Feeding & general question

[codicez]

Hi guys! I would like to ask you some question about the feeding method and " portion " ..

I got 2 juvenile tarantula, 1 Gbb and 1 brachypelma Hamorii... I feed them almost 4 times a week with cricket/mealworm way smaller than their abdomen size... Now I have few question about it...

I don't tong feed my Brachypelma, I just drop the cricket/Mealworm next to her and she took it,always!I mean also if her abdomen is quite big( she is a female) she still take it... Now my question is, is good for her or should I dosage bit better food portion? Is better to give in once 2 small mealworm couple of times a week or just feed her twice a week with bigger feeders? It makes any difference? I heard that more you feed faster they grow, is that good for her?
Here is she, I feed her this morning




I found she ofter on the top of the corkbar, mainly during the night.. is that normal? What she is doing? Should i need to rehouse her in a taller enclosure?!


Talking about my GBB... At begin I was Tong feed her, than I start to leave a cricket in the tank and notice that day after cricket was gone.. Now recently I'm just popping 2/3 mealworm in a dish and after 2 days all mealworm are gone, it also make easier for me so If she is in premolt she will not take it, instead if I drop a cricket and she is in premolt I have to get the cricket out and is quite annoying... So my question is.. it is better just leave the cricket inside to let the T hunt so avoid the " dish ",is the same or it will not make much difference?




I fed my Sling Avicularia Braunshauseni almost 2 weeks ago.... since than I tried to feed and almost run away from feeder, she always rest in her web so seems in premolt.. Is that correct?

 

[miss moxie]

Alright, here we go. First of all, tarantulas don't need to eat very often at all. That B. smithi is quite fat, and I would only feed her once a week with a single prey item no larger than her abdomen. This is my rule of thumb for most juvenile tarantulas-- once a week. When they get older, or if they are a slow growing species you can taper off to once every two weeks or even once a month. For example, I have several two inch Pamphobeteus tarantulas that I feed once a week. I have a two inch G. pulchra that I only feed once every two to three weeks. The Pamphobeteus spp. grow much, much faster than the G. pulchra.

Second of all, it's tong-feeding not tongue-feeding. Tongue-feeding conjures the imagery of you offering your tarantula a cockroach on the tip of your tongue. Tong-feeding is also not a good idea because they can end up breaking their fangs off on the metal.

Third, let her alone. If she sits on top of her cork bark it's because she wants to, not because she's telling you how unhappy she is. Do NOT rehouse her in a taller enclosure. Tall enclosures become fall hazards for terrestrials, especially -fat- terrestrials as your girl is. Her abdomen could burst and that would result in her death.

Fourth-- NEVER leave live prey unattended with your tarantula. Crickets are especially known for chewing up tarantulas, especially when they're molting or freshly molted. Meal worms can dig down into the substrate, pupate, and become beetles which will also chew on your tarantula. Crush the head of everything you feed your tarantulas. When they get to adult size it's easier to offer live prey but again-- if they don't take it down or reject it, you have to get it out of the enclosure. There are some adult Ts I still pre-kill for because they have a lot of webbing I don't want to destroy chasing after a stray prey-item.

 

[viper69]

I strongly suggest you do MORE research on the exotic animals you own.

They don't eat on a schedule in the wild, but in captivity that T is more than full of food stores. It can go a while w/out food.

 

[Ant]

Second of all, it's tong-feeding not tongue-feeding. Tongue-feeding conjures the imagery of you offering your tarantula a cockroach on the tip of your tongue. Tong-feeding is also not a good idea because they can end up breaking their fangs off on the metal.

I'm glad I wasn't the only one imagining this!

 

[mconnachan]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one imagining this!

Me either - LOL....

 

[Tia B]

Are you sure that's a B
hamorii? It looks like a B. emilia to me...

 

[mconnachan]

I got 2 juvenile tarantula, 1 Gbb and 1 brachypelma Hamorii... I feed them almost 4 times a week with cricket/mealworm way smaller than their abdomen size... Now I have few question about it...

