Adult Tarantula Feeding Guide: How Much and How Often to Feed

Adult tarantulas are usually low-frequency feeders. Many healthy adults eat once or twice a week at most, and some do better on a slower schedule of every 7 to 10 days. Cornell's tarantula care guidance notes feeding once or twice weekly depending on hunger level, which fits what many exotic pet parents and veterinarians see in practice. The exact schedule depends on species, enclosure temperature, recent molt history, and your tarantula's body condition.

For most adults, live commercially raised insects are the safest routine choice. Crickets and roaches are common staples. Mealworms or superworms can be used, but they are often better as part of a varied rotation rather than the only food source. Feeder insects should be healthy and well nourished before use. In other exotic insect-eaters, VCA and Merck both emphasize gut-loading feeder insects and paying attention to mineral balance, which is a practical way to improve feeder quality for tarantulas too.

Tarantulas are ambush predators, so appetite can be irregular. A pet parent may see a strong feeding response one week and no interest the next. That does not always mean something is wrong. Refusal is especially common before a molt. During this time, the abdomen may darken, activity may drop, and the spider may spend more time in its hide or on a web mat.

If your tarantula is not eating, avoid forcing the issue. Do not leave crickets wandering in the enclosure for long periods. Cornell specifically warns that crickets can injure or kill a molting tarantula. If your spider is in premolt, remove prey right away and let your vet guide you if fasting seems prolonged or your tarantula is losing condition.

A practical rule is to offer one prey item about the size of the tarantula's abdomen, or a little smaller. For many adult species, that means 1 large cricket, 1 medium roach, or 2 smaller insects per feeding. Large females of bigger species may take more, while smaller adult males often need less and may eat poorly once mature.

Watch the abdomen more than the calendar. A well-conditioned tarantula usually has an abdomen that looks full but not stretched tight. If the abdomen becomes very large compared with the carapace, cut back. Overfeeding can raise the risk of falls and abdominal injury, especially in heavy-bodied terrestrial species. If the abdomen looks small or the spider is consistently taking prey quickly, your vet may suggest feeding a bit more often.

It is safer to underfeed slightly than to crowd the enclosure with prey. Offer food, observe, and remove leftovers. If using mealworms or similar feeders, place them in a shallow dish or supervise closely so they do not burrow into substrate. Fresh water should always be available, even though tarantulas eat infrequently.

A reasonable starting schedule for many adult tarantulas is every 7 days, then adjust to every 5 to 10 days based on appetite, species, and body condition. If your tarantula recently molted, wait until the fangs have hardened before feeding again. If you are unsure what is appropriate for your species, your vet can help you build a feeding plan.

Not every skipped meal is an emergency. Adult tarantulas often fast before molting, after shipping stress, during cooler periods, or after a large recent meal. Still, appetite changes matter when they come with other warning signs. Concerning signs include a shrinking or wrinkled abdomen, trouble walking, repeated falls, inability to right itself, foul odor, visible mites or mold in the enclosure, or wet-looking leakage from the abdomen.

Behavior around food can also give clues. If prey is ignored for several feedings and your tarantula also seems weak, stays in an odd posture, or spends time with legs curled underneath the body, contact your vet promptly. A tight leg curl is a serious sign in spiders and can be associated with severe dehydration, neurologic decline, or dying.

Premolt can look dramatic but is often normal. Your tarantula may stop eating, become less active, darken in color, or seal itself into a retreat. The key difference is overall stability. A premolt spider usually still appears well filled out and is not collapsing or leaking fluid. Never disturb a tarantula during a molt, and remove all live prey.

See your vet immediately if your tarantula has a leg curl, abdominal injury, active bleeding or fluid loss, or has not resumed normal posture after a molt. Exotic pet visits commonly run about $80-$180 for an exam, with higher cost ranges if diagnostics, hospitalization, or assisted care are needed.

If you have been feeding only crickets, consider rotating in captive-raised roaches as another staple. Many pet parents find roaches easier to contain, less noisy, and less likely to injure a spider if supervised properly. Crickets are still widely used, but they should not be left loose in the enclosure, especially during premolt.

Mealworms, superworms, hornworms, and waxworms can be used more selectively. Higher-fat feeders are better treated as occasional variety rather than the whole diet. Variety may help reduce the chance of nutritional gaps that can happen when one feeder insect is used exclusively for long periods.

Pre-killed prey can be an option for shy feeders, injured tarantulas, or pet parents who do not want live insects roaming the enclosure. Some tarantulas will scavenge freshly killed insects, while others will not. If you try this, remove uneaten prey promptly so the enclosure stays clean and dry.

The safest long-term approach is a simple one: use commercially raised feeders, match prey size to the spider, offer water at all times, and adjust frequency to body condition rather than feeding on a rigid schedule. If your tarantula has repeated feeding problems, your vet can help rule out husbandry issues, dehydration, premolt timing, or illness.