What ure oppinion on a meat diet?

[Dom]

Hey ..

I have care and worked with inverts for a few years but one thing I have been wondering is the affect of feeding tarantullas a strick mammal diet ..

I have had a small redknee .. it ate about 10 crickets as a spiderling then starten out on pinkie mice.. and has never gone back.. She would eat prey's that wer up to 5 time her size..

Anywho .. she molted already about 6 times in 3 month and getting to be a good size ..compared to hersisters and brotheres that are only eating inverts she is at least twice there size to 3 times...

Just wondering is anyone here know s abit about this or has an oppinion

take care
Dom

[marisa]

Well I have been feeding my two tarantulas both. They are both around two years old give or take a few months. One is a Brazilian Salmon Birdeater, the other a Bolivian Salmon Pink.....

Some seem to suggest T's are not made for an all rodent diet...but I'd love to know how I can feed my 7 inch birdeater nothing but crickets??? LOL Roaches would be the best I would think as they are both big and insects, but they are not easily available to me really. On the other hand, people over at the tarantula.com forums tell me they have done great feeding their T's nothing but rodents their entire lives.

So anyways, so far both of mine are currently eating rodents mostly....I give them less frequent rodent meals than I would cricket meals. Since they are both almost adults, they would get approx. one large rodent every 8 weeks.....if I for some reason feed crickets, the Birdeater normally doesn't even touch them, but I would feed more often, like every week. Basically they get crickets every few months as I am not sure myself whats better, rodents or crickets....but like I said, my Birdeater often ignores them now.

That's just my experience so far, and what I do. I'd love to hear more about what people think is better.

Marisa

[Dom]

Tx for the promply response.. Marissa ..

The weird thing about my girl (abit bigger then a toonie with legs) is that she eats one hopper mice a week give or take ..

She basically eats all the time .. I have never seen a T with such an appetitie.. just wondering if there was any health affects as all she eats is rodent and nothing else.. I HATE CRICKETS LOL

Only keep snakes monitors or carnivores lol

[marisa]

Dom-

Both my T's would HAPPILY eat rodents more than once a week when they were younger and growing faster....thats for sure. I fed them way more often during the first year.

As for it being harmful or heathly, I am waiting for more experienced opinions to be posted too :)

Marisa