# Tarantula feed - should I switch to crickets?



## pcwells (Jul 19, 2013)

Hi all,

I'm now the novice owner of three tarantulas.

I decided to go for more than be, because I don't want the hassle of breeding their food, and want to get through boxes of bugs as quickly as possible.

I initially started with locusts for the following reasons:

1. They're meatier than crickets
2. They're less noisy
3. They're not as smelly
4. They won't bite my spiders
5. You get fewer in a box, so there's a faster turnaround and less maintenance.

The juvenile tarantulas I have in small containers have no problem catching them, but my adult red knee is in a 30 x 30 x 30 cm terrarium, and the locusts keep hopping away and hiding on the walls or ceiling.

Would crickets be a better choice after all? Or will my smithii catch the locusts if she's hungry enough?

Thanks again,

Pete


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## PinklySmooth (Mar 25, 2013)

She will catch if hungry enough, crickets are even faster and better at hiding than locust are, so you would still have the same problem if you switch


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## Mitch636 (Mar 26, 2013)

I have a Flame Knee and he's a bit fussy too, sometimes waits afew mins before taking but I personally will never use crickets because of the reasons you've already stated and mine all take locusts no problem. 

Trying dangling it instead of letting it loose to get caught.


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## pcwells (Jul 19, 2013)

Thanks! Will do!


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## muska2510 (Jul 12, 2013)

you should mix the foods up anyway


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## kwacky (Feb 25, 2013)

Mixing foods is good advice. 

As for locusts they are fine to use but I tend to break their rear legs to stop them evading capture. 

Crickets are quick but I've yet to see any of my spiders not be quicker. Tarantulas are ambush predators. They won't run around an enclosure chasing prey, they will sit and wait. 

Only black crickets bite, the others are fine. 

You can keep your crickets alive for a few weeks, I do. 

Otherwise look at something like red roaches.


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## pcwells (Jul 19, 2013)

Thanks!

Didn't realise that only black crickets bite. I really need to avoid the situation of chasing a cricket around the viv if it's been ignored by the spider.

Even with three mouths to feed, a box of ten locusts could take three weeks to get through. Considering how many more crickets you get in a box, there'd be a lot of wastage there.

And I also want to feel like I have pet tarantulas - not pet locusts, crickets or roaches. Right now it seems that the livefood takes more time, patience and energy than the actual pets!

Pete


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## kwacky (Feb 25, 2013)

I chuck my crickets in an exo tub with some egg boxes and give them a bit of food. They last for ages. Well, as long as they can for someone with 50+ Ts 

See if your local pet shop will sell you a small numbers of crickets rather than a box.


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## Guest (Aug 9, 2013)

Because I have a few spiders I breed my own roaches. They breed like wild fire and you never need to buy live food ever again! I thin my roaches out and sell them too. So if anyone needs any gimme a PM. : victory:


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## Mitch636 (Mar 26, 2013)

ImBatman said:


> Because I have a few spiders I breed my own roaches. They breed like wild fire and you never need to buy live food ever again! I thin my roaches out and sell them too. So if anyone needs any gimme a PM. : victory:


I may take you up on this after my locusts are done and give them a try!


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## Oski1 (Jan 2, 2010)

kwacky said:


> Mixing foods is good advice.
> 
> Only black crickets bite, the others are fine.
> 
> ...


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## Guest (Aug 10, 2013)

Mitch636 said:


> I may take you up on this after my locusts are done and give them a try!


Well right now I'll sell starter colonies for like a fiver! And larger colonies will be negotiated.


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## IanC (Dec 15, 2012)

kwacky said:


> Mixing foods is good advice.
> 
> As for locusts they are fine to use but I tend to break their rear legs to stop them evading capture.
> 
> ...


 
only Black crickets bite ?
take it you not been in this game long as silent brown crickets bite and it always amuses me how they are sold as silent crickets.....hahaha

Atb Ian


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## kwacky (Feb 25, 2013)

Pedants of the world unite. I should have quantified my statement. In my 20+ years of keeping almost 100 various tarantulas I have only known the black cricket to bite a spider.

Better?


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## Hornatic (Aug 2, 2011)

I always mix up the foods I give to my tarantula, he loves mealies, locusts, crickets and roaches. Of course I have to watch to ensure he kills them and I only give him 1 at a time so others don't escape... but I think a varied diet is always best.

I understand that you don't want to feel like you've got pet live food, but by you keeping then your ensuring your tarantula has the best possible food available to him... and as said before it's really easy to keep them alive, so if you only buy 1 tub of something then it's easy to switch diet.

H


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## haza135 (Sep 6, 2010)

Locust are fine, if they are hopping away you can just remove the bag legs. It may sound horrible but they are going to be eaten anyway :2thumb:


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## EffyDaydream (Jan 29, 2012)

I hate crickets too! So smelly and harder to catch... Happy to hop away without their legs haha. If your T is hungry she'll eat them. If the locust is still there after a day or two just take it back out. :2thumb:


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