Can I feed Tarantulas beef?

[chris collins]

And I don't mean a Big Mac^^

[chris collins]

Hi Forum. I've been away for two weeks and left my T's with water. I fed them crickets before I left. Now I'm back and I can't get to the pet store to get crickets for another five days.

I have five T's. One big three yr. Lasiodora which came thru a moult just before I left, tho ate a couple of crickets after that, two weeks ago(so it's probably hungry). The younger ones are 'always hungry'. All of them haven't been fed for two weeks.

My question is can I feed them beef instead of live insects? If so should I cook the beef? I went out and bought some beef but I wanted to check with the forum first.

(I won't go out and collect live, wild insects because I've heard that's not recommended since wild insects contain parasites).

Any suggestions would be great about what to feed these T's. Thanks.

[Tomas Whitehouse]

Interesting....

This is a very interesting question Chris,
After a molt when one is testing to see if food will be accepted, I've often thought that offering a lean piece of meat (as discussed in a few tarantula keeping books) would be a more viable option to avoid the sometimes traumatic experience of having to remove a live prey item. Especially if the enclosure happens to be small with various obstacles present.
I'm anxious to here the replies from the more experienced keepers.

Best Regards

Tomas

[David Blair]

Hi Chris and Tomas I think it is perfectly safe to feed your T's as I have done many times, usually after a moult and a few times when I have run out of crickets.
I wouldn't try to give them anything cooked always raw, I have fed mine beef, chicken, liver, kidney and even a piece of heart and they have all eaten with the exception of my G.rosea but the often go ages without eating.
Hope this helps

[Richard Gallon]

Yes you can, but I avoid feeding them beef after moults. I've had several freshly moulted adults die for no obvious reason after eating beef (perhaps coincidence but I won't risk it anymore).

I'm happy to feed non-freshly moulted spiders beef, but make sure you remove the meat ASAP (as soon as it's been discarded by the spider). If you forget the stench is not one you'll forget easily

Richard

PS. 1 cm cubes of beef are a good size to use for adults. Many spiders will eat the lot, leaving only a tiny white fat blob.

[chris collins]

It was three weeks since the Lassie first ate post-moult that I gave it some raw beef, some strip that amounted to 1cm squared. All of the T's except the Chilean Rose ate some raw beef. I guess Rose is holding out for some crickets on the weekend, like a true Spartan.

[KJ Vezino]

From what I've read and seen on TV, beef heart is commonly given to Ts as a staple by pet owners in Germany and a few other European countries.

[Stanley A. Schultz]

... I've been away for two weeks and left my T's with water. I fed them crickets before I left. Now I'm back and I can't get to the pet store to get crickets for another five days.

... My question is can I feed them beef instead of live insects? If so should I cook the beef? I went out and bought some beef but I wanted to check with the forum first. ...

There are two answers to your question:

1. Raw beef is okay as long as you realize that, long term, it lacks a lot of nutrients. You should use it as a last resort only.

2. Virtually all tarantulas, even monster parahybanas, are easily capable of going THREE MONTHS without food, not to mention less than three weeks.

Water, however, is a different matter. Make sure that it has fresh water as you leave, then make sure it has fresh water immediately as you return.


Relax. Smile. Be happy. Enjoy your tarantulas!