how often to feed large spiders

[Tarangela]

I will be getting some roaches next week, and look forward to seeing how the T's like switching from crickets to roaches.

And I hope it makes them a little fatter.

I had been feeding my T's 1-2 crickets a week....

 

[ballpython2]

A few crickets (5 or less) every two weeks or so is plenty. I know you want it to grow fast, but at 7" she is already a big girl, the more you feed now the faster she will grow but in turn the shorter she will be living in your collection. The term "power feeding" is used in the hobby, and all that means is you feed your T's anything and everything all the time to push them to the next molt, but you have to keep in mind that T's have a set number of molts in their life. So the faster you get them to that molt, the faster she dies in the end.

You feed your T regular meals every few weeks and you could have her for a long long time to come.

I'm only power feeding my female until she reaches breeding size and is ready to breed. After she breeds (if/when she does) I'll be slowing down her food a lot especially after she gives me slings. so my power feeding is per se temperary (Sp)

 

[Remigius]

again i hold true a 1-2x's a month schedule...unless you are power-feeding for a breeding project, than i would say once a week...

I'd want to add my 2 cents. Every T has it's own metabolism. The more active ones will digest and burn the stored calories faster. I know the differences are insignificant, but the size of the Ts' abdomnen should be the indicator, if they had enough/too much to eat.

Also - just try to memorize which ones were getting too much food and try to limit it.

 

[sick4x4]

I'd want to add my 2 cents. Every T has it's own metabolism. The more active ones will digest and burn the stored calories faster. I know the differences are insignificant, but the size of the Ts' abdomnen should be the indicator, if they had enough/too much to eat.

Also - just try to memorize which ones were getting too much food and try to limit it.

true they do but in captivity i really doubt that they move that much(avics, pokies, psalmo's), that it would make feeding them more really necessary...in my first post, i suggested the carapace abdomen ref, which you ref'ed to again..it is a good indicator...yet with breeding comes the need for an increase in food but imo, many T's would be satisfied with 2 offerings a month...obesity seems to be a common occurrence in the US hobby and can lead to other health and physical problems...again just my opinion...

wayne

 

[ballpython2]

obesity seems to be a common occurrence in the US hobby and can lead to other health and physical problems...again just my opinion...

wayne

How do you define obese when all tarantulas have a different food amount intake level. Like some are eating machines and some rarely eat at all. and I've never heard of a T getting diabetes or a stunt growth from powerfeeding or obesity.


One member on AB keeps telling me If my L parahybana eats any more its abdomen is going to rupture. To this day I have never seen real proof of this happening at all with powerfeeding or "overfeeding." And people are always worrying about my P. Lugardi and telling me not to feed her/him any more. But it keeps eating at its own leasure (sp) If it want to eat I'm going to feed it.

 

[sick4x4]

Oh, so you are a tarantula M.D., now? lol

i wish but it was a question i had posted on the BTS & ATS site and it seemed many felt the same way, that we do tend to feed our animals alittle excessively;P but again its an opinion, smart@@@:razz:

wayne

 

[sick4x4]

How do you define obese when all tarantulas have a different food amount intake level. Like some are eating machines and some rarely eat at all. and I've never heard of a T getting diabetes or a stunt growth from powerfeeding or obesity.


One member on AB keeps telling me If my L parahybana eats any more its abdomen is going to rupture. To this day I have never seen real proof of this happening at all with powerfeeding or "overfeeding."

actually when an abdomen gets to large it tends to scrap the ground or get rubbed raw which can lead to problems...the best indicator is the carapace vs abdomen ref...a healthy T should have an abdomen the width of its carapace and shouldn't have it rubbing the ground when moving...

just saw the pic's, i would say to big..but again its mo...slings and smaller T's aren't as effected and i say that loosely.. i would say larger 3" plus probably...

wayne

 

[sick4x4]

heres some links to read...again its personal pref as to what you do...
http://www.atshq.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13871&highlight=overfeeding
http://www.thebts.co.uk/framset.htm

 

[omni]

I've seen T's that looked really, really fat. If a T was close to bursting and one more meal would do it, I think it just wouldn't be interested in eating for a while.
The biggest danger to an overfed T is the risk of injury if it should fall from climbing around.