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Tarantula Diet

new2tarantulas

Member
3 Year Member
Messages
164
Ok so I am currently feeding giant mealworms. I was wondering if super worms were better? Also should I be gut loading these? Any advice on what you feed would be great. I hate crickets and prefer not to use them.
 

Nada

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3 Year Member
Messages
2,364
Location
Arizona USA
Personally I'm not a fan of meal or super worms. They tend to burrow and stay hidden, and if your T molts, or is in pre-molt, they can and have eaten Ts before. They're voracious. Crickets are a better food item, but I understand your hatred for them, I hate them too. Which is why I use almost exclusively Roaches. They're by far the most nutrient rich prey item you can feed a T.
If you must feed worms, make sure your T eats it. do not leave them in with your T.
 

Eightleggedchris

Member
3 Year Member
Messages
50
Location
St. Helens, England
You should gut load anything you feed to your tarantula, think about it in terms of nutrient gain. You t needs nutrients to live and grow. Your food items also need nutrients to live and grow. Nutrients are stored in the body. However, if the food item has no nutrients because it hasn't been given the nutrition it needs then the nutrients your t needs will be missing, all your t will be getting is mouth fulls of chitin. Which will lead to health problems with your t. Therefore gut loading is essential.

Hope this helps
 

new2tarantulas

Member
3 Year Member
Messages
164
ok thank you very much! I will do this I know the pet store said they were gut loaded already but u really cant trust them lol
 

Eightleggedchris

Member
3 Year Member
Messages
50
Location
St. Helens, England
Gut loading isnt really a one time thing. I always have food and bug gel available for my crickets to make sure they are full of nutrients. The little critters stomachs will empty pretty quickly im guessing, mayb 24 hours after you buy them. So always best to keep them full
 

new2tarantulas

Member
3 Year Member
Messages
164
yea I m going to start that. I just bought enough to feed them immediately but since I am wanting to expand my collection I am going to just keep ongoing supply!
 

new2tarantulas

Member
3 Year Member
Messages
164
True I have been contemplating dubia roaches as well! Crickets are easer to get but I hear that dubia roaches are nutritionally better! undecided!
 

Nada

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3 Year Member
Messages
2,364
Location
Arizona USA
Dubia are by far the best feeder for your tarantulas. easy to keep, breed, they don't smell, or make noise, and they're far superior nutritionally.
Dubia>Crickets/Locusts>Super/Mealworms>Vertebrates.
 
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