Discoid Roaches for Tarantulas: The Perfect Feeder

Why Discoid Roaches Are the Ideal Tarantula Feeder

If you keep tarantulas, you've probably cycled through crickets, mealworms, superworms, and dubia roaches looking for the perfect feeder. Discoid roaches check every box that tarantula keepers care about — and they solve the problems that other feeders create.

Here's why the tarantula community is increasingly switching to discoid roaches as their go-to feeder, and how to use them effectively for everything from tiny slings to adult bird-eating species.

What Makes Discoid Roaches Perfect for Tarantulas

They Can't Climb

This is the single most important feature for tarantula keepers. Discoid roaches cannot climb smooth glass or plastic — which means they stay on the enclosure floor where your tarantula hunts. Unlike crickets, which climb walls, screen lids, and even walk across your tarantula while it's resting (causing stress), discoid roaches remain at ground level until your tarantula is ready to strike.

They Don't Bite

Crickets will bite tarantulas — especially during and after a molt when the exoskeleton is soft and vulnerable. A single cricket bite on a freshly molted tarantula can be fatal. Discoid roaches never bite. If your tarantula isn't hungry, the roach simply wanders the enclosure floor harmlessly until your spider is ready. No risk, no stress, no emergency removal needed.

They're Quiet and Odorless

Tarantula keepers often maintain collections of 10, 20, or 50+ spiders — and feeding that many animals with crickets means a large, smelly, chirping cricket bin in your home. Discoid roaches produce zero noise and virtually zero odor. Your entire feeder supply can live in a single bin in a closet with no impact on your living environment.

They Live for Months

Tarantulas eat infrequently — sometimes once a week, sometimes once a month, sometimes not for months during premolt. Crickets die within 1-2 weeks, forcing you to constantly buy and replace feeders for animals that may not eat for weeks. Discoid roaches live for months in a bin with basic food and water. They're ready whenever your tarantulas are — on spider time, not cricket time.

High Nutrition

At approximately 20% protein and 7% fat, discoid roaches provide excellent nutrition for tarantulas. The moderate fat content provides energy without the excess that can lead to overly fast growth (which some keepers associate with shorter tarantula lifespans). They can also be gut-loaded with nutritious produce before feeding, adding vitamins and minerals.

Sizing Guide: Matching Roaches to Tarantulas

The general rule for tarantula feeding: offer a prey item roughly the size of the tarantula's abdomen (opisthosoma) or smaller. Tarantulas can take down prey larger than themselves, but appropriately sized prey is easier to consume and less stressful.

Slings (Spiderlings, under 1 inch)

Recommended: Smallest available nymphs or pre-killed small nymphs

Tiny tarantula slings need very small prey. The smallest discoid roach nymphs work for larger slings. For very tiny slings (under 0.5 inches), you may need to pre-kill a small nymph and leave it in the enclosure for the sling to scavenge. Some keepers crush the roach nymph slightly to release scent and make it easier for the sling to locate and consume.

Juveniles (1-3 inches)

Recommended: Small to medium nymphs

Juvenile tarantulas are active hunters that readily take down appropriately sized roach nymphs. Offer one roach at a time, matched to approximately the tarantula's body length or slightly smaller. Feed every 5-7 days for most species.

Sub-Adults (3-5 inches)

Recommended: Medium to large roaches

Medium and large discoid roaches are perfect for sub-adult tarantulas. Most sub-adults will strike eagerly within seconds of a roach being placed in the enclosure. Feed every 7-10 days.

Adults (5+ inches)

Recommended: Large adult roaches

Full-grown tarantulas — including large species like Theraphosa, Lasiodora, Pamphobeteus, and Nhandu — handle adult discoid roaches easily. Offer 1-3 large roaches per feeding depending on the tarantula's size and appetite. Feed every 7-14 days for most adults.

Feeding Tips for Tarantula Keepers

Remove Uneaten Roaches

While discoid roaches won't bite your tarantula, it's still good practice to remove uneaten feeders after 24 hours. A wandering roach can stress a tarantula in premolt, and roaches may disturb substrate or water dishes overnight.

Don't Feed During Premolt or Post-Molt

If your tarantula is in premolt (refusing food, darker coloring, lethargic, lying on its back), do not offer food. After a molt, wait at least 5-7 days (longer for large species) for the new exoskeleton to harden before offering prey. Even though discoid roaches won't bite, any prey item can stress a freshly molted, vulnerable tarantula.

Use Tongs for Burrowers

For tarantulas that live in deep burrows (Chilobrachys, Haplopelma, Cyriopagopus), drop the roach near the burrow entrance using tongs. The roach's movement on the substrate creates vibrations that alert the tarantula to prey, often triggering a rapid strike from the burrow.

Gut Load Before Feeding

Gut-loading discoid roaches with nutritious produce for 24-48 hours before feeding passes those nutrients to your tarantula. While tarantulas are less susceptible to MBD than reptiles, gut-loaded feeders still provide better overall nutrition than empty ones.

Discoid Roaches vs Crickets for Tarantulas

For tarantula keepers, the comparison isn't even close. Discoid roaches are safer, cleaner, quieter, and more convenient in every measurable way.

Buying for a Tarantula Collection

If you maintain a collection of multiple tarantulas, buying discoid roaches in quantity makes financial sense. A mixed-size order gives you small nymphs for slings and juveniles, mediums for sub-adults, and large roaches for your big adults — all from one bin, all lasting for weeks.

Browse our full selection of discoid roaches in all sizes. Every order ships with our live arrival guarantee — because your tarantulas deserve the best feeders available.

— Matt, Founder, All Angles Creatures