# How long can Tarantula go without food(within reason not to the extreme)



## joeyboy

Right ok i'm asking because i want to know if it's safe for me to go on holiday for 9 days(well sat to sat but i wouldn't have any good for it till monday) and so my T not getting food for 9-10 days.

If it makes any difference it's a GBB, i usually give it a large locust(sub-adult i guess, little wings not full ones) every 4-5 days.


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## moonlight

It should be fine feed it the day before you go then as soon as you can when you get back


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## Lucifus

Spiders have been known to starve for months after their owner dies and nobody knows they are there. Heard a story of 3 tarantulas being kept in a garage and the owner died and they were found 8 months later still alive despite freezing cold weather and snow with no water.

Even slings can go 9-10 days without food. Adult spiders have been known to go a year and a half.


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## zoe6660

i left mine for over a week without food when i went away and they was sprayed when needed by my mam,


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## Kismet

I know of someone with a G.rosea that hasnt eaten for 3 years


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## Stu II

My G. rosea once went 18 months without eating. She's still with us and in good health.


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## Crownan

I have a chile rose that went for 20 or so months wthout eating, to no detriment of the spider


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## Becky

My lot sometimes go 2-3 weeks without food and are fine


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## Poxicator

9 days is no problem, but if you're worried try to feed it more than usual before you go away so as to build up its resources. The most important thing is to supply a water dish.


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## joeyboy

^^

thing is it never drinks from the dish, i always glance over at it and as far as i am aware it hasn't even walked over to were the dish is, just spends most of it's time in it's webby barricade.


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## joeyboy

ok lol sounds like spinny should be ok then.


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## Poxicator

GBBs are not known for drinking from water bowls - they come from areas where the little rain they get runs off the land and is dried by the scorching sun. However, whilst many species can survive without food for extended periods, few can survive without water!


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## arm2010

If your really worried you could throw some maggotts in their enclosure , if they don't eat them they can get the bluebottles when they hatch out.


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## Lucifus

arm2010 said:


> If your really worried you could throw some maggotts in their enclosure , if they don't eat them they can get the bluebottles when they hatch out.


Bad idea unless you breed them yourself and you know they will be parasite free.


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## Poxicator

Lucifus said:


> Bad idea unless you breed them yourself and you know they will be parasite free.


Bad idea? where do you get that from? I know some esteemed breeders (and taxonomists) that solely feed their slings on maggots. 
Its quite a good idea tbh, get some squat maggots from the local tackle shop, just make sure they're not the coloured varieties.


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## Stu II

Poxicator said:


> Bad idea? where do you get that from? I know some esteemed breeders (and taxonomists) that solely feed their slings on maggots.
> Its quite a good idea tbh, get some squat maggots from the local tackle shop, just make sure they're not the coloured varieties.


I fed a group of 80 slings for around 6 months on nothing but coloured maggots with no ill effects.


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## Paulie B

Enjoy your 9 day break. Dont worry, your GBB wont even miss you gone.


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