are brachys really poor eaters?

[dennis123]

are brachys poor eater? read somewhere that they are. i have an albiceps tho and it eats whenever i offer food. i just make sure i feed it small food items as big as its carapace and make sure it doesnt get too plump. i target 1:1.5 to 1:2 carapace to abdomen ratio.

 

[Mike41793]

Just commented on your other thread, and will tie into this one: they're a slower growing genus. They don't need nearly the amount of food most keepers offer them. If you want to grow yours up quicker, keep it warmer and it will digest the food and grow quicker. Just mind the hydration if keeping them warmer.

I would not say they're bad eaters, they just don't need as much. Even if you keep them warmer , they're still not gunna grow as fast as something like a Phormictopus or a Poecilotheria etc.

 

[darkness975]

No

 

[Ratmosphere]

Not bad eaters, just slow growers.

 

[viper69]

are brachys poor eater? read somewhere that they are

No ! Where did you read this, I’d like to read it myself.

 

[Scoot]

Much hinges on one's definition of the phrase 'poor eater'.

My Brachypelma - I have albiceps and emilia - will pounce on prey with some ferocity in the weeks and months following a moult, provided I don't feed too often. Both have a surprising turn of speed when required.

In fact, the only difference I've noticed in terms of their feeding response against the more 'voracious' species is that my Brachypelma might reject some larger items of prey relative to their body size, compared with, say, my A geniculata or X intermedia, which will tackle larger prey more readily.

As others have said, Brachypelma don't seem to need much to subsist, so over-feeding will lead to a lethargic (satiated) spider and a long pre-moult stage. This might make them appear to be 'poor eaters', when in fact they've simply had enough.

Slow-growing, yes, but not 'poor eaters', per se.

 

[Mustafa67]

are brachys poor eater? read somewhere that they are. i have an albiceps tho and it eats whenever i offer food. i just make sure i feed it small food items as big as its carapace and make sure it doesnt get too plump. i target 1:1.5 to 1:2 carapace to abdomen ratio.

Yes

 

[kingshockey]

only my albiceps sling is all other brachys. i have had present or past were all about anything that moves must be food like an a genic or lp

 

[TheraMygale]

I don’t think they are poor eaters. Because of their evolution, they don’t move as much as other species that hunt a lot. I have a brachypelma hamorii that could eat more even if its way too fat to my liking.

my adults have been fasting since winter.

its just normal for them to conserve energy when they have met their needs.

 

[LucN]

IME, my boehmei was ravenous in her younger years and through her late adult years she was not quite as food-driven. She would often wait it out for the absolute perfect opportunity before making a lunge. Something she often did was cornering crickets at the edges of the cage.

My hamorii, by comparison, is still very food-motivated, thought it can take a few tries before she snags a cricket. Those banded crix are quick buggers !

Of course, this may be in part because I feed sparingly compared to other keepers. Their abdomen rarely, if ever, get larger than the carapace. FWIW, my hamorii gets 3 crix or 1 super monthly. My T. albo get an extra cricket because she downs them way faster than the hamorii. Very hungry girls !

 

[TheraMygale]

IME, my boehmei was ravenous in her younger years and through her late adult years she was not quite as food-driven. She would often wait it out for the absolute perfect opportunity before making a lunge. Something she often did was cornering crickets at the edges of the cage.

My hamorii, by comparison, is still very food-motivated, thought it can take a few tries before she snags a cricket. Those banded crix are quick buggers !

Of course, this may be in part because I feed sparingly compared to other keepers. Their abdomen rarely, if ever, get larger than the carapace. FWIW, my hamorii gets 3 crix or 1 super monthly. My T. albo get an extra cricket because she downs them way faster than the hamorii. Very hungry girls !

those are good feeding habits. They can survive long without food anyways (when not deadly skinny). Thats why you are getting good results with these tarantulas.

its what i am trying to do now. Although I do enjoy not dealing with feeders

 

[Gevo]

No, they're not bad eaters, but they can have long fasting periods before a molt, which may be where that reputation comes from.

My B. hamorii is an excellent eater...until she's not. She's been fasting since November and will continue to do so until she molts, which could be next week, next month, next season.... But after her next molt, whenever it is, she'll be back to pouncing like a flash and going after anything that moves in her vicinity, I'm sure.

 

[Nitroxide]

Never had any issues with any of my brachypelmas and I've had a ton of them. They have always been great eaters and never had any fasting issues with them either.