Help Feeding my brachypelma boehmei

garth

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 23, 2007
Messages
3
So, I was just hoping to get some confirmation on how I've been feeding my T. I'm not sure of the sex or age, but he's still a juve and I'm a little worried that I'm feeding him to little or too much. Here are some pics, and I was wondering if I could get some input from you guys. I'm currently feeding about 1 adult cricket per week. Based on the pics, does that sound reasonable? Thanks!




 

KoriTamashii

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 21, 2009
Messages
419
Based on the pics, I'd say you need more substrate. Abdomen size is fine, so you're feeding it enough.
 

garth

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 23, 2007
Messages
3
Based on the pics, I'd say you need more substrate. Abdomen size is fine, so you're feeding it enough.
Thanks for the fast reply, and advice. I assume its pretty intuitive, but when do you know to give more crickets? He pretty much immediately pounces on every adult cricket as soon as it wander into his hide.
 

KoriTamashii

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 21, 2009
Messages
419
Thanks for the fast reply, and advice. I assume its pretty intuitive, but when do you know to give more crickets? He pretty much immediately pounces on every adult cricket as soon as it wander into his hide.
Some people prefer to feed a tarantula until it refuses food, but this 'power feeding' can reduce the lifespan of a tarantula. The more it eats, the faster it molts, the faster it dies.

I'd say you could feed it two crickets a week and it would be fat and happy. :)
 

gmrpnk21

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
319
I powerfeed until they hit 2" then I feed once a week. When they get close to adult size, I will drop to once every ten to fourteen days.
 

garth

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 23, 2007
Messages
3
Do you think an adult cricket is an ok size of prey to be feeding this guy already? I've read that a rule of thumb is to keep the prey size to 1/4 the size of the abdomen, and I think the size crickets I'm feeding are quite larger than that. I'd like to make sure he kills out of hunger than defense. Or am I wrong?
 

KoriTamashii

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 21, 2009
Messages
419
Do you think an adult cricket is an ok size of prey to be feeding this guy already? I've read that a rule of thumb is to keep the prey size to 1/4 the size of the abdomen, and I think the size crickets I'm feeding are quite larger than that. I'd like to make sure he kills out of hunger than defense. Or am I wrong?
Rule of thumb is actually no LARGER than the abdomen. I've seen slings take down crickets as big as they are, though.
 

gmrpnk21

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
319
Rule of thumb is actually no LARGER than the abdomen. I've seen slings take down crickets as big as they are, though.
Mine usually do fine with a cricket as large as they are. If I am worried, I just remove the kicking legs.
 

Scolopeon

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 17, 2006
Messages
213
Either more substrate or get her an obligate burrow or hide, so that the specimen feels secure.

Without this, they may become stressed and refuse food... although yours is looking healthy at this stage.

Make sure you have a water bowl present at all times, use a bottle cap with gel crystals for the smaller species.

For slings misting is ample.
 

gmrpnk21

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 1, 2010
Messages
319
Either more substrate or get her an obligate burrow or hide, so that the specimen feels secure.

Without this, they may become stressed and refuse food... although yours is looking healthy at this stage.

Make sure you have a water bowl present at all times, use a bottle cap with gel crystals for the smaller species.

For slings misting is ample.
No on the water crystals. Just use a little Spaghnum moss in the water dish if you think it may drown.
 

Scolopeon

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 17, 2006
Messages
213
No on the water crystals. Just use a little Spaghnum moss in the water dish if you think it may drown.
At that size it is perfectly fine on water crystals, you explain to me why this is not approprite as I have all of my 2-3'' ers with a bottle cap and some crystals in them and there is no risk of them drowning.

I also use this same method with my live feeder roach colony.

---------- Post added at 02:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:14 PM ----------

Mine usually do fine with a cricket as large as they are. If I am worried, I just remove the kicking legs.
With this kind of risk you will one day see a dead sling.

A cricket as large as the sling.. is a heavier invert as spiders are approximately 50% legs.
this means that it is quite capable of biting off the slings legs or worse.
 
Top