Tarantula Feeding Advice

[Zohar]

I have recently started keeping tarantulas and I have not had any success feeding most of them. My Venezuelan Suntiger ate a couple of times and has since stopped. What I have noticed is that if the abdomen is larger than the carapace then the spider is full. Am I right or just crazy?

My Haitian Brown hasn't eaten anything since I got him about two weeks ago, my Brazilian red and white birdeater has never eaten since I got it about 2 months ago but its abdomen is large and it shed approx 3 weeks ago. They all have been offered mealworms and roaches on separate occasions.

Also, can you feed a large T a small meal, eg, a 15cm T being fed a mealworm?

[Inyanga]

Hey Zohar

T's feed on their own schedule and can fast for long periods (up to a year and more with adults of certain species, Rosies come to mind), my slings also eat a lot less in winter (I dont give much supplimental heat unless the sling is tiny or of a known tender species). Its best to think of them as pet rocks and not panic too much, keep offering food and make sure the humidity is right.

J

[cascade]

How big are your spiders?

What I have noticed is that if the abdomen is larger than the carapace then the spider is full.

No, the abdomen does not indicate that the spider is full, some species of tarantulas will keep eating as long as there is prey in their enclosures.

can you feed a large T a small meal, eg, a 15cm T being fed a mealworm?

Yes you can, in the wild a tarantula does not have a choice in the size of prey it can catch, it takes what it gets.
And feeding your spiders smaller prey items is fine, it is still eating.

I feed a 28cm tarantula on large crickets or mature male dubia roaches.
Then it gets 1 to 3 feeders.

[Zohar]

Thanks for the advice guys, really helps

[Zohar]

Just a qucik follow up question, after a T has eaten a roach does it leave the shell behind?

[Zane02]

Hi Zohar

Yes it will leave a bolus behind. You should remove the bolus asap as it can can cause mites,fungi and is a breeding ground for bacteria...

[Zohar]

Ok two questions, what is a bolus? and how do Ts eat? I know that they inject venom that causes tissue breakdown and then they suck up the contents but does this include the entire insect?

[cascade]

Morning

Tarantulas actually "chew" the prey item, extracting the juices from the remains and then filtering the hard bits.
Tarantulas don't have lips or a mouth but they have plate like structure that is used to masticate (chew) the prey item.
True spiders do the sucking thing and leaving the shell behind.

Stromatopelma calceatum (Featherleg Baboon)
If you look in between the fangs, that area is where the "mouth" part is located.

DSC_0309.JPG

Bolus is the remains of the prey item, the spider spins the remains into a ball with her webbing and then she either buries it or she stores it for snacking on later.
I did take a picture of a bolus but my camera battery died so can't upload until my battery is charged.

[Zohar]

I just wanted to say that I have the reason why the Haitian Brown and the Brazilian red and white birdeater were not eating: it's simply because the container I had them in was too large. I rehoused them into smaller container and just like that they started eating so anyone else that is having this problem here is your solution!