Tarantulas are strict carnivores that rely primarily on live insects, including crickets, roaches, and mealworms, to meet their nutritional needs. Unlike mammals, they don't eat plants or drink standing water from bowls; instead, they extract moisture from their prey and external water sources.
Understanding what these spiders eat and how they process their food keeps them healthy in captivity. While common care guides list basic menu options, successful feeding requires knowing portion sizes, prey safety, and how to spot natural feeding strikes during molting cycles.
Core Nutritional Requirements in Captivity
In the wild, tarantulas consume whatever small animals they can overpower. Their diet centers on invertebrates, though large species occasionally take small vertebrates.
- Insects: Crickets, dubia roaches, and locusts form the staple diet for most pet tarantulas.
- Worms: Mealworms, superworms, and hornworms provide variety and high fat content.
- Vertebrates: Pinkie mice or small lizards suit very large species like the Theraphosa blondi (Goliath birdeater), though they aren't strictly necessary.
Captive spiders thrive on variety rather than a single feeder type. Alternating between crickets and roaches ensures they receive a balanced mix of protein, chitin, and trace minerals. Additional analysis by Bloomberg delves into comparable views on this issue.
How Tarantulas Hunt and Digest Food
Tarantulas lack teeth and cannot chew solid food. Their hunting and digestion process relies on external digestion.
- The Strike: The spider ambushes prey, subduing it with venom injected through its hollow fangs.
- Envenomation & Immobilization: Neurotoxins paralyze the prey while digestive enzymes begin breaking down internal tissues.
- Enzyme Breakdown: The spider pumps digestive juices into the prey, turning its insides into a consumable liquid.
- Ingestion: Using its chelicerae and mouthparts, the tarantula filters out hard shells and sucks up the nutrient-rich fluid.
This unique feeding style leaves behind a small, dry ball of undigested exoskeleton known as a bolus, which owners can easily remove from the enclosure.
Feeding Schedule by Life Stage
Age dictates how often a tarantula needs to eat. Juveniles grow rapidly and require frequent meals, while adult spiders eat far less often.
- Spiderlings: Feed tiny pinhead crickets or fruit fly larvae every 2 to 3 days to support rapid growth.
- Juveniles: Feed appropriately sized crickets or small roaches once or twice a week.
- Adults: Feed one large prey item every 7 to 14 days. Overfeeding adult tarantulas shortens their lifespan and increases the risk of injury from falls.
Common Feeding Mistakes to Avoid
New keepers often make errors that threaten their pet's health. Avoiding these pitfalls prevents injury and stress.
- Leaving uneaten live prey: Crickets and roaches bite defenseless tarantulas, especially during molting when their exoskeletons are soft. Always remove uneaten insects within 24 hours.
- Overfeeding: A plump abdomen increases the risk of rupture if the spider falls from the enclosure lid. A healthy adult abdomen should look slightly wider than the carapace.
- Wild-caught insects: Bugs gathered from gardens or streets often carry lethal pesticides, parasites, or heavy metal contamination. Only feed captive-bred insects from reputable pet suppliers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do tarantulas need water dishes?
Most tarantulas drink water from shallow, clean dishes. While they get some moisture from their food, providing a small, shallow water dish prevents dehydration, especially in species requiring high humidity.
Why is my tarantula refusing to eat?
Loss of appetite is the primary indicator of an impending molt. Tarantulas often fast for weeks or even months before shedding their exoskeletons. Check for a shiny, dark abdomen or lethargy as other signs of molting.
Can tarantulas eat fruit or vegetables?
No. Tarantulas are obligate carnivores. Their digestive tracts cannot process plant matter, sugars, or vegetation.
How do I know if my tarantula is overweight?
An overweight tarantula has a massive, globe-like abdomen that appears stretched and shiny, making it disproportionately heavy compared to its legs. Scale back feeding frequency immediately if you notice this condition.
