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Could i be overfeeding my T?

Azi

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Hello everyone,

Recently here in the UK, the weather has become significantly more hotter, because of this, i have noticed both my T (acanthoscurria geniculata) and their mealworms are now significantly more "active" shall we say, as she continuously waits in their little feeding corner for another meal worm right after finishing the first. She is around 10cm long so one mealworm might not be enough but she continiously feels the need to eat, to the point where i now feed them 3 to 4 mealworms a day, I do however at the same time want them to grow big, quick, but am i perhaps feeding them a little too much? if so are there any negative affects for this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.
 

Enn49

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A. genics are always ready to eat but they shouldn't be fed every day. my girl is around the same size as yours and I feed her 4-5 large crickets every 10 days or so.
 

Arachnoclown

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The only negative you may have is a super long premolt. I noticed in some species if you fed them fast it takes a while for them to molt...a long fasting period.
 

Tortoise Tom

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A. genics are always ready to eat but they shouldn't be fed every day. my girl is around the same size as yours and I feed her 4-5 large crickets every 10 days or so.

I've noticed in my recent reading that many people seem to prefer to feed them large meals less frequently. I've always preferred to feed them smaller meals more frequently. I do it that way with snakes, lizards and any other carnivore. I do it that way for two main reasons: 1. It seems a little better for them to have to digest a smaller meal more frequently rather than a huge gorging, followed by a long fasting period. 2. I enjoy feeding them and watching them eat, and smaller meals allow me to have more fun more often.

Am I making a mistake doing it this way? Do tarantulas need larger meals with longer time frames in-between feedings? I've never fed my tarantulas more than one of anything at a time. If I offer a B. lat to one of my smaller tarantulas and they don't eat it for some reason, I will frequently drop it in with my big G. pulchra. She seems to like them, but I'll bet she could eat 30 of them at a time. I feed her a single adult male dubia once or twice a week, with the occasional adult lateralis male for fun. Is this okay?

I quoted Enn, because she listed a specific amount and time frame, but please, anyone feel free to answer and share your thoughts on this matter. I think it directly relates to the OPs question.

@Azi , what you call "hotter" is jacket and pants weather for me! :) My reptile room is always between 26-33 C, so I think my tarantulas are always in the state of hunger you are asking about. Thanks for asking this question and starting this conversation.
 

Arachnoclown

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Slings get fed 2 times a week one pinhead roach or cricket.
Juveniles get fed once a week 2-3 medium size roaches or crickets.
Adults gets fed every 2 weeks 5-6 large roaches or crickets.
Theraphosa stirmi's 2-3 weeks 12 roaches or crickets or 2-3 hissers.
This is just how I feed mine. They are built with a slow metabolism so there is no need to feed them constantly. Slings I feed the most till they reach about 1" then they get the juvenile menu. Naturally your Ts can go well over a year without food....of course water is a must. Humans try to feed there Ts like dogs and cats and this tends to create problems. Long fasting periods, and Ive even read early death in some cases (males I believe). Weather this is true or not I've never had a T starve in 36 years feeding this way. If boredom is a problem I would suggest more tarantulas so you'll have a tarantula everyday to feed. Ive got over 300 so I've always got something to feed so I don't experience this problem.:D:T::T::T::T::T::T::T:
 

MassExodus

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I keep mine at room temp, sometimes 70 degrees for days at a time. I feed slings every two weeks, juvies vary with appetite, and adults one big meal a month. My spiders grow a bit slower than most, I think, and I prefer it that way. I used to feed according to appettite, and lost a gorgeous P antinous juvie female in a molt. It may or may not have been due to overfeeding, but I tend to be cautious now. If one of mine is bulbous from eating, I wont feed it. None of them are slender.. Damned American spiders and their fast food..
 

Azi

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Abdomen size plays a role too like @MassExodus was hinting to. If a spider of any size looks like Kim Kardashian I won't feed it...it get water only. :p

Its completely different for me, I tend to feel more secure when my T has a nice large round tush, otherwise i would get paranoid fearing that she's starving, though i do acknowledge the bigger the tush the higher the chance of a rupture if she where to ever fall. I just feel like they're more healthier with a bigger tush than without.
 

Enn49

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Its completely different for me, I tend to feel more secure when my T has a nice large round tush, otherwise i would get paranoid fearing that she's starving, though i do acknowledge the bigger the tush the higher the chance of a rupture if she where to ever fall. I just feel like they're more healthier with a bigger tush than without.

A butt that is too big can cause problems internally and with moulting so I'd rather see a nicely rounded butt.
 
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