Feeding Question

mwh9

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How much and often should I feed my tarantula. It is a Mexican Redrump, Brachypelma vagans. She is about 3", most likely a sub-adult. I have been giving her 2 crickets every day and she always eats both of them.
 

Harrod

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I would lower feeding to once or twice a week. You don't want to over feed them. Just because they will eat everyday doesn't mean they should.
 

mwh9

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Thanks, she has molted about a week ago, but I didn't want to over feed her even if she would eat more.
 

JMoran1097

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I would lower feeding to once or twice a week. You don't want to over feed them. Just because they will eat everyday doesn't mean they should.
some people DO powerfeed their T's, but yeah, they are usually more experienced owners.
 

Aurelia

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:eek: you waited a few days before feeding again after a molt right? I hope so! crickets are very dangerous to a fresh-molted T!
 

mwh9

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I got her about a week after she molted, so yes she was ready to start feeding again. I was told to feed 3 or 4 crickets twice a week. She always gets them as soon as they are put in one at a time. I always watch to see that she grabs it before I walk away.
 

Mina

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That is really overfeeding. I feed my B. vagans, who is about 4 inches, 3 crickets once a weeks. It does fine on that.
 

cacoseraph

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there has not been enough information given to determine what level of feeding is *actually* taking place


if the original poster (OP) is giving that spider 2 pinheads a day then it probably is NOT over feeding... but if they are feeding a 3" dls brachypelma 2 adult crickets a day it probably is.


brach have super slow metabolisms. they barely need any food, compared to what a lot of people apparently think. i have a male that will be mature next molt. i have been slowing down when that next molt comes so i feed him the equivalent of about 1 adult cricket a month. i fed it less during winter and more now that it is heating up.

at your size, at standard room temperature you could feed a single adult cricket a month and probably be decently on track. of course, a female will take something like 5 years to mature (call it a 5" dls) from the size it is now on that schedule. perhaps even longer.
 

mwh9

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Thanks for every one's input. While she has always taken the crickets immediately, I did feel like I was feeding her more than was needed.
 

Mushroom Spore

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Thanks for every one's input. While she has always taken the crickets immediately, I did feel like I was feeding her more than was needed.
It has to do with the way they're wired: the majority of the time, unless they're in premolt (or have picked up some other unknown cue to go on a fast, as rosehairs in particular will do), they will eat food the instant they find it. They don't understand that we'll always be around to give them food in the future, so they think "oh man I better eat this, I might not see food again for six months!" :)
 

icenola

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This was my first question I posted when I first came to the boards. What I've learned is that 3 to 4 crickets a week to be perfect. When they start refusing to eat..remove the crix as it is a signal that a molt is coming. If you overfeed them...(power feed)....the faster they will grow (molt) and they only have so many molts to a life span. Of course there are other things to speed up molts...but heavy feeding is one.
 

WARPIG

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I feed my 2" B smithi 3x a week (small crix) and she seems fine, although she seems to be hungry all the time, you have to restrain yourself from overfeeding.
 

TalonAWD

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Well I guess I have always overfed my Tarantulas in the past. I fed my L. parahybana up to 6 crickets a day! I have to say that it was power feeding and yep it became a full grown male in a year!. 5 years ago when I started my collection I use to feed the parahybana a pinky mouse once a week. I have never had any of my tarantulas die. Usually they just stop eating and thats my cue for either knowing a molt is coming or they are just not interested.
I guess everyone has their opinions. Now that I'm back in it again (I have a B. boehmei and a N. chromatus) I might restrain my self from power feeding or overfeeding (whatever you wish to call it) just to prolong its life and enjoy them.
 

Lucara

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My T's usually just stop eating when they are done. My T. blondi will eat 5 crickets in 1 night but then not eat anything for around 4-5 days. My Avic will only eat 1 cricket at night and then she skips the next feeding or 2. Not sure if thats the correct way to do it but they seem happy and healthy. :?
 

ricneto

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My T's usually just stop eating when they are done. My T. blondi will eat 5 crickets in 1 night but then not eat anything for around 4-5 days. My Avic will only eat 1 cricket at night and then she skips the next feeding or 2. Not sure if thats the correct way to do it but they seem happy and healthy. :?
How big is your blondi?
Mine is 2 to 2.5 inches and i feed her 2 crickets 2x a week. I think it is plenty. She have a very good size b*** {D
 

Harrod

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My 7" male T. blondi is one of the only T's I have that gets fed 3 to 4 times a week. He still is not nearly a bulky as I think he should be.
 

ricneto

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My 7" male T. blondi is one of the only T's I have that gets fed 3 to 4 times a week. He still is not nearly a bulky as I think he should be.
:eek:
What do you feed him? Crickets? Have you fed him roaches?
Do you have pictures?
 

Lucara

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Lol my T. blondi is...well roughtly in the 6-8" range but I need to do a measurement to give a closer exact. He doesnt gourge himself though. He eats 5 and then stops grabbing them and then ignores food for like the next week. Hes pretty docile compaired to what I have heard they are like. He doesnt care if I mess with or clean the cage as long as I dont touch him. =P If I do he gets all hissy but hes never given me a threat pose so thats a plus! =D
 

Arachnoporium

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Therahosa blondi diet

Rodents and roaches ... rodents and roaches.

Water and food at the same time.
 
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