Why can't T be fed as much as it will eat?

[jerseygirl]

Won't it just refuse to feed if it's not hungry? Don't understand what detrimental effects would be.

 

[Aurelia]

It makes them grow faster and thus shortens their lifespan.

 

[Jo&Rich]

It's kinda like people over eating I guess...you start getting health issues then you well...die. I powerfeed mine whenever they will eat like that. But that's for personal reasons...like size and so on. But all they really need is a couple of crickets a week or so. Anyway I hope this helps...if not just ask and surely someone will respond.

 

[Drachenjager]

big butt disease can make it less able to handle falls. a big fat butt goes splat easier than a normal sized one

 

[jerseygirl]

Thanks! but what is "powerfeeding"?

I was curious about the feeding issue...I've had a chaco about a year and rarely saw it eat. Got a rosie yesterday and it hasn't stopped. The chaco was a 1" sling, now about 3" and hopefully pre-molt, not eating and all webbed in for 2 weeks now. The rose is maybe 4" and has been on an eating spree. Hate to admit how many crix I let it have. The chaco never put on that kind of show, tho.

 

[crpy]

nahhh, its all about "T" gas. Feeding to much leads to excessive "T" flatulence. This intern leads to an unhealthy build up of "T" gas and can adversely effect your "T"s health in a contained/low ventilated area:liar:


In reality it speeds up their life cycle

 

[radicaldementia]

You have to understand that in the wild, food is more scarce, so a T's natural reaction is to eat anything it can get, because who knows when it'll have another chance. When you power-feed a T, you basically just keep giving it more and more food. Not only does this make your T really fat, but it speeds up their molting process and thus shortens their lifespan.

There's nothing wrong with keeping your T's plump, but its best to establish a regular feeding schedule that doesn't make them get excessively fat. If you like watching your T's eat, the best solution is to get more Ts!

 

[Jo&Rich]

You have to understand that in the wild, food is more scarce, so a T's natural reaction is to eat anything it can get, because who knows when it'll have another chance. When you power-feed a T, you basically just keep giving it more and more food. Not only does this make your T really fat, but it speeds up their molting process and thus shortens their lifespan.

There's nothing wrong with keeping your T's plump, but its best to establish a regular feeding schedule that doesn't make them get excessively fat. If you like watching your T's eat, the best solution is to get more Ts!

That's right, and like I said I do powerfeed mine when needed. Like when I "adopt" a new T, and it wasn't properly fed because maybe the person who had it was scared of it or whatever. I don't go for the big, fat abdomens just nicely rounded ones that are healthy. But if it does get too fat...globose even then I would put it on a diet.

 

[jerseygirl]

Thanks for the responses! I guess I can restrain myself now that I had my newbie thrill of seeing it gorge itself and go to weekly or bi-weekly feedings. (It certainly doesn't look underfed anyway so no excuse there.) Thanks again.

 

[Jo&Rich]

Thanks for the responses! I guess I can restrain myself now that I had my newbie thrill of seeing it gorge itself and go to weekly or bi-weekly feedings. (It certainly doesn't look underfed anyway so no excuse there.) Thanks again.

Anytime, just happy I can help.

 

[barabootom]

Overly large abdomens can also lead to molting issues in some species. It's best to feed on a regular basis. I tend to feed well until the T starts to get fat, then I cut back and feed very little. Sometimes my Ts will stop eating for a month at a time, esp during a molt etc. They generally will not eat themselves to death.

 

[K1j1m]

How i see it is that if you dont over feed them or feed them to much they are out hunting more. normaly after i feed and they are full they go in their burrows for a couple days. depending on size i usualy just feed a large cricket a week. I just make sure water is always available.

 

[mwh9]

It's easy to want to overfeed them when they are new and they want to eat. Like stated earlier, one solution is to get more T's. Over feeding is bad in a lot of ways, I like the fat butt go splat the most.

 

[Merfolk]

In the wild, Ts will overfeed, and get the prosoma/epistoma volume ratio of a Queen Termite! But, like said above, they will then go through weeks of famine. There is no 2 meals/weak feeding routine in nature. Ts will eat whatever they catch ; what's is not natural is to make ther food abundant on a continual basis. I simply don't feed my ''queen termites'' until they slim down a bit or molt!

 

[reverendsterlin]

I'll feed heavily for slings, after molts, pre and post breeding, and after a sac is laid. The rest of the time one large meal a week or even two weeks. I use B. dubia as a feeder so meals are fairly large at 1 or 2 adult dubias per meal. I don't really agree that 'power feeding' shortens life span, there hasn't been a reliable study proving one way or another and I doubt there ever will be. I do believe that huge butts have a better chance of splitting during a fall or during molting and have no desire to lose a T to either circumstance.
Rev

 

[Brian S]

It doesnt hurt to power feed your slings. I back off on adult spiders but I feed slings as much as they will eat

 

[Kid Dragon]

Temperature plays a roll in growth rates as well as feeding frequency and amount. The real health issue might be if you feed too much there may be live prey in with your T when they are molting. I've had Ts with huge abdomens that have had no trouble molting, but falling even from its own enclosue can be a problem with bubble butted Ts.

 

[RottweilExpress]

Overly large abdomens can also lead to molting issues in some species.

Is that so? In what species and how do you back this claim up?

 

[Mina]

Actually, power feeding can shorten life spans. When I was new in the hobby, my husband insisted on feeding my slings, an A. purpurea, a GBB, and a B. vagans were amoung them, 3 times a week. He claimed I was starving them. The GBB moulted out into a mature male in less than 8 months after I got it, and the purpurea the same after just under a year. The B. vagans is a female, but was ready to breed in less than a year and a half.
So yes, if your sling is a male, it can and does shorten their life.

 

[crpy]

Actually, power feeding can shorten life spans. When I was new in the hobby, my husband insisted on feeding my slings, an A. purpurea, a GBB, and a B. vagans were amoung them, 3 times a week. He claimed I was starving them. The GBB moulted out into a mature male in less than 8 months after I got it, and the purpurea the same after just under a year. The B. vagans is a female, but was ready to breed in less than a year and a half.
So yes, if your sling is a male, it can and does shorten their life.

SO true, been there done that.