# Can I over feed my sling ?????



## losct2381 (Dec 22, 2010)

I have  a 2 inch t- blondi and she has eaten 9 good size crickets in three day she looks like opera is that bad or should I keep feeding hrr till she refuses


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## Jacobchinarian (Dec 22, 2010)

It will stop eating when it's full. My t blondi eats like crazy. However if you want it to grow up quicker but die quicker feed it more. If you want it to grow slow and live longer feed it less.


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## Anastasia (Dec 22, 2010)

adults -yes, slings - I wouldn't worry about it


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## losct2381 (Dec 22, 2010)

Thanks it just came out of a molt and I'm amazed how much it's eating. I have other slings but I've never seen this. Was just wondering it kinda  alarmed me I had to go get crickets again today. how fast do the blodies grow by the way


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## Anastasia (Dec 22, 2010)

losct2381 said:


> Thanks it just came out of a molt and I'm amazed how much it's eating. I have other slings but I've never seen this. Was just wondering it kinda  alarmed me I had to go get crickets again today. how fast do the blodies grow by the way


well, I wouldn feed it every day, tarantulas in wild are opportunistic eaters
so some will eat more then needed, so I would take a brake for couple weeks and offer more later


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## LV-426 (Dec 22, 2010)

Jacobchinarian said:


> It will stop eating when it's full. My t blondi eats like crazy. However if you want it to grow up quicker but die quicker feed it more. If you want it to grow slow and live longer feed it less.


is that a fact or just opinion?


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## Rabid538 (Dec 22, 2010)

Arachnomancer said:


> is that a fact or just opinion?


No, I have heard that as well. Powerfeeding will cut a T's lifespan.


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## Hobo (Dec 23, 2010)

Arachnomancer said:


> is that a fact or just opinion?


It is a fact.
Take a male for example. Powerfeed it, and it will mature (and die) sooner than one that you feed rarely. Breeders use this to help get the timing right with their pairs.

Stan also confirms it both in his book and in a post here that I can't find right now.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Vespula (Dec 23, 2010)

Arachnomancer said:


> is that a fact or just opinion?


It's a fact. Feeding more increases growth rate and shortens lifespans.


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## KoriTamashii (Dec 23, 2010)

Really, you'd do okay just feeding it once a week. There's no need to feed it daily.


You won't overfeed it, there's just no sense in buying boatloads of crickets and feeding it every day.


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## Arachnobored (Dec 23, 2010)

Fact...

but.....if it's a female and lives in excess of 20 years, chances are you won't notice the difference...


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## Anastasia (Dec 23, 2010)

Hobo said:


> It is a fact.
> Take a male for example. Powerfeed it, and it will mature (and die) sooner than one that you feed rarely. Breeders use this to help get the timing right with their pairs.
> 
> Stan also confirms it both in his book and in a post here that I can't find right now.


Hmm, Mature male example is not the best
here is what I discovered
I had bunch of males (in this case Poecilotheria Genus)to experiment with and I found if I powerfeed male he grows quick big and robust after maturity.  
One of my bigger one last 19 months after he matured
but the group I didnt feed, just barely, just enough for them exist 
they mature almost year later and didnt last most even 5 months
in the end the male that been power fed lived couple months longer then his brother that been fed in different schedule 
and my oldest male is 26 months old he still eating (no webs tho)
Euathlus sp


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## Hobo (Dec 23, 2010)

Anastasia said:


> Hmm, Mature male example is not the best
> here is what I discovered
> I had bunch of males (in this case Poecilotheria Genus)to experiment with and I found if I powerfeed male he grows quick big and robust after maturity.
> One of my bigger one last 19 months after he matured
> ...


I guess I stand corrected (at least with regards to males!).
That's very interesting!
I have a question though. After they matured, were they all fed the same, or still differently from each other?

Reactions: Sad 1


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## Poxicator (Dec 23, 2010)

There's papers and studies to suggest that power-feeding not only reduces their lifespan but also decreases their fertility. That's good enough for me even if others find individual instances that differ from that.
Over feeding can bloat the abdomen leading to abrasions underneath, that creates issues that aren't easily rectified.


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## Suidakkra (Dec 23, 2010)

I have read in this forum, as well as others, that people tend to powerfeed their smallest slings (1/6th-1/4") to get them to a more "sustainable" size, then kick back to a normal feeding schedule. 

Is that still considered "life shortening" ? Especially for T's that are known to live for 20+ years? 

So many conflicting theories on this subject.


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## Poxicator (Dec 23, 2010)

There are so many conflicting theories because everyone has their own opinions and perhaps their own experiences, but if you ask people who have kept Ts for 20+ years you'll probably get a more accurate explanation.
Short term power feeding isnt considered an issue, and many long term keepers will do so to get their slings out of the fragile stages.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Shimotsukin (Dec 23, 2010)

Suidakkra said:


> I have read in this forum, as well as others, that people tend to powerfeed their smallest slings (1/6th-1/4") to get them to a more "sustainable" size, then kick back to a normal feeding schedule.
> 
> Is that still considered "life shortening" ? Especially for T's that are known to live for 20+ years?
> 
> So many conflicting theories on this subject.


Since the intended purpose of powerfeeding is to making them grow faster, of course their life span shortens, since they well...grow faster. Like for example if you feed a tarantula every week as apposed to feeding it every two weeks. The tarantula fed more often will molt and grow faster, thus shortening its life span...or well that's how my take on it is. :?


