How to Feed a Tarantula: A Comprehensive Guide

Caring for a tarantula involves understanding their unique dietary needs and feeding habits. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to feed a tarantula, from choosing the right food to establishing a feeding schedule and recognizing signs of a healthy appetite. Whether you're a new tarantula owner or looking to refine your care routine, this article will provide the essential information to ensure your eight-legged friend thrives.

Understanding Tarantula Diet: What Do They Eat?

Tarantulas are carnivorous arachnids, meaning their diet consists solely of other animals. In their natural habitat, this includes insects, smaller invertebrates, and occasionally even tiny vertebrates like frogs or lizards. As pets, their diet primarily consists of appropriately sized insects. The key is to provide live prey that mimics their natural hunting experience.

Common Food Sources for Pet Tarantulas

• Crickets: These are a staple food source for many tarantula keepers. They are readily available, relatively inexpensive, and come in various sizes to match your tarantula's needs. Ensure the crickets are gut-loaded (fed nutritious food themselves) before offering them to your tarantula.
• Roaches (e.g., Dubia roaches, Madagascar hissing cockroaches): Roaches are another excellent option. They are nutritious, less likely to escape enclosures, and generally quieter than crickets. Dubia roaches are particularly popular due to their ease of breeding and high nutritional value.
• Mealworms and Superworms: While often considered a treat or a supplement rather than a primary food source, mealworms and superworms can be offered occasionally. They are a good source of protein but can be more challenging for tarantulas to catch and consume if they are too large or too active.
• Waxworms and Silkworms: These are considered "junk food" for tarantulas due to their high fat content. They are best offered sparingly as a treat, especially to encourage picky eaters or to help a tarantula gain weight.

Choosing the Right Prey Size

One of the most crucial aspects of how to feed a tarantula is selecting prey of the appropriate size. A general rule of thumb is that the prey item should be no larger than the width of the tarantula's abdomen.

Why Prey Size Matters

• Safety: Offering prey that is too large can be dangerous for your tarantula. A struggling insect can injure or even kill a tarantula, especially during molting.
• Digestibility: Smaller prey items are easier for tarantulas to handle and digest.
• Hunting Success: An appropriately sized prey item is more likely to be successfully hunted and consumed.

Prey Size Guidelines

• Spiderlings (newborns to a few molts): Pinhead crickets, fruit flies, or very small mealworms.
• Juveniles: Small to medium crickets, small roaches.
• Adults: Medium to large crickets, adult roaches.

Always observe your tarantula and adjust prey size accordingly. If your tarantula hesitates to strike, the prey might be too large. If it consistently ignores prey, it might be too small or not enticing enough.

How Often to Feed Your Tarantula

The feeding frequency for a tarantula depends on several factors, including its age, species, and recent molting status.

Feeding Schedule by Age

• Spiderlings: Younger tarantulas have faster metabolisms and require more frequent feedings. They can be fed every 2-3 days.
• Juveniles: As they grow, their feeding needs will decrease. Juveniles can be fed every 4-7 days.
• Adults: Adult tarantulas have much slower metabolisms and can go for extended periods without food, sometimes weeks or even months, especially before a molt. Feeding adults once every 7-14 days is usually sufficient.

Factors Influencing Feeding Frequency

• Species: Some tarantula species are more voracious eaters than others. Research the specific needs of your tarantula's species.
• Molting: Tarantulas do not eat during their molting process or for a period afterward. It's crucial to remove any uneaten prey before a molt and wait until their fangs have hardened before offering food again.
• Temperature and Humidity: Environmental conditions can affect a tarantula's appetite. Ensure your enclosure is maintained at the appropriate temperature and humidity levels for your specific species.
• Size of Last Meal: If your tarantula has recently consumed a large meal, it will likely not eat again for some time.

The Feeding Process: Step-by-Step

Now that you understand what to feed and how often, let's dive into the practical steps of how to feed a tarantula.