I heard that more you feed faster they grow, is that good for her?

Slow down on the feeding, at these sizes, once a week will be sufficient, as long as the prey items are the same size as their abdomen.

Tongue feeding - tong feeding - LOL

Your spider wants to climb on the cork bark, it's natural behaviour.

Don't think about rehousing - your spider is getting acclimated to its enclosure. Leave him/her in peace, she'll soon be wandering the enclosure as though it's always been home - enjoy your T's.

 

[codicez]

Alright, here we go. First of all, tarantulas don't need to eat very often at all. That B. smithi is quite fat, and I would only feed her once a week with a single prey item no larger than her abdomen. This is my rule of thumb for most juvenile tarantulas-- once a week. When they get older, or if they are a slow growing species you can taper off to once every two weeks or even once a month. For example, I have several two inch Pamphobeteus tarantulas that I feed once a week. I have a two inch G. pulchra that I only feed once every two to three weeks. The Pamphobeteus spp. grow much, much faster than the G. pulchra.

Second of all, it's tong-feeding not tongue-feeding. Tongue-feeding conjures the imagery of you offering your tarantula a cockroach on the tip of your tongue. Tong-feeding is also not a good idea because they can end up breaking their fangs off on the metal.

Third, let her alone. If she sits on top of her cork bark it's because she wants to, not because she's telling you how unhappy she is. Do NOT rehouse her in a taller enclosure. Tall enclosures become fall hazards for terrestrials, especially -fat- terrestrials as your girl is. Her abdomen could burst and that would result in her death.

Fourth-- NEVER leave live prey unattended with your tarantula. Crickets are especially known for chewing up tarantulas, especially when they're molting or freshly molted. Meal worms can dig down into the substrate, pupate, and become beetles which will also chew on your tarantula. Crush the head of everything you feed your tarantulas. When they get to adult size it's easier to offer live prey but again-- if they don't take it down or reject it, you have to get it out of the enclosure. There are some adult Ts I still pre-kill for because they have a lot of webbing I don't want to destroy chasing after a stray prey-item.

Thank you for your reply... Yeah the feeding part " schedule " I wasn' t sure about it, also I tought I could give them more small prey weekly rather than 1 big a week... The mealworm she takes down are half of her Abdomen size/same as cricket ...Thanks to solve some doubt I had
I know to don't leave LIVE PREY with my Tarantula... that's why I mention to use the dish for the Mealworm.. Also mention the annoying part that alive cricket around are pain to take them out... also with that enclosure setup full of hides and corkbar...

I strongly suggest you do MORE research on the exotic animals you own.

They don't eat on a schedule in the wild, but in captivity that T is more than full of food stores. It can go a while w/out food.

I have done research but this " feeding " part wasn't clear for me so I open this thread I open this thread for the reason I suspected my feeding part wasn't done in the proper way! Thanks bytheway!

Are you sure that's a B
hamorii? It looks like a B. emilia to me...

Is what the label was saying,I took it from Martin Goss at Seas in UK this year... I think he is reliable breeder.. MHmm I was lookin the Carapace different in between the Emilia and the Hamorii and I think next molt will help more.. is not clear if she got that black shape triangle or more square one...
Not sure but thanks for the call!

Me either - LOL....

Yeah Italians got always some spelling/pronunciation problem the video " Italian men went to Malta " is a perfect explanation of my English talkin experience!

 

[viper69]

Thank you for your reply... Yeah the feeding part " schedule " I wasn' t sure about it, also I tought I could give them more small prey weekly rather than 1 big a week... The mealworm she takes down are half of her Abdomen size/same as cricket ...Thanks to solve some doubt I had
I know to don't leave LIVE PREY with my Tarantula... that's why I mention to use the dish for the Mealworm.. Also mention the annoying part that alive cricket around are pain to take them out... also with that enclosure setup full of hides and corkbar...



I have done research but this " feeding " part wasn't clear for me so I open this thread I open this thread for the reason I suspected my feeding part wasn't done in the proper way! Thanks bytheway!


