Feeding a Monocentropus balfouri

In the evening, after having watched the second half of the Costa Rica tarantula documentary part 2 with Esme (we had seen the first half in the afternoon), I checked upon the four female tarantulas I keep.

Monocentropus balfouri with a morio worm (threat pose) — *Monocentropus balfouri* with a morio worm (threat pose).

First, I tried to feed the juvenile female Monocentropus balfouri. She immediately raised herself into a treat pose. This specimen is very skittish in my experience, so no surprise.

Monocentropus balfouri with a morio worm — *Monocentropus balfouri* with a morio worm.

After a short while, however, the spider relaxed and rested on top of the morio worm.

I feed my tarantulas mostly morio worms: larvae of the darkling beetle Zophobas atratus. I do crush the head to prevent the larva from burrowing into the substrate and appear later as an adult beetle.

After I had fed the Monocentropus balfouri I dropped a pre-killed morio worm with the Pterinochilus murinus, Acanthoscurria geniculata, and finally Tliltocatl albopilosus; one larva each.

spider