sometimes roaches. I tried horn worms, so called gummy worms, but they are expensive.

The easiest for me to keep are the super worms. They are quiet, don’t require much and more durable than the store bought crickets. I have no interest in a colony of crickets, so I just keep about 10 large and 10 small at a time.

I may try some other things.

I had seen a study done of gut loaded feeders and I think Tarantula Heaven did something about it last year or earlier this year.

 

[Tarántulabro1]

It’s always good to talk about feeder ideas.


I try to mix it up every now and then, mostly between crickets and super worms and sometimes roaches. I tried horn worms, so called gummy worms, but they are expensive.

The easiest for me to keep are the super worms. They are quiet, don’t require much and more durable than the store bought crickets. I have no interest in a colony of crickets, so I just keep about 10 large and 10 small at a time.

I may try some other things.

I had seen a study done of gut loaded feeders and I think Tarantula Heaven did something about it last year or earlier this year.

You have to buy in bulk online to get your moneys worth on hornworms. LPS prices are way too high.

 

[DustyD]

You have to buy in bulk online to get your moneys worth on hornworms. LPS prices are way too high.

Unfortunately I don’t have enough need for bulk horn worms, they would likely grow too large and go to waste. Super worms are ideal for me but crickets more fun to watch get eaten.

 

[arachbiodude]

My PacMan frog did not eat the thawed pinkie mouse but my White Knee loved it.

 

[arachbiodude]

I had no luck with wax worms. They would just die in refrigerator.

 

[MBullock]

I had no luck with wax worms. They would just die in refrigerator.

Wax worms require heating, honey and wax (wax paper works). The hotter the better