Is what the label was saying,I took it from Martin Goss at Seas in UK this year... I think he is reliable breeder.. MHmm I was lookin the Carapace different in between the Emilia and the Hamorii and I think next molt will help more.. is not clear if she got that black shape triangle or more square one...
Not sure but thanks for the call!



Yeah Italians got always some spelling/pronunciation problem the video " Italian men went to Malta " is a perfect explanation of my English talkin experience!

I should have been clear, I wasn't referring to your feeding question. I was referring to your husbandry question on caging, eg giving your T a taller cage when it's a terrestrial. Not something that is needed, and can be dangerous to do.

 

[codicez]

I should have been clear, I wasn't referring to your feeding question. I was referring to your husbandry question on caging, eg giving your T a taller cage when it's a terrestrial. Not something that is needed, and can be dangerous to do.

Ah! Yeah I read terrestrial don't need hight... but I just was questioning if the height I provided was enought for her... just because I saw her climbin... thanks anyway for the attention!

 

[viper69]

Ah! Yeah I read terrestrial don't need hight... but I just was questioning if the height I provided was enought for her... just because I saw her climbin... thanks anyway for the attention!

Generally, we do 1.5 times their diagonal leg span for distance from sub floor to ceiling for terrestrials. GBBs get exception from some owners.

 

[EulersK]

Are you sure that's a B
hamorii? It looks like a B. emilia to me...

Certainly not a B. emilia. The "V" on the carapace would be much more defined, even in a juvenile. The coloration on the femurs isn't right either.

0.1 B. emilia, 4.5"

• EulersK
• Aug 27, 2017
• 2

Likely my most docile tarantula, despite those bald spots.

Definitely doesn't look like a pure-blooded tarantula, though

 

[viper69]

Certainly not a B. emilia. The "V" on the carapace would be much more defined, even in a juvenile. The coloration on the femurs isn't right either.

0.1 B. emilia, 4.5"

• EulersK
• Aug 27, 2017
• 2

Likely my most docile tarantula, despite those bald spots.

Definitely doesn't look like a pure-blooded tarantula, though

I saw that too, and looked at my emilia, she just shook her head and rolled her eyes.

 

[Tia B]

Certainly not a B. emilia. The "V" on the carapace would be much more defined, even in a juvenile. The coloration on the femurs isn't right either.

0.1 B. emilia, 4.5"

• EulersK
• Aug 27, 2017
• 2

Likely my most docile tarantula, despite those bald spots.

Definitely doesn't look like a pure-blooded tarantula, though

I just though it looked odd for a B. hamorii, B. emilia was my best guess.

 

[codicez]

Certainly not a B. emilia. The "V" on the carapace would be much more defined, even in a juvenile. The coloration on the femurs isn't right either.

0.1 B. emilia, 4.5"

• EulersK
• Aug 27, 2017
• 2

Likely my most docile tarantula, despite those bald spots.

Definitely doesn't look like a pure-blooded tarantula, though

Yeah I was looking about the Emilia but mine doesn't have as you say that " Triangle/V shape...

 

[EulersK]

I just though it looked odd for a B. hamorii, B. emilia was my best guess.

It does look odd, you're not wrong about that.

 

[codicez]

How about the Avic Braunshauseni... is that typical Pre-molt behaviour? Stay in her hide, be passive,refuse/run away from food... is that correct or could be something else as well ?

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Tongue-feeding conjures the imagery of you offering your tarantula a cockroach on the tip of your tongue.

Wait a God-darned second......... You mean to say that people don't feed their Ts this way?

Are you sure that's a B
hamorii? It looks like a B. emilia to me...

I want some of whatever you took before replying to this thread, it's a B. hamorii

 

[viper69]

How about the Avic Braunshauseni... is that typical Pre-molt behaviour? Stay in her hide, be passive,refuse/run away from food... is that correct or could be something else as well ?

Standard behavior for any T that is not hungry and perhaps going to molt. This is one of those questions that makes me write "do more research"

 

[cold blood]

And for the record, that worm in your GBB dish, its a superworm, not a mealworm.