1. Prepare the Prey: Ensure your feeder insects are healthy and have been "gut-loaded" for at least 24 hours prior to being offered. This means feeding the insects nutritious food like vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes) and specialized insect food. This transfers the nutrients to your tarantula.
2. Introduce the Prey: Gently introduce one or two appropriately sized feeder insects into the tarantula's enclosure. You can do this using long tweezers or by carefully dropping them near the tarantula's burrow entrance.
3. Observe: Watch from a safe distance. Most tarantulas are ambush predators and will patiently wait for their prey. Some may exhibit a more active hunting style.
4. Removal of Uneaten Prey: If your tarantula doesn't eat the prey within 24 hours, it's best to remove it. Live prey can stress or injure a tarantula, especially if it's not hungry or is preparing to molt. Stale prey can also introduce mold or bacteria into the enclosure.
5. Water: Always ensure your tarantula has access to fresh, clean water. A shallow water dish is essential. For spiderlings, a damp sponge or a small bottle cap filled with water can be used.

Signs Your Tarantula is Hungry or Refusing Food

Recognizing your tarantula's behavior is key to successful feeding.

Signs of Hunger

• Increased Activity: Your tarantula may become more active, moving around its enclosure more than usual, often near the entrance of its burrow.
• Webbing: Some tarantulas will increase their webbing activity when they are hungry and anticipating a meal.
• Stalking Behavior: If you introduce prey, a hungry tarantula will likely show interest and may adopt a hunting posture.

Signs of Refusal or Fullness

• Ignoring Prey: The most obvious sign is that the tarantula shows no interest in the offered prey, even if it's placed directly in front of it.
• Hiding: If your tarantula retreats into its burrow or hides when prey is introduced, it might not be hungry.
• Regurgitation: In rare cases, if a tarantula is overfed or stressed, it might regurgitate its last meal.
• Pre-molt Behavior: If your tarantula has a dark patch on its abdomen and stops eating for an extended period, it's likely preparing to molt. Do not offer food during this time.

Special Considerations for Feeding

Tarantulas That Aren't Eating

It's not uncommon for tarantulas to refuse food periodically. This can be due to:

• Approaching Molt: This is the most frequent reason for a tarantula to stop eating.
• Environmental Stress: Changes in temperature, humidity, or disturbances in the enclosure can cause a tarantula to become stressed and refuse food.
• Illness: While less common, a persistent lack of appetite could indicate an underlying health issue. If your tarantula hasn't eaten for an unusually long time (beyond the normal pre-molt fast) and shows other concerning symptoms, consult an experienced keeper or a veterinarian specializing in exotic pets.
• New Environment: Tarantulas may take some time to settle into a new enclosure and may refuse food during this adjustment period.

Overfeeding

While tarantulas can go long periods without food, overfeeding can also be detrimental. It can lead to obesity, digestive issues, and an increased risk of regurgitation. Stick to the recommended feeding schedule and prey sizes.

Live vs. Pre-killed Prey

Most keepers opt for live prey because it mimics natural hunting behavior and stimulates the tarantula's predatory instincts. However, some keepers choose to offer pre-killed prey (e.g., a cricket that has been humanely dispatched and then offered). This can reduce the risk of the prey item injuring the tarantula. If using pre-killed prey, ensure it's fresh and offered promptly.

Supplementation

For most pet tarantulas, a balanced diet of gut-loaded insects is sufficient. There is generally no need for additional vitamin or mineral supplements unless recommended by an experienced keeper or veterinarian for a specific health concern.

Troubleshooting Common Feeding Issues

• Tarantula ignores prey: Ensure the prey is the correct size and the tarantula is not in pre-molt. Check environmental conditions.
• Prey is too fast/escapes: Consider using slower-moving prey like roaches or securing the enclosure lid properly.
• Tarantula appears lethargic and won't eat: This could be a sign of pre-molt. If it persists and is not pre-molt, investigate environmental factors or seek advice.
• Tarantula seems underweight: Ensure you are feeding a sufficient quantity of nutritious prey and that the prey is gut-loaded. Consider offering fattier treats like waxworms sparingly.

In summary: The Art of Feeding Your Tarantula

Mastering how to feed a tarantula is a rewarding aspect of tarantula husbandry. By understanding their dietary needs, selecting appropriate prey, and observing their behavior, you can ensure your tarantula remains healthy, happy, and well-fed. Remember that patience and observation are your greatest tools. Each tarantula is an individual, and their feeding habits may vary. With the knowledge gained from this guide, you are well-equipped to provide excellent nutritional care for your fascinating eight-legged companion.