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## hassman789 (Dec 23, 2010)

Also feeding it alot makes it more prone to rupturing an abdomen. I would imagine the risk would be less for a sling because their light weight and can fall a little more without being hurt. But as it gets bigger a bigger abdomen can be a more unsafe. And if it rubs somthing sharp with a big butt it could also rupture. It's not for sure it will get hurt with a big butt but it increases the chances, so I've heared.


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## Introvertebrate (Dec 23, 2010)

Suidakkra said:


> I have read in this forum, as well as others, that people tend to powerfeed their smallest slings (1/6th-1/4") to get them to a more "sustainable" size, then kick back to a normal feeding schedule.
> 
> Is that still considered "life shortening" ? Especially for T's that are known to live for 20+ years?
> 
> So many conflicting theories on this subject.


I can see the benefits of powerfeeding very small slings.  When they're very young, you're most likely to incur significant losses.  Once they're a little bigger, you can slow down the feeding.  It might reduce their lifespans in the long run, but at least more of your slings lived through that critical, high-loss period of their lives.

Tom


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## Suidakkra (Dec 23, 2010)

Introvertebrate said:


> I can see the benefits of powerfeeding very small slings.  When they're very young, you're most likely to incur significant losses.  Once they're a little bigger, you can slow down the feeding.  It might reduce their lifespans in the long run, but at least more of your slings lived through that critical, high-loss period of their lives.
> 
> Tom


Thanks, Tom

That's what I meant by it being conflicting. When you read through many of the sites that deal with breeders, each breeder typically states some type of powerfeeding (Every 2 to 3 days) until the sling reaches the "safe" stage, like A.avics for instance. Then after that point they place the larger sling on a normal feeding schedule. They claim that their slings grow to maturity and live long normal lives.

 And then you have the breeders who claim that powerfeeding shortens the lifespan, yet where is the conclusive evidence? Did they actually take a sling from 1st Instar to Ultimate molt on several occasions to make a factual estimate on lifespan? 

If this is out there, on paper, from an educated source, I would love to read it. 

Me personally, I feed my slings weekly and so far havn't lost a sling. "knocks on wood". As long as their rumps are slightly plump, and they are hydrated. I see no reason to overfeed.


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## Introvertebrate (Dec 23, 2010)

Suidakkra said:


> ............Me personally, I feed my slings weekly and so far havn't lost a sling. "knocks on wood". As long as their rumps are slightly plump, and they are hydrated. I see no reason to overfeed.


Thanks Suidakkra.  That's good to know.

Tom


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## ryancreek (Dec 24, 2010)

I was wondering this myself. My 2 1/2 inch A. genic has eaten 4 small crickets, 1 large cricket, and 2 small mealworms this week.... and it still attacks water drops. I do try to power-feed, but it seems like this t would eat till it burst!


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## webbedone (Dec 24, 2010)

I power feed my slings to get them out of their tiny stage and into their juvies(2-2.5inches) but after that its game over back to the regular diet which is like 1 roach/nymph a week.


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## DawgPoundSound (Dec 24, 2010)

Suidakkra said:


> I have read in this forum, as well as others, that people tend to powerfeed their smallest slings (1/6th-1/4") to get them to a more "sustainable" size, then kick back to a normal feeding schedule.
> 
> Is that still considered "life shortening" ? Especially for T's that are known to live for 20+ years?
> 
> So many conflicting theories on this subject.


Power-feeding slings of size 1/8" - 2" is not to be concerned about shortening the life of your T. It's when you are power-feeding the adults considerably that people here are being mistaken about. And I'll cosign to the fact that females living in excess of 20+ years, there is absolutely NO WAY you're going to notice that you power-fed them as slings so that's why she may have died at year 19. :?

I power-feed all of my slings to the 2 inch mark at best. Period. And then they go on a consistent feeding schedule of once or twice a week, depending on the tarantula itself. Personality goes a long way with these guys. Some will eat twice a week, some won't. Some mature males will refuse food, some won't. 

So power-feed away and don't worry. It will leave the food alone when it's full. Or it may even strike at it and back away. Then you'll know when to stop.


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## Poxicator (Dec 25, 2010)

Suidakkra said:


> If this is out there, on paper, from an educated source, I would love to read it.


It would be wonderful if the answers to all our questions lay in papers but unfortunately there hasnt been enough study on tarantula to provide back up to our questions. What we have is the experience of long time hobbyists, breeders and dealers, this is where we should look for more accurate answers, not the experience gained over a few years, that wouldnt even be 1 generation for the majority of tarantula.

However, in answer to your question and Maudau's opinion here is a quote by the president of ATS, Christian Elowsky:
_At Arachnocon in 2007, a well rounded round table discussion all agreed that overfeeding was the main issue facing the hobby, the group included Eric Reynolds, Bill Korinek, Michael Jacobi and I think Frank Somma. Since then, I have been making my own observations, and I've seen enough to support that overfeeding (of any prey items) or commonly feeding rodents causes molting issues._


Powerfeeding is not usually considered as an adult issue, its considered a way to get slings up to adult stages and adult prices as quickly as possible.


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## losct2381 (Dec 25, 2010)

So now due to that comment or qote my thought is that. Maybe it's not the calcium but just the size of the pray item because it was stated that over feeding in general if all prey items cause molting problems. So wouldn't it be the size if the rodent that is causeing the problem. I would think this because a mouse even small would surely be the equivalent to a huge amount of crickets of most invert at that.


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