Is my tarantula eating too much?

WildTim

Arachnopeon
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Sep 13, 2016
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I caught a blonde desert tarantula in my backyard last Friday night. (In Arizona).

He/she, (I named it Tranny The Tarantula, because I don't know if it is a he or a she), has eaten at least one large cricket from Petco every night since I caught him.

Today, I went to Petco and bought more crickets. I put three in the cage. The tarantula literally ate all three crickets within 15 minutes.

The first he grabbed immediately, when it crawled by him. The second, immediately after consuming the first, and it ate the third one between the time I left the room and returned 10 minutes later.

I am loathe to put any more crickets in the cage with Tranny, because I am not sure if it is eating too much.

Thoughts?

PS It is a ten gallon fishtank with Eco Earth Loose Coconut Fiber Substrate filled to about 4 inches from the bottom. Along with a little water dish and a log for him to hide under.
 

Gods Spartan

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 15, 2014
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47
Don't think it's necessary to feed it that much. Shoot, even my slings get fed once a week...LP gets twice. I would just go once a week.
 

Jones0911

Arachnobaron
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Mar 5, 2013
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406
A tarantula will only eat when it feels it needs too, you can never over feed a tarantula.

They'll go cold turkey on you with no problem.... I say feed it until he refuses then he's full.

Remember you took it out of its habitat so it doesn't get food out there the way it would in captivity.

So it might not have ate this whole month!
Also look at his abdomen it's not as plump as it could be so fatten him up more
 
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WildTim

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Sep 13, 2016
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Thank you. Also, I want to add, he was climbing the glass walls of the cage for a couple of hours last night.

I read on some other sites that climbing is either a sign of hunger, too wet or trying to escape.

Perhaps it was just hungry?
 

G. pulchra

ArachnoGod
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Jun 7, 2005
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Thank you. Also, I want to add, he was climbing the glass walls of the cage for a couple of hours last night.

I read on some other sites that climbing is either a sign of hunger, too wet or trying to escape.

Perhaps it was just hungry?
He's looking for a mate..... Maybe you should let him go so he can do his job and die happy.
 

Jones0911

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
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406
Thank you. Also, I want to add, he was climbing the glass walls of the cage for a couple of hours last night.

I read on some other sites that climbing is either a sign of hunger, too wet or trying to escape.

Perhaps it was just hungry?
Can you please take a photo of your enclosure so we can see how you are keeping him?

As Long As You Are keeping him as a desert I species should be kept then you should be fine.

So dry substrate, a hide and water dish should be good, is he still climbing the walls?
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
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Oct 25, 2014
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1,735
I agree with G.pulchra ( Good eye BTW I probably would of missed that) thats a mature male.. He's on borrowed time....
 

WoofSpider

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 31, 2016
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81
He's looking for a mate..... Maybe you should let him go so he can do his job and die happy.
Don't due this. Under no condition should you ever release a pet tarantula. At best you are dooming it to death via pesticide exposure and at worst you are introducing an invasive species to the environment. Just don't.
 

TownesVanZandt

Arachnoprince
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May 12, 2015
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1,041
Don't due this. Under no condition should you ever release a pet tarantula. At best you are dooming it to death via pesticide exposure and at worst you are introducing an invasive species to the environment. Just don't.
Ehrm , the OP caught this tarantula in his backyard less than a week ago...
 

WoofSpider

Arachnosquire
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Aug 31, 2016
Messages
81
Ehrm , the OP caught this tarantula in his backyard less than a week ago...
Oops. You're right. I totally missed that.

Disregard my previous advice. I'm dumb.

To be honest, wild-caught doesn't even occur to me most of the time because I am vehemently opposed to the practice.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Thank you. Also, I want to add, he was climbing the glass walls of the cage for a couple of hours last night.

I read on some other sites that climbing is either a sign of hunger, too wet or trying to escape.

Perhaps it was just hungry?
At this time of year males are looking for females in the wild.Considering only a few from a sac make it to adulthood in the wild, you should return this tarantula to where you found it so it can try and find a female. This specimen is a male without a doubt.
 
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