Feeding Whip Spiders

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Phasitron477

Arachnopeon
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Aug 18, 2015
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Hello all,

I got a trio of whip spiders yesterday, and I'm a little confused on the way to feed them. I heard that they aren't big feeders, and eat a cricket maybe once a week or so. However, because there are multiple animals in the terrarium, I figured to be safe I'd put a few more crickets in than spiders to increase the chances that they'd all be able to catch a meal. However, I've heard anectodal evidence that some arachnids like the whip scorpions (vinegaroons) will litterally stuff themselves until their abdomen ruptures. Is this something I have to worry about with whip spiders?

Thanks,
Luke
 
Hisserdude

Hisserdude

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Don't know about overfeeding, but I'd be careful with your communal setup, it could very well end up a single animal setup! :p
 
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Phasitron477

Arachnopeon
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I'm not too worried about cannabalism; they're the Florida whip spiders, and their housing is pretty big
 
schmiggle

schmiggle

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I've found that my Heterophrynus batesii will rest a few days after eating a particularly large meal (she essentially enters a food coma). However, when fed a few massive meals in a relatively short while, she molted prematurely. I don't think that's the worst thing, but it can't be great, either. The issue, in my experience, is less about the number of prey items and more about the size. Also, I have found that putting in a few small meals would likely result in them being eaten in a matter of days, leaving a whipspider that has slightly overeaten and unnecessarily killed all the crickets.
 
pannaking22

pannaking22

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I would just put in 3 and keep an eye on them. If one seems super fat while the others are skinny, you may have to add a couple extras after the pig has finished. Prey size is going to be what's most important with these guys. If the prey item is too large or too small, they may just ignore it.
 
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Phasitron477

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Okay, thanks. I put a large number of micro crickets in the tank and they all seem to have dissapeared, so I'll hold off on feeding them for a while. Just out of curiosity, are they usually pretty good at making sure there aren't leftovers? I haven't found remains of any of the crickets anywhere in the tank.
 
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Ambly

Arachnobaron
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Yeah they eat most of it unless there is a good deal of inedible material like in some roaches - in that case you'll find a ball/bolus like remain. Best advice I can give for feeding is get some isopods in there and let them do all the cleanup for you.

P. marginemaculatus seems to prefer multiple smaller items, even at an older age. I believe they are pretty commonly found chewing down on termites after trees are downed by lightening.

I love P. marginemaculatus, a total favorite
 
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Arachnomaniac19

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All of my guys take prekilled prey, however I've heard they generally won't take prekilled. If yours do, you can leave some in a pile and see exactly how much yours eat.
 
Aquarimax

Aquarimax

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Arachnomaniac19 said:
All of my guys take prekilled prey, however I've heard they generally won't take prekilled. If yours do, you can leave some in a pile and see exactly how much yours eat.
Click to expand...
I am surprised to hear that yours will take pre-killed prey. Which species of ambypygids do you keep?

---------- Post added 08-28-2015 at 03:37 PM ----------
Ambly said:
Yeah they eat most of it unless there is a good deal of inedible material like in some roaches - in that case you'll find a ball/bolus like remain. Best advice I can give for feeding is get some isopods in there and let them do all the cleanup for you.
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Which species of isopod would you recommend for whip spiders? (specifically, I have 3 juvenile Damon diadema. I am currently using springtails as a cleanup crew. They seem to be doing all right. I'll bet isopods would do a more thorough job, but I hadn't added any because I was worried that the whippings would be vulnerable during a molt. I have micro white, jungle micropods, and dwarf striped, as well at about eight other (larger) types.

Ambly said:
I love P. marginemaculatus, a total favorite
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I only have Damon diadema at present, but P. marginemaculata sounds like it has much to recommend it: very modest space requirements, a preference for small food items, etc. What is it, exactly, that makes this species a favorite for you? I may have an opportunity to obtain some soon, and I'm half convinced already, but any additional info would be great.
 
edgeofthefreak

edgeofthefreak

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Phasitron477 said:
Okay, thanks. I put a large number of micro crickets in the tank and they all seem to have dissapeared, so I'll hold off on feeding them for a while. Just out of curiosity, are they usually pretty good at making sure there aren't leftovers? I haven't found remains of any of the crickets anywhere in the tank.
Click to expand...
Like Aquarimax, I only have D. diadema. Mine can't seem to find anything unless it's moving. I regularly find half crickets all over the enclosure, and often discernible pieces like legs or heads. Essentially, if she drops one mid-eat, she simply can't see it again. I'm sure they have been times when she wasn't hungry, and the movement bothered her. This is less common, but when I find mutilated full crickets, I stop feeding her for about a week or so. If you aren't find leftovers, then yours aren't as messy or fumbly as mine. :)


Arachnomaniac19 said:
All of my guys take prekilled prey, however I've heard they generally won't take prekilled. If yours do, you can leave some in a pile and see exactly how much yours eat.
Click to expand...
I really can't picture my D. diadema finding anything prekilled, except when I first brought her home. I cut off the head of a mealworm, and she managed to grab at it while it was still wriggling a bit. Since then, she's even ignored the ones she killed, and turned them into her own prekilled. :) I think as they get older/bigger, they get picky.
 
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Phasitron477

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Even in the short time I've had them, I've witnessed my P. marginemaculatus steal prey as soon as it "smelled" the half-eaten cricket in another's mouthparts, which was in a way pre-killed, so I can see why they might go for pre-killed in other forms as well. I'll have to try that out some time, although now it seems like they've entered the "food coma" stage so I may have to wait :bored:
 
Aquarimax

Aquarimax

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That's good to know. Did you offer it on tweezers or something, or just on the substrate?


Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk
 
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Ambly

Arachnobaron
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P. marginemaculatus is an aggressive feeder and moves around a ton. I'd assume one of the better to keep in groups, too. My D. diadema are honestly pretty boring other than for their size.

I'd recommend Dwarf White isopods
 
pannaking22

pannaking22

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edgeofthefreak said:
I really can't picture my D. diadema finding anything prekilled, except when I first brought her home. I cut off the head of a mealworm, and she managed to grab at it while it was still wriggling a bit. Since then, she's even ignored the ones she killed, and turned them into her own prekilled. :) I think as they get older/bigger, they get picky.
Click to expand...
My D. diadema is quite picky. For a while, he would eat a little bit of the crickets I would put in, but mostly ignore other food items and even then he wasn't really going for it. But the moment I put a male Turkistan roach in there he was all over it. Now he only half heartedly goes for most food items, but every male Turk is taken down within a minute. He's crazy, but still a great whip to have :)
 
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