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How often should I feed my tarantula?

Arlo

Member
Messages
73
Location
Canada
Hey there! You guys have been extremely helpful so far, so I figured I should get your advice on feeding my girl as well.

My curly hair Tarantula, Shelob, is only about 2.5", which makes me believe she is a juvenile. The lady who sold her to me said the last time she ate was on the 18th of September. It's been 4 days. Should she be eating once a week or once every two weeks? Small or large crickets?
 

x_raphael_xx

Well-Known Member
Messages
745
Location
Plymouth UK
Hey there! You guys have been extremely helpful so far, so I figured I should get your advice on feeding my girl as well.

My curly hair Tarantula, Shelob, is only about 2.5", which makes me believe she is a juvenile. The lady who sold her to me said the last time she ate was on the 18th of September. It's been 4 days. Should she be eating once a week or once every two weeks? Small or large crickets?
I'd start with once or twice a week, and keep an eye on the butt size. If shes getting too chubby cut back, if she looks okay add another cricket. Butt should be roughly about the same size as their carapace.
Rule of thumb is don't feed them a prey animal bigger that their body length. If a large cricket is too big, you can always feed two smaller crickets.
 

x_raphael_xx

Well-Known Member
Messages
745
Location
Plymouth UK
Heres my overfed Shelob…
83793372-443D-4FB5-8E5E-4A2365BE794B.jpeg

And after she molted…a better size…
D4511655-42D5-4E46-9CC9-DB40B4B0F838.jpeg
 

octanejunkie

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
4,163
I'll just leave this here
 

Arlo

Member
Messages
73
Location
Canada
Heres my overfed Shelob…
View attachment 59721
And after she molted…a better
I'd start with once or twice a week, and keep an eye on the butt size. If shes getting too chubby cut back, if she looks okay add another cricket. Butt should be roughly about the same size as their carapace.
Rule of thumb is don't feed them a prey animal bigger that their body length. If a large cricket is too big, you can always feed two smaller crickets.
Thanks so much for the info! I'll try feeding her a cricket tonight and we'll see how it goes. Your Shelob looks beautiful, I know there is probably a big difference between the two photos but I can barely see it lol to me, she looks just fine in both.
 

Arlo

Member
Messages
73
Location
Canada
I'll just leave this here
This is exactly what I needed. Thank you so much. So glad I joined this forum.
 

DustyD

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
1,181
Location
Maine
I do keep track of feed times, but mostly to see when they refused food potentially from pre molt. I mostly judge their booty. In this case of my unsexed g. pulchra it looks overly fed, but it molted within five days of taking the pictures.
 

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Arlo

Member
Messages
73
Location
Canada
I do keep track of feed times, but mostly to see when they refused food potentially from pre molt. I mostly judge their booty. In this case of my unsexed g. pulchra it looks overly fed, but it molted within five days of taking the pictures.
I just tried offering a mealworm to my T and, as soon as it touched her, she ran away into her hide. Not sure if I'm dealing with a soon-to-be-molting T or just a scaredy one.
 

TokeHound

Active Member
Messages
170
Location
USA
Hey there! You guys have been extremely helpful so far, so I figured I should get your advice on feeding my girl as well.

My curly hair Tarantula, Shelob, is only about 2.5", which makes me believe she is a juvenile. The lady who sold her to me said the last time she ate was on the 18th of September. It's been 4 days. Should she be eating once a week or once every two weeks? Small or large crickets?
I feed my Tarantulas depending on their butt size and their reaction. My B. hamorii tells me when it's full and not hungry cuz it will slap the mealworm, so I feed it about once a week, sometimes once every other week. My A. avicularia has struggled to eat and had a very skinny abdomen so I have been feeding it every 4 days. Now, it's abdomen is getting bigger so I will start feeding it once a week here soon.
 

x_raphael_xx

Well-Known Member
Messages
745
Location
Plymouth UK
I just tried offering a mealworm to my T and, as soon as it touched her, she ran away into her hide. Not sure if I'm dealing with a soon-to-be-molting T or just a scaredy one.
If she runs off, maybe leave the prey overnight to see if she take it when she feels braver.
I've had T's flee from a cricket but after I've left them a few hours I come back and they have caught it.
If the prey is still there the next morn, remove it and try again in a couple of days.
My H.Maculata has only eaten once since I got it a month ago.
 

DustyD

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
1,181
Location
Maine
If she runs off, maybe leave the prey overnight to see if she take it when she feels braver.
I've had T's flee from a cricket but after I've left them a few hours I come back and they have caught it.
If the prey is still there the next morn, remove it and try again in a couple of days.
My H.Maculata has only eaten once since I got it a month ago.
Those are good suggestions. A tarantula may not want food just then for whatever reason. My G. pulchripes likes to stalk her prey, very tentative in her approach.
 

Tarantulateeth

New Member
Messages
9
Location
UK
@shaun I'm glad to hear you say that. I hope it will always be that way, after all we have all been beginners at some time.

I'm a very anxious person, and have always been a very shy person. But this forum seems so genuinely helpful, and everyones posts I've read so far, is full of people offering help and not shaming for asking something that might seem obvious to them. It's lovely to see <3 thank you all for being such a wonderful bunch of humans.
 
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