# salmon pink bird eater questions?



## xBurntBytheSunx (May 21, 2004)

i'm getting  salmon pink sling and i have read that they will not be as big when they are adults if they are not fed frequently, is that true?

i want mine to be as gigantic as possible so how often should i feed it?

also i read someone said theirs grew 6" in one year...is that really how fast they grow or am i mistaken?


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## Mike H. (May 21, 2004)

As far as how big they will get probably depends on many factors...the individual spider and the temps and the substrate and how much the T. will eat...there may be more factors than that though...as far as feeding with slings I feed as much as they will take...I have a salmon pink ( L. parahybana)
and the growth rate is incredible !! at 3 1/2 inches it already takes pinkies...with each molt it just explodes with size...I keep mine on pure peat and a small water dish and feed as often as it will eat...they are great spiders imo...good luck..


Regards, Mike


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## spyderguy1983 (May 21, 2004)

I would definetely believe that a L. Parahybana could grow 6" in one year. I got some 1/2" slings about 8 months ago. Now they are all around 3.5 to 4.5 inches! I would recommend getting a salmon pink they are one of my favorite species. I don't powerfeed mine, and they are obviously not full grown so I dont really have much input.


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## vulpina (May 21, 2004)

Parahybana's are a quick grower when young, they are great feeders, feed all it will eat and you'll have a monster in no time.

Andy


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## xBurntBytheSunx (May 21, 2004)

so higher temps may help it get bigger, and possibily the type of substrate i use?  i want to make sure, i want it to get as gigantic as possible


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## Mike H. (May 21, 2004)

If possible bump up the temps to 75 to 80 degrees....as far as substrate everyone has there own mix so to speak...as I mentioned I like peatmoss...feed the little bugger as much as it will eat and you will have a large T. in no time...

Regards, Mike 


p.s. as for heat.. NO heat mats or heat lamps...I use a small ceramic heater to keep my basement warm...


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## Mike H. (May 21, 2004)

Just to add to this thread...I just threw 3 really large crickets in with my parahybana...one large cricket ball..lol..the little beast is having a feast...


Regards, Mike  :}


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## Mikey_G.Rosea (May 21, 2004)

That sounds awesome, I always love it when my Rosea goes on cricket rampages! It's just so creapy how she moves really really slowly, then WHAM!

Edit: Just wondering, why do you want it so gigantic?  :?


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## Mike H. (May 21, 2004)

BIGGER is BETTER...lol...


Regards, Mike


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## jesses (May 25, 2004)

Mike H. said:
			
		

> Just to add to this thread...I just threw 3 really large crickets in with my parahybana...one large cricket ball..lol..the little beast is having a feast...
> 
> 
> Regards, Mike  :}


Mine is around 6 or 7 inches and I feed 5 or 10 crickets at a time


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## PreciousB (May 25, 2004)

HI,
I'm getting a sling too... Thursday. Do they follow the same "rules" on cricket/prey size as other slings or will they take larger prey? Also, I've seen pics of people holding them.. I thought they were too agressive to hold?


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## jesses (May 25, 2004)

PreciousB said:
			
		

> HI,
> I'm getting a sling too... Thursday. Do they follow the same "rules" on cricket/prey size as other slings or will they take larger prey? Also, I've seen pics of people holding them.. I thought they were too agressive to hold?


I don't know of any rules but they eat like any other Tarantula I've had. There is no such thing as a species of Tarantula that is too agressive to hold. Indeed, I don't know of any species of Tarantula that is considered agressive.


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## MizM (May 25, 2004)

xBurntBytheSunx said:
			
		

> so higher temps may help it get bigger, and possibily the type of substrate i use?  i want to make sure, i want it to get as gigantic as possible


There is nothing you can do to make it "get bigger" than it is going to be.


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## danread (May 25, 2004)

MizM said:
			
		

> There is nothing you can do to make it "get bigger" than it is going to be.


I don't know if thats true, i do think that if you bump up the temp a bit and give it as much food as it want, any time it will accept it, you will end up with a bigger tarantula in the end. Of course, one side effect of this is likely to be a shortened lifespan.

Dan.


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## MizM (May 25, 2004)

That will certainly make them attain their full size FASTER, but it won't INCREASE their full size. Try as we might, we STILL can't alter their DNA!

Oh if it were possible, imagine, a 20" T. blondi! Holy 8 Legged Freaks!


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## MizM (May 25, 2004)

jesses said:
			
		

> I don't know of any rules but they eat like any other Tarantula I've had. There is no such thing as a species of Tarantula that is too agressive to hold. Indeed, I don't know of any species of Tarantula that is considered agressive.


I'm going to get a good nadkicking for this... but I AGREE!!!


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## danread (May 26, 2004)

MizM said:
			
		

> That will certainly make them attain their full size FASTER, but it won't INCREASE their full size. Try as we might, we STILL can't alter their DNA!


How can you be sure MizM? I know they wont continue to grow indefinitely, but it is quite likely that given a better diet, they will grow larger between each molt and therefore attain a larger final size. The average human height has been increasing over the last few hundred years, and that is thought to be soley down to better diet.

Dan.


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## MizM (May 26, 2004)

danread said:
			
		

> better diet
> Dan.


Not in MY case!!  

I've never heard of a T attaining a larger FINAL size due to powerfeeding, and just don't see how it could be possible. I'm sure that Code Monkey has the scientific specifics... I sure don't!   But, were it possible, wouldn't there be abnormally huge Ts in the hobby? Wouldn't people be bragging about their 10" B. smithi?


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## Bark (May 26, 2004)

I thought that a tarantula's max size had to do with their book lungs.  If they had more elaborate lungs (say that of a human being), they could grow to be quite massive.


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## MizM (May 26, 2004)

Bark said:
			
		

> I thought that a tarantula's max size had to do with their book lungs.  If they had more elaborate lungs (say that of a human being), they could grow to be quite massive.



That's definitely a new one!! Well, I posed the question to CM, cuz I'm only "theoretically speaking" here... I am scientifically challenged! I understand the BASICS, but don't start talking recombinant dna and how restriction endonucleases are used to create recombinant DNA molecules and how these enzymes are named....

I'll get lost and never be able to find my way back!   Ladies and gentlemen, I present, Code Monkey...


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## Bark (May 26, 2004)

> I'll get lost and never be able to find my way back!  Ladies and gentlemen, I present, Code Monkey...


I hope he plays Freebird!


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## danread (May 26, 2004)

You're misunderstanding me. I'm not saying that you are going to be able to increase the final size of tarantula to unlimited and unnatural sizes. There is going to be a size that is limited by the genes that control growth and size in arachnids. But it is likely that you will be able to increase final size to above average by feeding more and giving a better qualitly diet. I know giving examples of humans isn't the best, as they have different growth mechanisms than arachnids, but this article shows how human height changes with diet: http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1185457,00.html 

Bark, 
yes, a tarantulas size is limited by its capacity for air exchange, but i'm not talking about increasing the size of your pet to unnatural sizes, just larger that usual.

Dan.


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## Bark (May 26, 2004)

If you want to know for sure, find bunch of folks with Juvenile Salmon Pinks (or get a few yourself from the same batch if possible) and have 3 groups.  A control group of T's that will be fed randomly (as they would in the wild), a group that "power feeds", and a group with specificly timed intervals and see if there are any noticeable differences in size.  Last time I checked Salmon Pinks were relatively common and affordable to do such a thing.

If you want to be lazy, just have a Salmon Pink Size poll for powerfeeders and non-powerfeeders.


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## T_DORKUS (May 26, 2004)

Bark said:
			
		

> If you want to know for sure, find bunch of folks with Juvenile Salmon Pinks (or get a few yourself from the same batch if possible) and have 3 groups.  A control group of T's that will be fed randomly (as they would in the wild), a group that "power feeds", and a group with specificly timed intervals and see if there are any noticeable differences in size.  Last time I checked Salmon Pinks were relatively common and affordable to do such a thing.
> 
> If you want to be lazy, just have a Salmon Pink Size poll for powerfeeders and non-powerfeeders.


Would have thought someone would've done this experiment by now - or at least already started on it.  Hope we don't have to wait 2 years to know the answer.


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## David_F (May 27, 2004)

From what I remember of The Tarantula Keepers Guide, a tarantulas size is limited by its body structure.  Since the rely on blood pressure for movement and supporting their weight if they were to get bigger they just couldn't handle it.  I wish I could find my copy so I could elaborate on this.


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## Bearskin10 (May 27, 2004)

I even love these guys and I am not a hugh fan of terrestrials, as for growth rate and any way to make them grow larger than normal? My girl just molted today I am hoping she breaks the 10" mark     Greg


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## MizM (May 27, 2004)

danread said:
			
		

> yes, a tarantulas size is limited by its capacity for air exchange, but i'm not talking about increasing the size of your pet to unnatural sizes, just larger that usual.
> 
> Dan.


I just don't think you can get a T to grow larger than usual. Maybe a few millimeters, but not enough to really notice a size change at all.

That WOULD be a great experiment. But... do we know that all slings from one sac attain the exact same full size? We'd probably have to raise sac 1 and care for them exactly the same. THEN, if they all attained the EXACT same full size, do it again with sac 2, separating them and powerfeeding one group. I'd be finishing THAT experiment in the nursing home!   I'll leave it to you younger whippersnappers who have more time!


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