Pyro and Ice Cube - okay for a week by themselves?

[Richard Shah]

Hey People

I know tarantulas can go long periods without food
I'm going away for five days, so they'll only miss one feeding day, but I was wondering if the people at the BTS think they'll be ok?

Also, one question I've been meaning to ask for some time, regarding holidays. What would be the longest recommended time to be away from the tarantulas knowing that no one is at home to feed them?
I'm going to India for about two weeks in October, and hopefully my brother will be able to feed them, but just in case he isn't, I was wondering if they'd be okay, hence the latter question.

Thanks

Rich.

[Zoltan Mihaly Lestyan]

One week definitely won't cause any problems, even if they are slings, me thinks. If they have water dishes, make sure you will 'em up with fresh, clean water before you leave, if not then just moisten a corner of their enclosure. You don't have to worry about leaving them alone unless they are left in 90F or something.
You can safely attend to that trip to India as well, if you ask me... Food is not really an issue unless you leave for several months. Starving takes one of the last places on the imaginary "tarantula death causes" list.

[Richard Shah]

One week definitely won't cause any problems, even if they are slings, me thinks. If they have water dishes, make sure you will 'em up with fresh, clean water before you leave, if not then just moisten a corner of their enclosure. You don't have to worry about leaving them alone unless they are left in 90F or something.
You can safely attend to that trip to India as well, if you ask me... Food is not really an issue unless you leave for several months. Starving takes one of the last places in the imaginary "tarantula death causes" list.

Thank you. I don't know, I think I may feel a bit worried leaving them for two weeks without food, but if you reckon they'll be okay then I just have to trust you

Thanks a lot,

Rich.

[Peter Lacey]

I tend to build up the feeding prior to a holiday, perhaps feed 3 times instead of 2 or provide more items than normal (but don't let a moult catch you out). Provide some food before you go and you'll feel you've done your job. Leaving for a couple of weeks will stress you out far more than the Ts.
One thing worth considering is to take them away from the warmest room, this should slow them down a bit and unless October brings winter temperatures things should be fine.

[Richard Shah]

I tend to build up the feeding prior to a holiday, perhaps feed 3 times instead of 2 or provide more items than normal (but don't let a moult catch you out). Provide some food before you go and you'll feel you've done your job. Leaving for a couple of weeks will stress you out far more than the Ts.
One thing worth considering is to take them away from the warmest room, this should slow them down a bit and unless October brings winter temperatures things should be fine.

I don't think I'd need to take them away from my room, because honestly, my house becomes very cold in winter if the central heating isn't running. My room is probably the warmest though, and my PC adds to the heat.
I feed them both every three days, so maybe every two days for a week or two weeks prior to the holiday?
I'm giving both of them the fattest crickets I think they could handle tomorrow (today reli but it's really early!).

Well Peter, I'll take heed of your advice and hopefully I won't have to be stressed, but I do have a tendency to worry a lot over little things sometimes.

Any way, thanks Peter and I'll definitely use your advice.

[Peter Roach]

I wouldnt change the feeding schedule at all, just make sure they have clean water when you go and if someone can change the water once a week .... great but if not .... dont worry about it.
Go away for a few months if you like and the spiders will still be there when you come home with probably no weight loss whatsoever.

Richard, as usual you are finding problems were none exist.

EDIT.... I have just remembered that a short while ago I bought some Brachypelma albiceps slings .. very very small slings. So small that micro crickets were the same size as the slings.
Problem was that I couldnt get any micro crickets for them, so they had to wait 2 1/2 weeks before I fed them .... guess how many died ? NONE.

[Richard Shah]

I wouldnt change the feeding schedule at all, just make sure they have clean water when you go and if someone can change the water once a week .... great but if not .... dont worry about it.
Go away for a few months if you like and the spiders will still be there when you come home with probably no weight loss whatsoever.

Richard, as usual you are finding problems were none exist.

EDIT.... I have just remembered that a short while ago I bought some Brachypelma albiceps slings .. very very small slings. So small that micro crickets were the same size as the slings.
Problem was that I couldnt get any micro crickets for them, so they had to wait 2 1/2 weeks before I fed them .... guess how many died ? NONE.

Thank you very much. Much appreciated. I wouldn't leave them for a few months with no food but clearly they can go extremely long periods of time without it.

Thanks Peter,

Rich.

[Faye Sweeney]

to put your mind at ease, you could always get a professional pet sitter in to check up on them if your brother can't...

[SylviRigden]

I've left mine for a week Rich. I just topped up the water, reduced the heat abit and made sure there were no cricket remains in there to mold up. They were fine You have a B smithi and a B auratum, and this is what I would do for my smithi, emilia and 'curly hair' plus most of the others.

ps. If you are worried about the 2 week holiday have a trial run. Set them up like I have said a while before you go away. Don't touch them for 2 weeks, just keep an eye on them. Then if they are fine you can go away on holiday and not worry.

