Corned beef eating spider?!

[Zygiella]

Hi Everyone

I was told a few weeks ago that someone had a huge house spider which they used to feed on tiny pieces of corned beef (Fray Bentos so it must have been a discerning spider!) it would wrap the corned beef and run away to its retreat!

I havent tried it with my own spiders as I dont have any corned beef (!) but I have taken the story with a pinch of salt - I think its highly unlikely - I'd just like confirmation that its not possible before I go out and buy some corned beef!

I know spiders like live food but I have fed one on a fly that had been dead for 2 days - and I also have a male Zygiella X-Notata that prefers freshly dead flies from a pair of tweezers - the live ones seem to frighten him with their moving wings and legs!

Thanks

[badger426]

I thought that spiders sucked out the fluids of their prey.

[Zygiella]

Thats why I thought it wasnt possible - but perhaps they may be able to extract something if they were really hungry?

I'd never seen a spider eat sawfly caterpillars till last year - we had a tree that was being eaten alive by them and some fell into garden spiders' webs and they didnt hesitate to eat them! They even wrapped up dead ones and seemed happy to eat them.

[Paul mabbott]

I know it's pretty rough stuff but I've never heard of corned beef eating anything
Groan.
I imagine that as long as the bits of meat are moist, there would be no problem.

[badger426]

I'd leave it alone, in case you make a hash of it.

[Zygiella]

Nice one Badger - I was wondering how long before that one came out! I cant even open the tins - do they still have those winding keys on the side?! I'll stick with feeding them flies for now

[demicav]

It's impossible for Spiders to eat corned beef as Spiders eat live, raw food by means of external digestion, rather than internal digestion. They liquiefy the internal organs of their prey then suck up the juices while the victim is alive. I've had Spiders carry off toilet tissue, it's quite amusing to watch but believe me, they'll discard the object when they realise it's no good to them.

[Zygiella]

Toilet tissue! wow perhaps they discarded it because it wasnt Andrex! My Metellina Segmentata certainly isnt bothered about live food - Ive just fed her a hornet type of insect that was huge - and had been dead about 5 days - she grabbed it from my tweezers, wrapped it up and hauled it away! Its about 4 times bigger than her and should keep her going for a while!

[naturelover]

never tryed tweezer feeding a spider,dosnt it run off from you,i have put flys in webs befor,i love to watch the antics the spider dose to wind it up in web,cleaver beasties.

[Pigeon feather]

How about ordering some micro crickets online for your spiders, they don't cost too much and there is over 200 in a box which should last for a while, they're tiny about the size of ants so your spiders should be able to handle them without any probs