What is proper feeding time/schedule for a tarantula?

Question

I have had a Chilean Rose for 6 years, and have fed her at random for six years. About every 2 or 3 days I would take a cricket and feed her. She usually eats, and has gone several weeks without eating. She has molted a few times, without a specific pattern to the time between molts etc. About 1 year ago she slowed down her eating, hardcore. I responded by feeding her less often since, she would practically let crickets die in her habitat, before even trying to give them the time of day. My question stems from the concern that my spider may not be getting a steady feeding schedule, or regimen of food. I would like to get some info on, other people's feeding schedules, if any.

Answer 1

For an adult tarantula, one or two crickets per week is sufficient. For younger ones, that are still growing and moulting often, twice a week is better, with appropriate-sized feeder insects. I have about 50 tarantulas of several species, and I feed most of mine once per week, though during the cooler months, when many species would normally be inactive in the wild, I drop their feeding back to once every two weeks. Tarantulas have a slow metabolism, being "cold-blooded", so they do not need the food requirements of a mammal to maintain their body temperature.

Rosehaired tarantulas(Grammostola rosea)are NOTORIOUS for long periods of fasting, and I have personally had some go nearly a full YEAR without eating, voluntarily, and yet they did not lose weight! This is something that is apparently quite normal for this species, as well as certain others. All tarantulas will fast for a period of time prior to moulting, in what's called a "pre-moult". If I have a spider which refuses food, I don't leave the crickets in the cage, but remove them after a couple of hours. If the spider is going to eat, it will have eaten them by that time. If the spider should begin to moult, the crickets can actually attack and injure the spider while it is still soft and vulnerable, and at the least, the crickets can annoy it, causing it to flick hairs. There's no point in leaving them in there when it becomes obvious that the spider isn't hungry. With Grammostola roseas, you really cannot stick to a strict feeding schedule, but have to take things on a day-to-day basis; if the spider is going to eat, it will eat, if it does not want to eat, it won't.

Answer 2

As long as there is certainty there is no chance of these rodents being contaminated with pesticides or parasites, there is no problem with this. Personally, I wouldn't simply for the risk to your pet. Pinky mice in pet stores are free from these worries. Rodents shouldn't be a main staple for your pet anyway, a varied diet of arthropods, and maybe a small reptile or rodent now and then. This would not solve your mouse problem anyway. I would bait the mice, and just feed the tarantula store or captive raised food.

Answer 3

feed it 2 times a day if it's a small meal. 3 times a week if it's a big meal

Answer 4

try feeding it alot at 1 time than wait about a month to 6 weeks than feed it again. spiders dont eat much & they eat in long spans apart.

Answer 5

i think its a night or midnight time when tarantula feed.

Answer 6

Tarantulas can be fed a variety of living animals (insects, small mice or Pinky Mice, small fish in the water bowl, and reptiles are some of the foods tarantulas eat).
Tarantulas should NOT be fed vertebrates on a regular basis as the calcium in the bones will cause complications during molting and may kill the tarantula.
A tropical roach colony is a good way to maintain a food supply for a number of tarantulas. The discoid cockroach and death's head cockroach in particular are very easy to care for and will not infest your home if they escape. The death's head cockroaches can be kept in an aquarium with no lid since they cannot climb glass and don't fly. Maintaining a colony of death's head cockroaches only requires keeping them in the dark, feeding them a handful of dog food every couple of weeks and misting them with water every day or two. Hybrid death's head cockroaches are just as good and half the price.

Answer 7

Most tarantulas are nocturnal (night time) so best to feed then and night as this simulats their natural habits and also try and simulate it having to hunt for its food.

Answer 8

feeding Thrice on day
and do not fill Stomach

Answer 9

Honestly, I think you're okay. I had one that died last spring (and not from starvation) and the whole time Harry (creative I know) was alive I fed him between 1-3 a week. That's all he ever ate, and I think just letting the crickets do their thing in his/her cage for a few days is fine, just put some food in there so they won't die. Potatoes and Apples are best, they are food and water. But the eating of just a few each week is fine and perfectly normal. Oh, and be sure though not to put any in while he/she is molting or for a week afterwards, their exoskelton is too soft and the crickets could get the better of him/her. Good luck!

Answer 10

Your tarantula may just be aging. Humans eat less as they age, and as such spiders probably do too. Remember, she may be older than 6, too, as it isn't likely you bought her from the first day she hatched.

On a side note, why are so many people anti-spiders? Spiders are beautiful animals.

Answer 11

I wouldn't know the answer for that cause I never really liked the spider family. You might want to try looking in a store that sells some of them. You never know if they have any info books for them.