In captivity they will fare well on a diet of crickets with other prey items occasionally introduced for variety. However, you should avoid field collecting crickets due to possible insecticide contamination that would be harmful to the spider. Before the domestic crickets are fed to the spider, they should be nutrient loaded by offering the crickets a slice of orange for moisture and tropical fish flakes a few days prior to feeding. This should adequately enhance your crickets nutrient content. The number of prey items introduced into the tarantula's enclosure depends upon the frequency of its feeding schedule.
Tarantulas can survive for months without feeding.
However, adult spiders should have prey introduced into their enclosures once or twice a week. Non-adults may take prey as often as every two to three days. Generally, only a few prey items should be introduced into the container at a time. Any remains left should be removed the next day to prevent mold from developing on them. This will help to keep the habitat clean which in turn is better for the animal.