Big Enough To Eat mouse

ragingcobalt · Jan 2, 2008

i have a 5 inch H Lividum and a 6.5-7 inch L. parahybana. I want to know ifeither is ready to eat a mouse, I havent tried yet because i'm worried it will go bad and my Ts get bit or something. the parahybana looks ready to take out a mouse but isn't a real agressive spider wich makes me think it will run away. the Lividum seems much more likely to go after one but is more likely to have a harder time overpowering the mouse. so what do you guys think is the appropriate size to start trying mice. thanks

cheetah13mo · Jan 2, 2008

The size of both T's are probably fine to take a mouse but it really doesn't matter. No matter what size your T's are, you are running a high risk of having the mouse injure one of your pets. I know people do it and I've done it but I just wanted you to know that theres a high risk no matter the size of the T.

J.huff23 · Jan 2, 2008

i would say a fuzzy mouse or a pinkie

LasidoraGT · Jan 2, 2008

yeah they should be big enough to eat a mouse bt i wouldnt personaly cuz i think its meanll

moose35 · Jan 2, 2008

yep......if you really need to see you spiders kill something use a fuzzy or hopper. still will see the struggle with much less of a chance of injuring your pet.

moose

Truff135 · Jan 2, 2008

Just a warning: don't be surprised if you get a few harsh replies. I will say that if you want to go that route, it should be a pre-killed prey item. I doubt that either species of spider is big or hungry enough to consume an adult mouse, a better choice would be a pinky mouse. Vertebrates, from my understanding, are a little meatier than the insects a tarantula is used to and they don't always finish the meal. In addition, they tend to be full from a meal like that for a long time. It is also rumored that feeding vertebrates isn't the best choice for a tarantula as they have more calcium, but that's not been proven yet. I'm sure that in the wild, a tarantula might come across a weak vertebrate at one point or another, but it isn't going to be its sole source of food, so do it very rarely. If you do choose to feed a pinky mouse, be prepared to clean up a rank mess afterward. I've heard that they don't always get completely consumed, and that the leftovers tend to get really ripe really fast. I honestly don't have an opinion on this matter one way or another, I just think that for both the tarantula's safety and your sanity, it would be best to choose a pre-killed pinky.

whitehaze2008 · Jan 2, 2008

use fuzzy's

contrary to what anyone on here says its a NORMAL part of large T's diets....and very healthy.

You cant tell me anyone really believes that HUGE Ts walk around eating crickets in the jungle floor.....no they eat whatever they can overpower.

Just use fuzzy's.
My Brazilian Giant white knee loved to eat them, but i couldnt watch lol

David

AzJohn · Jan 2, 2008

Fuzzy's wont be a problem. Think Thanksgiving dinner, once a year. I have never heard anything about calcium, I have heard that it is to fatty.

cheetah13mo · Jan 2, 2008

whitehaze2008 said:
contrary to what anyone on here says its a NORMAL part of large T's diets....and very healthy.

You cant tell me anyone really believes that HUGE Ts walk around eating crickets in the jungle floor.....no they eat whatever they can overpower.

Just use fuzzy's.
My Brazilian Giant white knee loved to eat them, but i couldnt watch lol

David

Noones trying to tell him that. We are just in a situation that we can controll if your pet gets hurt or not. If you think all T's in the wild end up being the preditor every time, think again.

Merfolk · Jan 2, 2008

If you realy want to get your T a snack, fork a few dollars more and get a frog or a small lizard. It's actually the verts that they eat the most in the wild and they are way more adapted to digest those. Animals caught on your yard can carry pesticides/parasites, so be careful with it. Better buy if you can!

ragingcobalt · Jan 2, 2008

i'm not into watching mice die either really but i hate pinheads from crickets infesting my enclosure. mealworms burrow and then hatch out as big beatles that bite when you try getting them out and finally there is nowhere that sells roachs withing 70 miles of where i live.

Truff135 · Jan 2, 2008

If you are looking for a long-term feeding source, then, I suggest looking into raising a roach colony. Yes, it sounds crazy at first, but after researching you will most likely warm up to the idea of having a tank full of virtually-odorless, flightless, non-biting, non-climbing insects to feed off to your T's. You can buy a starter colony of 100 roaches for fairly cheap. I took the liberty of searching this forum for you:
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/search.php?searchid=1085189
Plenty of people to buy from, and they're easy to maintain. Other than that, a pinky/fuzzy or two a year is more than enough, I believe.
Good luck with whatever you decide!

ragingcobalt · Jan 2, 2008

that is a good idea only have 2 Ts right now though so not quite ready for the colony yet. very good idea if i had more spiders

IdahoBiteyThing · Jan 2, 2008

roaches rule

Yup, it's called the internet and there's a ton of folks willing to help you make the leap to roaches. Never had a problem with shipping. Not sure where you are at, but roaches should be just a few clicks away. good luck.

ragingcobalt said:
i'm not into watching mice die either really but i hate pinheads from crickets infesting my enclosure. mealworms burrow and then hatch out as big beatles that bite when you try getting them out and finally there is nowhere that sells roachs withing 70 miles of where i live.

Truff135 · Jan 2, 2008

ragingcobalt said:
that is a good idea only have 2 Ts right now though so not quite ready for the colony yet. very good idea if i had more spiders

The great thing about some of the tropical roaches (blaptica dubia are a popular choice), is that their breeding frequency takes a giant nose dive if the temperatures aren't up into the high 80's or 90's. This means you can easily maintain a small colony if you keep them at room temperature. If your supply starts to dwindle a little bit, give them a heat mat or space heater and they'll begin breeding rapidly again.
The ONLY problem I'm having with them is, I like them a lot...like, as pets. I love holding my big mama's, they're so docile and pretty that I don't want to feed them off. The juveniles are no big deal, but I find myself strangely attached to the big ones.

AzJohn · Jan 2, 2008

Truff135 said:
The juveniles are no big deal, but I find myself strangely attached to the big ones.

The big ones are the business end anyways. You need a few to keep the colony going. At least that is what I tell myself.

Big Enough To Eat mouse

ragingcobalt

Arachnopeon

cheetah13mo

Arachnoking

J.huff23

Arachnoking

LasidoraGT

Arachnobaron

moose35

Arachnoprince

Truff135

Arachnoprince

whitehaze2008

Arachnobaron

AzJohn

Arachnoking

cheetah13mo

Arachnoking

Merfolk

Arachnoprince

ragingcobalt

Arachnopeon

Truff135

Arachnoprince

ragingcobalt

Arachnopeon

IdahoBiteyThing

Arachnobaron

Truff135

Arachnoprince

AzJohn

Arachnoking