T eating cricket ball?

[RigorAmortis]

I've owned at least one tarantula consecutively for the last six almost seven years, and I've never seen one do this? By counting the remaining crickets, I'd estimate that she snatched up a total of 9 crickets, mashed them up into a ball and then started chowing down? Again, I've never seen this.

This is my female curly hair (don't clock me for not using its proper name, I never can remember), and she has always been a really good eater. I think she'd eat her weight in crickets 10 times over in a sitting if I'd allow her. (Joking, obviously.) She also has a serious attitude problem.

But my question is, is this normal? Anyone ever seen this before? This T has brought up so many questions that my rose hair never did. Maybe it's because I got this one as a sling. Idk.

 

[J.huff23]

Feeding 9 crickets at a time is a bit excessive. I typically feed mine one per week. But yes that's normal eating behavior

 

[Vanessa]

I have never fed more than about five crickets at one time and that was to a slimmer adult who was freshly moulted and needed to gain a bit of weight. I agree that it was excessive to feed nine at once. They are opportunistic feeders and that behaviour is not surprising at all.
Brachypelma albopilosum have a tendency to become very overweight as adults, once they are not putting their weight into growth anymore, and they can develop rub marks and ulcers on the underside of their abdomen. Those types of ulcers can prove to be deadly as they weaken the exoskeleton. Although it can happen to all species, it tends to happen very often to this one. I've seen them rip open more than once while moulting and it killed the tarantula.
Please don't overfeed her.

 

[Tenebrarius]

that's probably enough for a month. but what you're describing is not uncommon.
"obesity" in mature Ts can be a serious problem, I'd advise to not feed it for a while.

 

[EtienneN]

Tarantulas do not eat like mammals. Oftentimes, new keepers will think “Oh, if my tarantula is still accepting food, it must really be hungry/starving.” This is definitely not the case. As stated above, they are opportunistic predators. They will gorge and gorge themselves because they don’t know another meal is coming along. But we, their keepers, know another meal is coming along and we need to properly portion out their meals so they won’t get stuffed and burrow where we can’t see them until they moult months later.

 

[Arachnophoric]

9 in one day?? I feed my B. albo maybe half of that in one month, and she's still got room to grow!

As the others mentioned, this behavior is normal, as tarantulas are opportunistic predators that will eat as much as they can up until they've put on enough weight to be safe to molt, sometimes even more than that. G. rosea/porteri (aka "rose hairs") aren't the norm with their habit of going on random fasts and being finicky eaters. Your B. albopilosum will have a much better appetite and feeding response, thus why this is probably your first time witnessing this despite having kept a T for so many years.

 

[viper69]

I've owned at least one tarantula consecutively for the last six almost seven years, and I've never seen one do this? By counting the remaining crickets, I'd estimate that she snatched up a total of 9 crickets, mashed them up into a ball and then started chowing down? Again, I've never seen this.

This is my female curly hair (don't clock me for not using its proper name, I never can remember), and she has always been a really good eater. I think she'd eat her weight in crickets 10 times over in a sitting if I'd allow her. (Joking, obviously.) She also has a serious attitude problem.

But my question is, is this normal? Anyone ever seen this before? This T has brought up so many questions that my rose hair never did. Maybe it's because I got this one as a sling. Idk. View attachment 317702

This is how all Ts eat. The fact you have never observed means only 1 thing to me, you don't watch your animals.

 

[Asgiliath]

Not trying to sound like an ass but I don’t see how remembering scientific names is so difficult. Especially if you have ONE tarantula.

I obviously know every scientific name in my collection (of fifteen) and many many others just from exposure and research. I guess it depends on how invested you are??

Like I said, no offense but I’ve seen a lot of folks on here just say they “can’t remember” and I don’t get it.

 

[RigorAmortis]

Not trying to sound like an ass but I don’t see how remembering scientific names is so difficult. Especially if you have ONE tarantula.

I obviously know every scientific name in my collection (of fifteen) and many many others just from exposure and research. I guess it depends on how invested you are??

Like I said, no offense but I’ve seen a lot of folks on here just say they “can’t remember” and I don’t get it.

I have dyslexia. Even if I tried to spell her technical name, it'd come out wrong. For you to assume that I'm not invested in my baby is not only ableist, but also just flat out rude.

 

[Phia]

I forget scientific names all the time, or really just the spellings. That's why my #1 google search is 'Greenbottle Blue' because Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens is not an easy thing to spell. Google is your friend, esp on a written platform where you can proofread before sending. Copy and paste (pst, that's what I did for the spelling of Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens above, I pasted it haha ....)

This thread has reminded me to stop feeding MY adult female B. albopilosum so much. She's so plump! Truly rotund. An absolute unit.

 

[Asgiliath]

I have dyslexia. Even if I tried to spell her technical name, it'd come out wrong. For you to assume that I'm not invested in my baby is not only ableist, but also just flat out rude.

I apologize. I understand where you’re coming from. There ARE a lot of people though that don’t have much of an excuse. I’m deaf and disabled as well so, I hate to perpetuate any form of ableism.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

I'd estimate that she snatched up a total of 9 crickets

that's probably enough for a month.

More like 7 months, I feed mine 1 MM red runner every 3 weeks and she's hardly starving to death.

View media item 60915

 

[Tenebrarius]

Like I said, no offense but I’ve seen a lot of folks on here just say they “can’t remember” and I don’t get it.

it works both ways I dont know the common names for half my Ts.

I have dyslexia. Even if I tried to spell her technical name, it'd come out wrong. For you to assume that I'm not invested in my baby is not only ableist, but also just flat out rude.

well don't sweat it pal, some people just can't keep their feelings in check, but you should check record of your Ts scientific name, saying something like red knee or zebra tarantula won't be all that useful to anyone. Not trying to put you down. I'm not like SoMe PeoPlE (I have the ethically to treat every one equally ), simply stating a useful tip.
it's obviously a b albo, I can see that much.
I'm not sure exactly how dyslexia works, I only know it from popular culture, but I know it's not a problem of the eyes, but rather a problem of the brain. I'll write out the whole name and don't copy and paste and write what you see. I just want to test the margin of error to see if the name can still be easily guessed.

brachypelma albopilosum

More like 7 months, I feed mine 1 MM red runner every 3 weeks and she's hardly starving to death.

View media item 60915

Yeah I prefer to have a controlled feeding schedule. Nothings ever perfect and i'll have Ts that fast or are in premolt, but it's better than over feeding and risking abdomen dragging.