Tarantula Eating Multiple Crickets At Once?

Lina Gonzalez

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 12, 2019
Messages
6
I'm a "new" owner. & have been taking care of a friends Rose Hair since June now & it eats daily which it never used to get food or water so it took a long while to get her on a daily eating schedule. Today I got lazy and instead of dumping one cricket in I dumped 4 and to my surprise my Rosie killed and rolled all four into a ball and ate em up! I was so surprised and proud. Is this common? Is there a name for this? I just want some more fun tips and facts...
 

Dennis Nedry

Arachnodemon
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Oct 21, 2017
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672
Daily? How big are the crickets because that’s a hell of a lot for this species, some people feed theirs once a month. And yes it’s common, my Phlogius rubiseta did this just a couple days ago with some crickets that were too small to be a decent meal on their own. I think there’s a pic online somewhere of a Theraphosa with six crickets crammed in its gob
 

Sarkhan42

Arachnoangel
Joined
Dec 29, 2015
Messages
901
You could definitely do with cutting down feeding to once a week or so, but a tarantula eating multiple prey items is totally normal! I actually tend to give my Theraphosa female a couple supers at a time when I feed her, as she's now 8"+ and really needs more than just one.
 

Lina Gonzalez

Arachnopeon
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Sep 12, 2019
Messages
6
Is it bad to feed it this much? I feed it about 3 crickets a week.. This is the first time it ate four at one time.. I usually only feed it when it bites at the water when I spray down it's area..

Daily? How big are the crickets because that’s a hell of a lot for this species, some people feed theirs once a month. And yes it’s common, my Phlogius rubiseta did this just a couple days ago with some crickets that were too small to be a decent meal on their own. I think there’s a pic online somewhere of a Theraphosa with six crickets crammed in its gob
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
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Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
I'm a "new" owner. & have been taking care of a friends Rose Hair since June now & it eats daily which it never used to get food or water so it took a long while to get her on a daily eating schedule. Today I got lazy and instead of dumping one cricket in I dumped 4 and to my surprise my Rosie killed and rolled all four into a ball and ate em up! I was so surprised and proud. Is this common? Is there a name for this? I just want some more fun tips and facts...
It’s so common that I’m shocked you didn’t know this.

The name for this is >hungry

Want more fun facts- read the forum.
 

Thekla

Arachnoprince
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Oct 13, 2017
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1,878
I've got one fact for you: You're feeding her way too much! This species is one with the lowest food requirement there is, meaning it has a really slow metabolism.
Feeding her this amount of food she'll have an extremely long premoult phase (and I'm talking months and years here) and there'll be also higher risks of injuries due to an too big abdomen she'll probably develop.

You should really slow down with the feeding, it's for her good.
 

Lina Gonzalez

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 12, 2019
Messages
6
How often do you suggest I feed her?
I've got one fact for you: You're feeding her way too much! This species is one with the lowest food requirement there is, meaning it has a really slow metabolism.
Feeding her this amount of food she'll have an extremely long premoult phase (and I'm talking months and years here) and there'll be also higher risks of injuries due to an too big abdomen she'll probably develop.

You should really slow down with the feeding, it's for her good.
 

JPG

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Aug 11, 2019
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Depending on the size of the cricket and the size of your T. I accidently ordered tiny crickets so I have to feed 3 at a time...
 

cold blood

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13,223
Rosie killed and rolled all four into a ball and ate em up! I was so surprised and proud. Is this common? Is there a name for this?
Yes, its called binge feeding.

This species needs like 2 crickets a month...heavy feeding schedules lead to long and frequent fasting...sometimes lasting a year or more.

Tarantulas don't need to be, and really shouldn't be fed on a set or rigid schedule.

I feed it about 3 crickets a week..
its essentially a years worth of food...every 3 weeks.
 

Urzeitmensch

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 23, 2019
Messages
128
Is it bad to feed it this much? I feed it about 3 crickets a week.. This is the first time it ate four at one time.. I usually only feed it when it bites at the water when I spray down it's area..
Just to clarify and perhaps to be able to help you:

How and why do you spray down the enclosure?

Btw: my Ts also cram several crickets into their mouth when avaible. It's normal.
 

Lina Gonzalez

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 12, 2019
Messages
6
Just to clarify and perhaps to be able to help you:

How and why do you spray down the enclosure?

Btw: my Ts also cram several crickets into their mouth when avaible. It's normal.
I was told from the reptile store to spray down its living area lightly and I normally just refill its water bowl which has a sponge in it..
 

Urzeitmensch

Arachnosquire
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Feb 23, 2019
Messages
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I was told from the reptile store to spray down its living area lightly and I normally just refill its water bowl which has a sponge in it..
Glad I asked!

1.) No sponge. Throw it away. Now. It is useless and a paradise for all kind of germs. The T can trink from the water dish just fine.

2.) If you want to water down an area of substrate (not air!) you can of course use a spray bottle but it might be more effective to just pour water on the substrate. I don't know about Grammostola rosea husbandry specifically but afaik they can be kept rather dry.

3.) The reason why your T attacks the water spray is not that it is hungry but because it is irritated by the water spray. Another reason not to use spraying.

Edit: see ColdBloods post below on 3.)
 
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cold blood

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Actually attacking a water stream is a classic feeding response.

No more spraying (or talking to pet stores or reptile people for that matter...lol).

Op, this species needs dry...they dont need or like moisture...bone dry with a water dish...as easy as it gets.
 

Urzeitmensch

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 23, 2019
Messages
128
Actually attacking a water stream is a classic feeding response.

No more spraying (or talking to pet stores for that matter...lol).

Op, this species needs dry...they dont need or like moisture...bone dry with a water dish...as easy as it gets.
Really a feeding respons? Interesting.
 

sasker

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 9, 2016
Messages
1,091
I am surprised no-one brought up the unsuitable substrate used in the terrarium. Please forget everything the pet shop owner has said and find proper information on keeping this tarantula.

You can start by reading this:

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/tarantula-information-for-beginners-and-more.318718/

There is loads of information to be found on this species by using the search option of this website. If you have specific questions, please let us know! :)

Really a feeding respons? Interesting.
They sense movement so the first response is 'food?' They will back away once they find out that it is not food.
 
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NukaMedia Exotics

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Jul 31, 2017
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No tarantula should be fed even close to daily, tiny slings need to be fed most often and I'd say that is every 3rd day at the most. T's bigger than 4" only need to be fed like once a week at most, but every 2 or 3 weeks is just as good. They can go months without being fed and be perfectly fine. Also there's no name for eating multiple prey items lol its just something they do.
 
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