Crickets are a great staple diet since their full of protein, vitamines, and minerals.They are the most widely used feeder insects and are the most available. I recommend crickets as a main food source.
Nutritional Analysis (estimated averages)
-Moisture: 75.6%
-Protein: 16.8%
-Fat: 5.6%
-Ash: 1.2%
-Other: 0.8%
Superworms are great for adding varity to adult tarantulas and scorpions diet. Full grown they are 1 1/4". Superworms are pretty new to the hobby, and are naturally large unlike "Giant mealworms" which are given hormones to make them grow large. Their active and have soft bodies. They can be kept at room temp and will not pupate at room temp. High in fat which makes them good for fattening up a thin invert or as a occasional food source.
Nutritional Analysis (estimated averages)
-Moisture: 58.7%
-Protein: 19.3%
-Fat: 17.6%
-Ash: 1.0%
-Other: 3.4%
Fruitflys are great for very small scorplings and spiderlings. They are 1/8", have full wings and red eyes, but they cant fly because of genetically impaired wing muscles. They are fast reproducers and their life cycle takes around 30 days to complete. I recommend flightless fruit flys as an supplemental food source along side pinhead crickets for spiderlings and scorplings.
Nutritional Analysis (estimated averages)
-Moisture: 59.6%
-Protein: 19.7%
-Fat: 18.8%
-Ash: 7.1%
-Other: 5.2%
Silkworms are actually caterpillers of a moth. They can be used as feeders from the time they hatch untill they reach up to 3", after that they will turn to moths. Silkworms are more popular for feeding reptiles but I have found most tarantulas and some scorpions enjoy them. Silkworms dont smell, dont need water, are high in calcium, have soft bodies and dont bite. They dont jump, dont make noise, and cant excape. Recommended as an occasional food source for tarantulas and great for gravid tarantulas.
Nutritional Analysis
-Fat: 28%
-Protein: 64.7%
-Ca: .21
