Use manageable prey
Choose prey the spider can overpower without a prolonged struggle. For many tarantulas, prey around the size of the abdomen or smaller is an easy starting point, but species and prey type matter.
Slings
Tiny slings can take small live prey or sections of pre-killed prey. A sling does not need to wrestle an oversized cricket to receive nutrition.
Large adults
Big spiders can take larger prey, but enormous feeders are often excessive. Several manageable prey items can be safer and easier to remove than one very large aggressive insect.
Premoult risk
Do not leave active feeders with a spider that may be moulting. Crickets and roaches can injure a soft, newly moulted tarantula.
If prey is ignored
Remove the feeder and try again later. Do not keep increasing prey size to provoke a response. Food refusal is often normal.
Match prey to hunting style
Arboreals may take prey from vertical surfaces, while fossorials often strike near the burrow entrance. Present food where the spider can encounter it naturally rather than forcing contact.