Wetas

[J4cq]

Hi, I live in New Zealand where wetas are common. What would happen if my Greek tortoises decided to eat one?

I'm asking this question for planning my outdoor enclosure when summer comes back around. Thanks in advance.

I've added a picture in case you don't know what a weta is!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Here we have a huge, brightly colored grasshopper called a LUBBER grasshopper. I think that they are poisonous. They don't fly, barely hop and move very slowly...I guess because they don't fear pradators. I don't think that anything bothers with them.
These also look slow and flightless. I know nothing else about them. Just their north American counterpart....
Google says the giant Weta is edible.

 

[J4cq]

They are, I think, just big crickets. I'm hoping they just stay in the trees but if the tortoises decide to eat one how would this effect them. As I assume they're protein.

I suppose I'm asking, if my tortoises had the odd protein snack, would this be detrimental to their health?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I wouldn't expect it to harm him.

 

[mike taylor]

That is one nasty looking bug ! I would freak out if that thing touched me . I hate bugs ! I have no idea what would happen if your tort ate one . I know I would turn into a screaming little girl if I had them here. Yuck !

 

[tortdad]

That is one nasty looking bug ! I would freak out if that thing touched me . I hate bugs ! I have no idea what would happen if your tort ate one . I know I would turn into a screaming little girl if I had them here. Yuck !

Hahaha.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

That is one nasty looking bug ! I would freak out if that thing touched me . I hate bugs ! I have no idea what would happen if your tort ate one . I know I would turn into a screaming little girl if I had them here. Yuck !

I wouldn't imagine that a bug that big could sneak up on you.

 

[mike taylor]

You'd be surprised how sneaky bugs are .

 

[mike taylor]

Hahaha.

Shut up Kevin .

 

[Nanchantress]

Absolutely, positively never moving to New Zealand... That looks like something out of Jurassic Park.

 

[Yvonne G]

Vegetation-eating tortoises eat animal protein all the time in the wild. If Wiki says that ugly Weta is edible, then I doubt any harm would come to your tortoise if he ate one occasionally.

 

[Nanchantress]

In bug vs. windshield, that bug would win.

 

[ascott]

Hi, I live in New Zealand where wetas are common. What would happen if my Greek tortoises decided to eat one?

I'm asking this question for planning my outdoor enclosure when summer comes back around. Thanks in advance.

I've added a picture in case you don't know what a weta is! View attachment 128075

Okay, ewwwwww.....why is there such a thing in the world....uggghhhh....the nightmares....no New Zealand for me...for simply fear I would wake up during the night and walk to the restroom and one of those things got in the house and I stepped on it...instant horror....ugghhhh....and is that you holding that thing????

 

[J4cq]

No it's just a picture I found on Internet. The ones that live in our trees are smaller. They're like cockroaches, they never die!

We did have one get in the house once and yes I screamed very loudly.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Our good old Lubber Grasshoppers...Maybe as large but far less creepy?
But are they as delicious?

 

[mike taylor]

No ! Its creepy!

 

[tglazie]

I had no idea New Zealand had bugs like that. Now I know what inspired that scene with the giant killer bugs in Peter Jackson's King Kong.

T.G.

 

[Astrochelys]

Usually grasshoppers and Wetas aren't poisonous at all, they just taste bad so birds usually leave them alone after eating one.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Absolutely, positively never moving to New Zealand... That looks like something out of Jurassic Park.

Not far off.
Wetas have existed for millions of years and even lived in Antarctica with the dinosaurs before it became uninhabitable.
The greeks here do occasionally eat a dead beetle or other insect, I don't think it's a problem.
Oh and they are beautiful animals, too.