What Do Tarantulas Eat? 12 Foods For Their Diet!

The tarantula is a powerful and intelligent creature that can conquer any environment. In addition, their clever tactics make them quite formidable apex predators! Tarantulas are giant, meat-eating spiders. Some tarantulas can grow to be over two feet in length! They have eight legs, two fangs, and are covered in hair. The hair on their abdomen is often used to sense the environment around them. So, what do tarantulas eat?

Tarantulas are found in tropical and subtropical regions all over the world. They prefer warm, humid environments where they can build their webs and hunt for prey. Tarantulas are nocturnal hunters, and they will often lie in wait for their game to come to them.

The tarantula is also known to be one of the longest-lived spiders globally, with some species living up to 30 years or more. This, combined with their impressive size (some can grow to be over 10 inches in length!), makes them a truly unique creature. Tarantulas typically eat insects and other small animals. However, some more giant tarantulas have been known to eat reptiles, birds, and even small mammals.

What Do Tarantulas Eat?

The tarantula is an agile spider that can take on any opponent, even those many times bigger than itself. It does so with power and wit in equal measures- this relative lack of size being one of its most impressive traits!

Tarantulas are found worldwide, usually in warm and humid environments that are optimal for building their webs and hunting prey. They are nocturnal hunters, preferring to lie in wait for their prey rather than actively pursuing it.

A tarantula’s diet is not just bugged; they also eat meat and small animals. The bigger the animal, the smaller it must be for them to feel full, so common house geckos make great snacks while horned lizards can satisfy your most add-on appetite. Here’s a list of the most common foods tarantulas consume:

1.Grasshoppers: 

Tarantulas love eating grasshoppers. It’s one of their favorite foods, and they get a boost in energy from this nutritious insect. Also, grasshoppers are relatively easy for tarantulas to catch since they don’t fly away when they see a spider approach.

2.Crickets:

Another favorite food for tarantulas is crickets. Like grasshoppers, crickets are full of protein and energy that tarantulas need to survive. And, just like grasshoppers, crickets are not very good at escaping spider attacks.

3.Mice: 

Some more giant tarantulas have been known to eat small mammals like mice and even baby rabbits. While this may be rare in the wild, keepers who raise tarantulas as pets sometimes feed live rodents. Tarantulas love the flavor of mice, and they can also benefit from the high protein and fat content in this type of prey.

4.Ants: 

Tarantulas are not picky eaters, so they will often consume any insect. Ants are full of protein, fats, and minerals that tarantulas need, making them a good food source. Be careful not to put your hand too close to a tarantula’s mouth when it’s eating ants, as they can bite!

5.Smaller Spiders:

Tarantulas will sometimes eat smaller spiders, including other tarantulas. While this may seem like a strange food choice for a predator, it makes sense for tarantulas to consume their fellow arachnids. Since they are so closely related, tarantulas can easily digest smaller spiders and extract nutrients from them that would be difficult to get from other types of prey. So, while tarantulas may seem like fierce predators, they will sometimes eat each other!

6.Caterpillars: 

Tarantulas are also known to eat caterpillars, which can be a good source of protein and other nutrients. However, many tarantulas avoid eating caterpillars with toxins or nasty secretions. These poisons can make the tarantula sick if ingested and ultimately reduce their overall health and lifespan.

7.Mealworms:

Mealworms make a good food choice for tarantulas since they are high in protein and fat. They are also relatively easy to find and catch, making them a convenient prey item for spiders living in areas where other food sources are scarce.

8.Roaches: 

Roaches are another common food choice for tarantulas, as they are high in fats and protein. When hunting for roaches, tarantulas will sometimes use their webs to catch them or pounce on them with their powerful legs. Roaches caught in a spider’s web can be deadly since the spider will often wrap them up in silk and then consume them alive.

9.Toads:

In addition to eating insects and other small animals, these more oversized prey items provide a good source of nutrients for the tarantula. They can be difficult to catch due to their long legs and powerful jumps. However, a toad is not likely to escape once caught in a tarantula’s web.

10.Lizards:

Many tarantulas will also hunt and eat lizards, another common source of prey in their native habitats. More giant tarantulas may even be able to take down small snakes, depending on the size and species of both animals. However, it is essential to remember that not all tarantulas will consume these types of prey, as some prefer to stick with smaller insects and other invertebrates.

11.Bats:

While it is not common, some tarantulas have been known to eat bats. These nocturnal creatures are often active simultaneously as tarantulas, which makes them a potential prey item. Bats can be a good source of nutrients for tarantulas, but they are also difficult to catch due to their ability to fly and maneuver quickly. However, if a tarantula successfully captures a bat, it will often wrap it up in its web and slowly consume it over several days.

12.Small Snake:

In addition to lizards and other small animals, some tarantulas will also hunt and eat small snakes. While these more oversized prey items provide a good source of nutrients for the tarantula, they can be difficult to catch due to their ability to slither quickly and evade capture. However, if a tarantula successfully captures a snake, it will often wrap it up in its web and consume it over several days.

Overall, tarantulas are voracious predators that eat a wide range of animals to sustain themselves. Whether hunting for insects, small reptiles, or even other spiders, these fascinating arachnids have developed many different hunting strategies to capture and consume their prey.

How Do Tarantulas Hunt for Food??

Tarantulas are efficient and effective predators, using various hunting strategies to catch their prey. These strategies may include searching for food by scent or sight, pouncing on unsuspecting insects from above, luring susceptible animals into their webs, or even ambushing slow-moving prey like toads and lizards. To eat their prey, tarantulas will use their chelicerae (jaws) to pierce the animal’s exoskeleton and then release digestive enzymes to liquefy the internal organs. The tarantula will then suck up the resulting mixture, leaving only an empty shell.

What Do Tarantulas Eat in Captivity?

Tarantulas are typically fed insects like crickets, mealworms, and roaches in captivity. Some larger species may also be given small mice or other small prey items as a source of protein. Tarantulas in captivity will often eat their prey alive, but some may prefer to first immobilize their prey by wrapping it up in silk before consuming it.

Wrapping Up

Tarantulas are voracious predators with a wide range of hunting strategies that allow them to capture and consume a variety of prey. While they are typically found in the wild, tarantulas can also be kept as pets, where they will normally eat insects like crickets and mealworms. These fascinating creatures will continue to fascinate and intrigue people for years to come.

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