# How often should I feed my Lasiodora Parahybana sling?



## corneycoetzee (Mar 28, 2011)

I got my Lasiodora Parahybana (salmon pink birdeater) today, and I am so excited! My girlfriend got him for me as a gift, so I obviously wasn't able to prepare properly. I underrstand most things, but just one question: It is about 1/3 inch in legspan, and I just want to know how often it should be fed (in terms of once every how many days)?

Thank you so much!


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## gmrpnk21 (Mar 28, 2011)

If you want it to grow quickly, you can feed it every other day. I do this with my lp slings and they are growing like weeds.


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## ornamentalist (Mar 28, 2011)

just try every few days. It might only eat 3 or 4 times until its next moult but you want to make sure its got enough mass to get through its next moult (they can lose a lot) remember to mist the side of the container lightly every 4 days or so, but dont soak the substrate for this sp, they dont like it soaking wet. Just make sure the prey items are smaller than the t.


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## LeilaNami (Mar 28, 2011)

Depends how fast you want her to grow.  I prefer a slower pace so I feed mine every week to two weeks.  I got mine when it was itty bitty and and it's still plump and pink two years later.

Reactions: Like 1


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## phoenixxavierre (Mar 28, 2011)

I like to feed mine as much as they like, so mine pretty much get fed every day. The only time they don't is if I'm low on money and don't have any feeder colonies going.


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## Scolopeon (Mar 28, 2011)

We should have a sticky for sling feeding, this question pops up far too much...

Like others have said, feed it as much as it will take to get it to grow larger quicker (my method), then once they hit a respectable size to get their own bowls for water (say 2") I slow down.
-Relative temps also play a huge part in this, hotter equals faster growth and there are many mediums in between this, in short there is no "right" way of doing things providing you don't test their threshold limits.
-They eat more at higher temps... so it is directly linked with the temps you keep them at also.

Feeding him/her a couple of times a week will be fine too, and he/she will probably live longer in the end if you carry on with this method, (In the wild slings do not eat everyday and this is the most natural way to reflect their life in the wild, but since this is captivity and not many of us are fortunate enough to examine them in the wild it is up to you). Seeing as we have taken them out of their home... replicating this should be important to give something back so try to reflect the natural way they live as much as possible.

Remember some mother Tarantulas feed their offspring so they will be fed constantly up to a certain size, this probably means they are fed as much as they can eat, depending on the brood size, this knowledge and my own belief that survival means top priority to them.. means they will want to grow as much as possible to ensure their species survival, this is especially important to keepers who want to breed their T's and get individuals to maturity faster.

However we all have our own opinions on how to raise animals in our care.

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corneycoetzee said:


> I got my Lasiodora Parahybana (salmon pink birdeater) today, and I am so excited! My girlfriend got him for me as a gift, so I obviously wasn't able to prepare properly. I underrstand most things, but just one question: It is about 1/3 inch in legspan, and I just want to know how often it should be fed (in terms of once every how many days)?
> 
> Thank you so much!


By the way that is one awesome gift you recieved!

My L.P sling is molting any hour now, it is about 21mm legspan.


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## DreadLobster (Mar 28, 2011)

I named my LP "Landfill" because they will eat as much as you give them pretty much (within reason).

Overfeeding is more of an issue when they get bigger, because if their abdomen is too big its more likely to get injured if they fall or something. 

As slings, these guys will grow super quick if you feed them a lot. But like most other tarantulas, they're also fine without food for a few days or even a week.

So yeah, like everyone else said, its basically up to you.


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## vickywild (Oct 23, 2011)

My LP eats everything. Like...everything.

I guess it wouldn't eat if it wasn't hungry though, since at the moment it's just getting pre-killed stuff.


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## Ben Oliver (Oct 23, 2011)

imo you can feed you little L.p. as much as it can or wants to eat. my thought is a feed critter is less likely to bite. i can not prove this but it is a safe thought. i just got a tiny little L.p. sling last week myself and this is the first time i have feed a prekilled cricket to a critter before. remember to have a lot of enclosures for your sling they grow fast.


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## vickywild (Oct 24, 2011)

Hmm, the pet shop said mine had molted a few weeks before I got it and I've had it 2-3 weeks now and it's not even in pre molt.

Hopefully soon though.


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## Ultum4Spiderz (Oct 24, 2011)

I only feed mine once a week & there fat & healthy:biggrin:


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## grayzone (Oct 24, 2011)

I DIDNT KNOW PARAHYBANAS EVER STOPPED EATING LOL..mine never did...I raised lunchbox from 4" to about 8" and he NEVER stopped and one time he even ate a day before..to the op id take everybody elses advice and just feed it as often as YOU want. they grow fast as can be and they will eat ya out of house and home if you let them lol


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## vickywild (Oct 24, 2011)

I wonder if they ever exploded.


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## grayzone (Oct 24, 2011)

i doubt its impossible lol. ive read of ruptures or explosions and sadly my first lp exploded during shipping.... he was nice and fat and the ups guys were less than careful. a cruel end despite my over protective packing.... ive also heard they can get nasty callus like cysts from dragging their swollen abdomens on the ground.


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## Popsmoke63B (Oct 25, 2011)

I feed my slings every couple days till they hit the 1-1.5" mark, then I feed them every 3-4 days.


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