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Do you think ants would eat infertile tarantula eggs?

Started By klawfran3 , Oct 18 2015 5:11 PM

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6 replies to this topic

#1 Offline klawfran3 - Posted October 18 2015 - 5:11 PM

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Weird topic, I know. I recently pulled an egg sack from one of my Avicularia Avicularia spiders and found a few of the eggs were infertile/ dead. The dead eggs don't seem to have grown any fungus or mold and only appear to be slightly wrinkled and dehydrated. Do you think my ants (Solenopsis xyloni) would be able to eat them without issue?

I have healthy spider eggs/ babies too which I am not going to feed to the ants, I just wanted to share that tidbit since I am excited to have my first fertile sac from this species.

Should I feed the dud eggs to them and find out or not even risk it?

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#2 Offline drtrmiller - Posted October 18 2015 - 5:13 PM

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Depending on the size, the spherical nature of the eggs may pose an issue for the ants when attempting to grapple and transport them.

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#3 Offline klawfran3 - Posted October 18 2015 - 5:14 PM

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Depending on the size, the spherical nature of the eggs may pose an issue for the ants when attempting to grapple and transport them.

They're big, but wrinkly. I'm mainly concerned about drowning in the yolk if an egg bursts.

Edited by klawfran3, October 18 2015 - 5:14 PM.

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#4 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted October 18 2015 - 7:23 PM

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They should be fine.

#5 Offline klawfran3 - Posted October 18 2015 - 7:47 PM

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They seem perplexed by it. They're all just touching it with their antennae and feeling it all over, none are even trying to move it, let alone attempt to eat it. This is pretty strange.

Now it's just been totally ignored. They didn't even bother to move it to the trash heap.

Edited by klawfran3, October 18 2015 - 7:58 PM.

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#6 Offline Michaelofvancouver - Posted October 18 2015 - 9:39 PM

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Whenever my ants meet a new substance they'll all crowd around it exactly as you described. If it's inedible they'll usually move it to the trash heap and not just ignore it though. :thinking: