B. boehmei sling feeding

Mc225

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 3, 2006
Messages
36
First of all, I apologize for starting another sling feeding thread....it's not rocket science and you'd think we'd all have grasped it by now. I generally get all my info from selectively reading and searching the posts of people who seem like they know what they're talking about, but alas I have a question.

I've had 3 B. boehmei since the end of 9/06 that were under 1/2" at purchase. One has molted twice in my care, the others just once..sizes are about 3/4" and 2/3" x2 respectively. All look very normal, healthy and well fed. In fact, that's the problem, I haven't even offered any of them food for 2+ months now. They all have appropriately proportioned abdomens (abdomen approx. 2x the size of the carapace) and look as if they'd eaten yesterday. Even the one that molted a 2nd time for me, did so about a month ago and came out of it without losing much, if any, abdomen size. All my other T's (they're listed in my profile) have come through molts with noticeably smaller abdomens and looking ready to eat, even though I wait till it's ok to feed them. I also haven't gone much more than two weeks without feeding any of my other T's (excluding a couple premolt/postmolt fasts), and they look like they need it by then, so these boehmei are the anomaly.

I know boehmei are slower growing and wouldn't be surprised if these were adult or small adult spiders, but given they're small size I'm quite astounded by the slow speed of their metabolism. Even after all this time they look like they're one good meal away from being over fed. You know, one of those slings people post a picture of and everyone says, "that sling is way to fat". For this reason I've held off food offers. (BTW, they are in the small baby food jars, on dry peat, and have of course gotten a few water droplets per week.)

So.... I know I need to fed them and will probably offer them something small when I next get crix. My question is, how safe is it to go by abdomen size as the main indicater of when to offer food? Am I lucky they haven't dropped over dead or could I just keep withholding food until they 'burn off' some of what they have in their tummies?

I'm really looking for thoughts by a more experienced keeper, one who has raised slower growing species like this from sling to adult. Not someone with several months of experience, like me, who'd just be guessing. Thanks very much for your time.
 

Brian S

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
May 29, 2004
Messages
6,526
I have raised several of these and I offer them food once or twice a week. I dont go on abdomen size. I go on when they go off feed. You cant over feed one, I dont care what anyone says. If that would be the case I would have killed every spider I have
 

bonesmama

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 28, 2004
Messages
1,017
I am a little confused- did they stop eating or did you just stop feeding them?:?
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Messages
8,655
They stop eating when they dont want any more and are in premolt. I do much the same thing. I offer food every few days and when they refuse food then I know they are in premolt.
 

SpiderZone2

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Messages
284
Offer prey once a week is fine. I have never killed one by over-feeding either. If they don't want it, they won't eat it. Some will just kill the extra prey. Otherwise take it out the prey out if they don't eat it within a day or so. I see nothing wrong with the way your feeding them. If they don't seem to want that much prey a week, every other week would also be fine.
 

Mc225

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 3, 2006
Messages
36
bonesmama - just to clarify, I stopped feeding them based on their visual appearance. I last offered food about 2 months ago. I'm not worried about them, they look fine....when my avic slings get this fat I stop feeding them for a few weeks too. My avics though, after a few weeks, look ready for more food whereas these boehmei are still fatties even after 2 months of water only.

So I'm hearing the responses and I get the point, I'll feed them...feed, till they refuse. However I'm still curious if my care, or lack thereof, has been neglectful. Or is this perfectly within their range of safe care, even at this size?
 

ratz00

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 6, 2007
Messages
73
Power feeder...

/hi, I am new here, but I do have a couple of B. boehmi slings and I power feed them. I feed them 3-4 pinheads everyday. They just dont stop eating. They seem healthy enough. :D
 
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