How to get tarantulas huge

[Bugmeout]

Hi I'm new to the Hobby and I just bought a couple theraphosa stirmi, and I was wondering if anyone can tell me how to get your tarantulas huge. is there anyways besides power feeding and high temperatures .

 

[Enn49]

Hi and welcome.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Welcome to the group. I don't do neither with any tarantula. This method work only a short time with slings. Over feeding a T is going to lead to long periods of fasting. A tarantula is only going to grow so fast. You'll end up with long periods of it not eating while its body's growth cycle tries to catch up. Also if you happen to have a male your just shortening the time you'll have with him by speeding up his life cycle. I've raised Theraphosa stirmis since the 80s. They are fast growers anyways. They are not going to get any bigger by power feeding them. Your actually going to see them less as they sit in their burrows waiting to molt.

 

[Phil]

as per @Arachnoclown, power feeding is not the answer. Welcome to the forum @Bugmeout but best to enjoy they grow and be healthy in your care. if bug is what you want, just get an adult, but personally I love watching them grow and evolve naturally.

 

[MassExodus]

The only certain way is fish ears. If you feed them fish ears there is an enzyme in them that causes gigantism in tarantulas. It's frowned upon in the hobby but it works. I have an A avic with a 13" leg span. All because of fish ears.

 

[Rs50matt]

The only certain way is fish ears. If you feed them fish ears there is an enzyme in them that causes gigantism in tarantulas. It's frowned upon in the hobby but it works. I have an A avic with a 13" leg span. All because of fish ears.

Fish ears? I thought it was the 3rd and 5th gill on the left hand side of a koi? No wonder my Euathlus sp red still so small

 

[Arachnoclown]

The only certain way is fish ears. If you feed them fish ears there is an enzyme in them that causes gigantism in tarantulas. It's frowned upon in the hobby but it works. I have an A avic with a 13" leg span. All because of fish ears.

 

[smallbike]

Welcome! And I’m fairly new to the hobby too (December 2017 I got my first T, a rescue A. Seemanni) and I’ve learned 2 very important things: 1. Whatever it’s doing it’s probably fine, tarantulas are weird, and 2. Paaatiiieeeeennce

 

[Whitelightning777]

There is a very simple step method.

1. Set up an enclosure for a T stirmi meeting all care requirements generally used.

2. Place one (1) T stirmi into aforementioned enclosure over an extended period of time & feed it Dubai roaches.

Pretty soon it'll practically be knocking on doors.

 

[Bugmeout]

Thanks, but I heard of a guy that had massive T. Stirmis and Brazilian black and whites and my friend asked him how he got them so big and he says he feeds them strictly night crawlers. So I thought maybe there is something like that that effects growth size.

 

[Whitelightning777]

I feed mine one Earthworm per month and one after each molt as the first post molt meal. I also do the same for my Pamphobeteus sp machala and Lasiodora klugi.

Generally it's best to feed a variety of foods such as crickets, roaches, Earthworms, mealworms etc. In nature they aren't dietary specialists. Feeding them vertebrates however is never necessary.

 

[Arachnoclown]

10" + female Theraphosa stirmi raised on crickets and roaches....fed every three weeks.

 

[MassExodus]

Just nightcrawlers seems a bit extreme..especially since their nutritional value is questionable.

 

[Whitelightning777]

They are a nice treat but probably Dubai roaches have the highest nutritional value. For that first post molt meal with new untested black fangs, Earthworms are awesome.