T's Won't Eat Dubia

Medusa · Mar 20, 2014

Picking up a few crickets at the LPS worked well for me for a long time until I increased my tarantula herd. So, I decided to purchase a starter kit of dubia roaches + several nymphs in different sizes. They're all doing just fine but I have yet to see one of my t's eat one. I'll put in an appropriately-sized nymph and it just kinda circles the enclosure. Next morning it's still there...however if I drop in a cricket, bam! It's taken right now! I want to get away from the crickets since they stink and the LPS is >25 mile round trip. Do I keep trying the dubia until the t's are hungry enough to eat them? Any suggestions like roach gravy or something? Lol...

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Formerphobe · Mar 20, 2014

Some tarantulas are just picky. Unless you're feeding tiny slings, wait a couple of weeks before offering anything and see if they'll hit the dubia.

Tomoran · Mar 20, 2014

I was having a similar issue, so I started crushing their heads and putting them upside down in the T's enclosure. It's a bit gross, but they won't run away, play dead, or bury themselves, and they continue to wiggle (so the Ts have something moving to go after). I will say that a couple of my Ts wont take them, although they'll take crickets handily.

Medusa · Mar 20, 2014

Some of my slings *are* tiny and I use the tiniest nymphs for them. However, they'll take a larger cricket.

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MarkmD · Mar 20, 2014

agree some T's are very fussy eaters, i also crush theyr heads stops them from burrowing or annoying my T's, the less fussy T's like LP and T,Blondi/Stirmi will eat them.

Poec54 · Mar 21, 2014

Some T's won't eat roaches. You'll need to come up with a Plan B, like learning how to keep crickets alive longer.

Medusa · May 6, 2014

Ok, so my t's - none of them - are interested in dubia. I have a nice little colony here with breeders and several sizes of nymphs. A couple of nice custom-made containers, heating pad, food, etc. What can I do with them? Is this a craigslist item?

oooo35980 · May 6, 2014

That's odd, not a single one of mine won't eat dubia. Dubias tend to run off, hide, and never come out. So if you don't put it right in front of them, they'll never find it. I feed mine by dropping the dubia from a couple inches high right infront of the T, it's usually gone before I even see it hit the ground.

Medusa · May 6, 2014

They either run away or threat pose if I stick an appropriately-sized dubia in front of them. A cricket, now, that's a horse of a different color. Don't know if it's the smell, or lack of...I like dubia! Easy to keep, feed, breed, no noise, no stink. No 25-mile round trip to buy crickets...but for my t's it's a no go.

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BobGrill · May 6, 2014

So give it crickets. Some wont eat roaches.

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cold blood · May 6, 2014

Have you tried superworms? They are easy to keep...room temp....they last a long time and are a larger meal. You can cut them up for slings, but the pieces are still a substantial meal, so you can feed a little less frequently. Nice plan B if your t's like them. My old one won't eat them, but the younger ones seem to love them. I bought a dozen in like early march and still have 3 left, alive like the day I bought them.

akarikuragi · May 6, 2014

Look into getting some lateralis roaches, they are more cricket-like and seem to be more readily taken by tarantulas. Mine love them, anyways. They are a lot faster though so be careful.

As for trying to get your tarantulas to eat dubia, start off smaller than you think they'll need. Some of them need to be taught that this is an okay food item and they can kill it, and that it won't kill them. Also try tong feeding by holding one of the legs and allowing it to brush up against the leg of your T. If all else fails, crushing their heads is the way to go. I know it's gross but it keeps them from burrowing and a lot of T's will scavange after the roach dies if they don't like its squirming. But definitely start off small and work your way up to larger items. Male roaches also seem to get a better response than the nymphs do for some reason. Of course that's only for those that are large enough to take on an adult male roach.

But yeah, I highly recommend looking into lateralis.

Medusa · May 6, 2014

BobGrill said:
So give it crickets. Some wont eat roaches.

I am. I was wondering what to do with the dubia colony.

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Smokehound714 · May 7, 2014

Tarantulas HATE change so much. if they've been raised on a particular prey species for a long time, adjusting can be difficult. They're like: "Ah man, what the hell is this?-- nope! FLING"

Haha it's hilarious when they punt something across the enclosure, it never fails to crack me up.

Medusa · May 7, 2014

I've been pre-killing the smallest nymphs for my tiniest slings. I bought some lateralis nymphs a few weeks ago because I heard they were good for tiny slings, better than FFF. The lat nymphs are growing nicely because no one wants to eat those, either. Plan to try my hand at raising crickets. I am able to keep them alive for quite awhile. It must be my destiny.

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Smokehound714 · May 8, 2014

if you can get your hands on them, termites are one thing i simply cant picture any sling refusing.

skippydude · May 8, 2014

How many T's do you have? and none eat Dubia? For real? For really real? Doooo what?

I've got 80+ T's from 1/4" slings to adults and every single one will eat Dubia or laterals or any other prey item. Lats are nice because like crickets they move around which is why the T's don't "Prefer" Dubia. With dubia you can pinch the head and stretch the neck a little and they don't bury themselves, but still kick their legs a bit. If your T's don't take the Dubias, then maybe they're not as hungry as you think they are

klawfran3 · May 8, 2014

akarikuragi said:
Look into getting some lateralis roaches, they are more cricket-like and seem to be more readily taken by tarantulas. Mine love them, anyways. They are a lot faster though so be careful.

As for trying to get your tarantulas to eat dubia, start off smaller than you think they'll need. Some of them need to be taught that this is an okay food item and they can kill it, and that it won't kill them. Also try tong feeding by holding one of the legs and allowing it to brush up against the leg of your T. If all else fails, crushing their heads is the way to go. I know it's gross but it keeps them from burrowing and a lot of T's will scavange after the roach dies if they don't like its squirming. But definitely start off small and work your way up to larger items. Male roaches also seem to get a better response than the nymphs do for some reason. Of course that's only for those that are large enough to take on an adult male roach.

But yeah, I highly recommend looking into lateralis.

I think the reason males get a better response is that they have wings that they can beat or flap to try and help escape. all this extra movement ususally means a healthier meal to a hungry tarantula.

awiec · May 8, 2014

I keep about 3 different prey items to suit my T's all all sizes. I find my T's seem to enjoy banana roaches as I get the roaches all riled up so they cause a good commotion and are pretty simple to breed, my colony gets a little water and fresh food once a week and I've had them for about 2 months with no issues. Most everything I have enjoys a dubia, the only ones who do not care for them is my versi, it used to eat them but isn't going for them any more so I switched back to crickets which work for my most picky eaters. Though my O. Panay Blue seems very disappointed when I gave it a cricket, and refused to eat it after it killed it, throw a roach in there and it was on like donkey kong.

TLover007 · May 8, 2014

I keep dubia roaches lobster roaches super worms and some mealworms... and i must say the fav choice is the lobster roaches. Easy to keep dont smell and the Ts love them... especially my pokies...

Im crazy... and I Love Ts!!!!

T's Won't Eat Dubia

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