Size of crickets for feeding??

[Mandy Green]

Hi
i
I have a Brachypelma Smith male - approx 3inches in size - male.
I have had him for about 5 months now and usually feed him small/medium crickets.

My husband went to do the cricket run and went back to the place we got him from and came back with large crickets - about 1-2 inches in length. He was advised to give this to him as he would love them as they did remember him.

Well about 2 weeks has passed and I have tried several times but he does not seem interested. In fact they all snuggle up next to his heat pad with him!! I take the crickets out after max 2 days.

Does anyone have any advice? Are they too big or may he possibly just not be hungry. He has not molted on me yet.

Many thanks for any advice you can give.
Take care!

[Simon Batten]

could be a number of reasons tarantulas are strange things.

But 2inches does seem like it may be a little big, to be honest its a bit hard for me to tell im hopeless without actually looking.

My advice would be try and pick the smallest crickets out of the tub or try him with some smaller ones if you can get them and see what his reaction is if hes still not interested then dont worry he could be coming up to a shed or he could just be not eating, my G.Rosea hasnt eaten for 6months.

Leave him say a week then if he hasnt shed or started preparing to shed try again leave it in for 24 hour if he hasnt eaten take it out and try again in another 5 days, he will eat when hungry.

[Howard Farley (Huk7)]

Hi Mandy,

Firstly you say that the smithi is a male, how do you know this for sure, as at 3" legspan, if it were a male, it certainley would not be mature. Especially as it hasn't moulted with you, so now exuvium to use.

Also, it is surprising the size of prey they can handle, but beware of the large crickets as they could pose a real danger to a spider not much bigger than it.

I would definitely leave it at least a week before trying again and keep an eye out for signs of an imminent moult (no moult on 5 months and a 3" legspan, I think one os well due), or indeed the spider may just be full, what is it's abdomen size/shape like?

Howard

[Mandy Green]

Thank you for your replies.
I got him from a shop who told me he was male and was about 9 months old I think at that time ( it could have been longer). they also had not had a molt with him and they had him for 1 month.

He looks in good shape I would say. he does not look skinny. Though I must admit I am no expert on this so hard to say but he does look healthy so maybe like you say he is just not hungry and full up.

I have tried him with a smaller cricket today so will see how that goes ( though at the moment the cricket has actually snuggled himself under his body!!)

Many Thanks for all your advice. Will see how it goes. As I am on here - is there any sure signs that he would be coming up for a molt. He is not moving around very much lately but not hiding away either.
Thanks!

[Nicola Dolby]

Brachypelma

If he is off food then he could be ready to moult, or just not hungry. As for feeding it sounds like you have already found the answer. Give him smaller crickets!

[Howard Farley (Huk7)]

Hi Mandy,

As Nicola said, going off it's food is possible sign.

If it has a bald patch on it's abdo, then this will turn a very dark grey/black which indicates an imminent moult. If there is no bald patch, you may see the abdo darkening, but it is a lot more difficult to tell.

It may also hide away a bit more and start to lay down more webbing than usual.

I have deliberately avoided using 'he' as I don't believe the shop knew what they were talking about to be honest.

As I said before, 3" legspan is nowhere near adult size for a male smithi and if they haven't had a moult, they cannot 100% sex it. Also, male smithi's only generally last about 12months or so, once mature and if yours was, it would be looking decidedly ropey by now!!.

I think you could safely say that it is an unsexed juvinile for now, until you can get a definite sexing from an exuvium. You never know, you may have struck lucky and got a female, who now has 20 years ahead of her!!! But as with all cases, at the moment, there's a 50% chance of either!

If you can, try and post a pic on here.

If it doesn't eat the smaller cricket, then take it out today and leave it for 1-2 weeks at least, as any crickets will stress the spider, especially if it is in it's pre-moult stage.

Howard

[Mandy Green]

Hi Guys

Thanks again for the advice. I have removed the cricket now and will leave him ( or her!) to see what happens. I have hopefully attached a picture of 'him' which you can see. I hope my measurements are not to far out.
I cannot see any bald patch as yet and I am unsure if there is any darkening to be honest.

If anyone can get more info from the picture please let me know.

By the way I do not handle him - I held him just before I got him but not since as do not want to stress him out.

Many thanks!

[Simon Batten]

they are very slow growers

[CJ_GRISDALE]

I think howard was right on the sexing issue you could have either, id sway more towards female though to be honest.

[lee smith]

i tend to use the size of the T's body as a sizeing guide for feeding, 1/2 the length of the carapice and abdomen.

[Nicola Dolby]

Brachypelmas

Just as a little aside from this, can I please ask if Brachypelma baumgartenis and auratums get bald spots before moulting as well? I've just bought one of each and I know little about Brachys, I'm more used to (if 'used to' are the correct words) keeping Poecilotherias and African arborials really. Many thanks

[Warren Beattie]

Just as a little aside from this, can I please ask if Brachypelma baumgartenis and auratums get bald spots before moulting as well?

Only if they flick a lot. A bald patch hasn't much to do with an upcoming moult, but it makes it easier to see the black spot appear on the abdomen.

[Mandy Green]

Mystery solved!! Thanks for all your advice!. Got some smaller crickets and he pounced on them!! He was producing a bit of webbing for the first time since I got him and hoped he was moulting but alas none of that yet - but at least he is eating!!

[sarah Smith]

On a side note to all this there is no way that your smithi is only 9 months old at 3 inches big these are very slow growers and take years to get to that size. My current two are approx 1.5 -2 inches long and are already around the 2 to 3 year mark. At this size your little one is at it wont be mature as Howard has said and without a moult and expert knowladge on how to sex there is no way the shop could tell its sex, at 3 inch it is also possible you would still need a magnifing glass or even a microscope to sex a skin fully and confidently as well. Not something I would expect the normal pet shop to have and or use.