[Richard Shah]

to put your mind at ease, you could always get a professional pet sitter in to check up on them if your brother can't...

I could but then there's so many complicatons, like the alarm system. Also, I'm a kid so I have no cash, but I'm sure they'd be fine by themselves without food.
Thanks Faye.

I've left mine for a week Rich. I just topped up the water, reduced the heat abit and made sure there were no cricket remains in there to mold up. They were fine You have a B smithi and a B auratum, and this is what I would do for my smithi, emilia and 'curly hair' plus most of the others.

ps. If you are worried about the 2 week holiday have a trial run. Set them up like I have said a while before you go away. Don't touch them for 2 weeks, just keep an eye on them. Then if they are fine you can go away on holiday and not worry.

Kl okay so I'll top up the water and give themm a cricket each, but they don't have artificial heat so nothing to turn down really. Cricket remains are so difficult because the thing is, I never find them. So I've never removed anything but never had any issues. I think it's cuz therer is no moisture in the substrate.

A trial run, that sounds good! I'm sure they can because in premoult they almost always are able to go sometimes months without food.
Actually, once I recall all my crickets being dead and I didn't buy a box for another week and a half, so I think two would really be no problem.

Thanks a lot Sylvi.

[SylviRigden]

Feed them a few days before you go then you can be sure all the bits are gone

I put mine on a trial run for a week before I went away, worrying about them will spoil the holiday.

[matthew spooner]

hi rich, if you think about it alot of species naturally starve themselves for months so they can go long periods of time without food. on advice from andrew smith, i only feed mine monthly anyway, 2 weeks will be fine for leaving your Ts, just make sure they have water

[Richard Shah]

Feed them a few days before you go then you can be sure all the bits are gone

I put mine on a trial run for a week before I went away, worrying about them will spoil the holiday.

I would but hearing from you and everyone else, I don't think it's necessary; howeer I may change my mind. Thank you tough, it's a great idea.

About bits, lol, well I've only ever found remains once so I don't worry about that really.

Thank you Sylvi!

hi rich, if you think about it alot of species naturally starve themselves for months so they can go long periods of time without food. on advice from andrew smith, i only feed mine monthly anyway, 2 weeks will be fine for leaving your Ts, just make sure they have water

Hi Matt, perhaps you're right, but I don't think they so much as "starve" themselves, I think they are just capable of going extremely long periods without food, or like in premoult.

I don't know if I could feed mine monthly; I don't feel too comfortable going over a week unless I'm in a position where that can't be avoided! And I know Andrew Smith is an expert too, but even experts can be wrong!
I was thinking feeding motnhly would be a huge waste of crickets, but you do have a big collection I'm guessing!

Thanks Matt.

[matthew spooner]

Hi Matt, perhaps you're right, but I don't think they so much as "starve" themselves, I think they are just capable of going extremely long periods without food, or like in premoult.

I don't know if I could feed mine monthly; I don't feel too comfortable going over a week unless I'm in a position where that can't be avoided! And I know Andrew Smith is an expert too, but even experts can be wrong!
I was thinking feeding motnhly would be a huge waste of crickets, but you do have a big collection I'm guessing!

Thanks Matt.

i just buy a punnet of locusts or crickets once a month, i will feed them until that punnet runs out then i will leve them until the next month when i buy more again. you can judge it by the size of your T. ideally the abdomen should be slightly larger then the carapace. if its smaller then the T could prob benefit from an extra feed, if it is larger then a diet may be in order, i had to put a couple of mine on a diet a few months back, unfortunately the gals at weight watchers wernt too happy when i turned up with 2 Ts lol
everyone you speak to will have there own views and practices on feeding, you just have to find one your happy with and stick to it. well enjoy your 2 weeks away rich

[Richard Shah]

i just buy a punnet of locusts or crickets once a month, i will feed them until that punnet runs out then i will leve them until the next month when i buy more again. you can judge it by the size of your T. ideally the abdomen should be slightly larger then the carapace. if its smaller then the T could prob benefit from an extra feed, if it is larger then a diet may be in order, i had to put a couple of mine on a diet a few months back, unfortunately the gals at weight watchers wernt too happy when i turned up with 2 Ts lol
everyone you speak to will have there own views and practices on feeding, you just have to find one your happy with and stick to it. well enjoy your 2 weeks away rich

Lol, thanks man.
Yeah I'm good feeding them every three days, It just seems wasteful that more of my crickets die naturally than being fed to the tarantulas, and I actually feel sorry that they had to live their life like constantly contained.
If I could, I'd buy them separately rather than a whole lot which aren't completely going to be used but still have to face the prospects of being contained to a box.

Any way, are you still going to move to that Island off Spain? Anything decent there?

Cheers Matt.