Am I just bad at crushing heads?

[Burrito]

I swear that there must be an art to crushing dubia roach heads that I'm not getting.

Sometimes I crush a head, then watch the roach dig in and burrow down anyways (I swear there was a crunching noise). Then I overcompensate and boom...the roach doesn't even flail! Too crushed!

I've been snooping around on the forums and people say that the roaches should wander about zombie-like after a having their heads crushed, but the closest I can get is getting them to curl up and only shudder a bit when prodded.

Obviously my tarantula just leaps at the dubias when I pop them in upside-down and they're flailing like mad trying to right themselves, but this is only viable if I catch sneaking a sip of water, which isn't very often...and when I crush their heads, they don't seem quite so squirmy.

Advice would be appreciated. I crush them by flipping them upside down in a cup and then using the tips of my tongs to crush their heads. Should I be more precise? Am I crushing too much of their upper body?

 

[DustyD]

This happens with me, with superworms as well. They are tricksy! Just when you think they are incapacitated, one end of the worm starts digging. Dubia as well. With superworms, they can keep wriggling for hours/ a day or more after being crushed. They may not move much on their own at this point, but when touched, they react.

 

[MBullock]

red runners would be better for you they dont burrow

 

[DustyD]

Good to know. Will check to see if my local pet stores have those.

 

[octanejunkie]

Good to know. Will check to see if my local pet stores have those.

Most don't, but you can order online and start a colony

I literally have a f-kton of roaches lol

 

[Lentulus]

I literally have a f-kton of roaches lol

metric or imperial?


But yeah, for sure red runners over dubia. Dubia like to play dead too and can be a general PITA for T’s. Never seen roaches in big box pet stores, just the “exotic” places. E-bay is a good spot to look, but maybe OJ would be willing to help out too, considering his surplus.

 

[DustyD]

Bah, apparently red runners are illegal in Maine. I went to my local pet store Easy Aquariums and the manager was good enough to sell me me a few horn worms (not a lot as some of me Ts are in pre or post molt.) These won't be a regular meal, but maybe occasional.

 

[octanejunkie]

Bah, apparently red runners are illegal in Maine. I went to my local pet store Easy Aquariums and the manager was good enough to sell me me a few horn worms (not a lot as some of me Ts are in pre or post molt.) These won't be a regular meal, but maybe occasional.

Good first meal after a molt

 

[TokeHound]

My pet stores seem to struggle carrying Red Runners too, and I don't know why. Fear Not Tarantulas sells them with their kits when you buy a sling, but they don't allow you to come in just to buy Red Runners, which kind of sucks. I struggle crushing the heads of mealworms, I end up just decapitating them on accident. I'm trying to kill them so they don't feel pain, but it's hard xD

 

[Burrito]

Bah, apparently red runners are illegal in Maine. I went to my local pet store Easy Aquariums and the manager was good enough to sell me me a few horn worms (not a lot as some of me Ts are in pre or post molt.) These won't be a regular meal, but maybe occasional.

I'm in Massachusetts, which is fairly close. I've been on a Googling spree trying to see if they're illegal here, but I don't see anything saying that they definitely are.

They're a wee bit out of stock on most sites I was looking around at. I'd love to snag some at some point, but feel the need to finish up with my dubias first haha. I've figured out a very convoluted method than involves stabbing them with a needle while holding them with my hands right on the dark dot that is their head. That seems to zombify them but they're so slippery! It also sometimes just makes them bob up and down in place instead of walk around...

I don't know how I feel to say this, but I am improving my ****roach lobotomy skills.

 

[NorseDad]

I wish I had more options for roach feeders, but I live in Florida. I basically have discoid roaches only, which some of my T's actively avoid. Even my sub adult P. auratus who eats anything won't take them. I wish I could have red runners.

 

[TokeHound]

I wish I had more options for roach feeders, but I live in Florida. I basically have discoid roaches only, which some of my T's actively avoid. Even my sub adult P. auratus who eats anything won't take them. I wish I could have red runners.

Red Runners seem to be the favourite among Tarantula Keepers. Never heard of Decoid roaches, I'll have to look them up

 

[TokeHound]

Red Runners seem to be the favourite among Tarantula Keepers. Never heard of Decoid roaches, I'll have to look them up

Discoid*