Power feeding / temp question

Pokeroo

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Pros/cons of power feeding aside I have a question in re to going about this. My T's are in a basement room which over the winter and still now would be too cold at room temperature (I'm in Canada).

I use a space heater to keep the temp at 80 during the day and it is on a timer which turns it off overnight. The temp gradually falls to around 72-74 by the time it kicks back on in the morning. This is both to save on the cost to run it over time and to provide a day/night cycle (no widows etc).

Will this 14 or so hours at 80 coupled with lots of feeding stimulate metabolism enough to constitute power feeding?
 
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Venom1080

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No. Power feeding is a dying term from the reptile hobby. It really shouldn't even be used with tarantulas. If you feed constantly and there's food 24/7, that's power feeding IMO.
There's no real evidence to suggest that tarantulas even need a day/ night cycle. I keep my t room warmer at night to save money. Some keepers even keep theirs in pitch black rooms with no issues.
 

nicodimus22

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No. Power feeding is a dying term from the reptile hobby. It really shouldn't even be used with tarantulas. If you feed constantly and there's food 24/7, that's power feeding IMO.
There's no real evidence to suggest that tarantulas even need a day/ night cycle. I keep my t room warmer at night to save money. Some keepers even keep theirs in pitch black rooms with no issues.
Most people feed their slings more frequently than adults to hasten their growth. What name would you give this practice?
 

viper69

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Most people feed their slings more frequently than adults to hasten their growth. What name would you give this practice?
Most slings, not all, eat more frequently than adults too though. Their job is to get larger so they have less predators to worry about. So in a few months they can turn that large cricket into a meal and not a foe ;)
 

nicodimus22

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Most slings, not all, eat more frequently than adults too though. Their job is to get larger so they have less predators to worry about. So in a few months they can turn that large cricket into a meal and not a foe ;)
In the wild, sure. But we're talking about OP's pets here. He dictates how often they have access to food.
 

Pokeroo

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I was made to believe that temperature plays a vital role in the speed of growth. So yes they'll eat often, but mainly my question was do I have it warm enough, for a long enough period of time to hasten growth? Let's overlook the term I applied
 

Haemus

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No. Power feeding is a dying term from the reptile hobby. It really shouldn't even be used with tarantulas. If you feed constantly and there's food 24/7, that's power feeding IMO.
There's no real evidence to suggest that tarantulas even need a day/ night cycle. I keep my t room warmer at night to save money. Some keepers even keep theirs in pitch black rooms with no issues.
I never thought of swapping the higher temp at night to save! Thanks for that one :)
 

viper69

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In the wild, sure. But we're talking about OP's pets here. He dictates how often they have access to food.
True. I wish we knew growth rates of WC animals, that would be helpful. I feed my slings far more frequently than adults as that is natural, ie sling vs adults.
 
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Pokeroo

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No. Power feeding is a dying term from the reptile hobby. It really shouldn't even be used with tarantulas. If you feed constantly and there's food 24/7, that's power feeding IMO.
There's no real evidence to suggest that tarantulas even need a day/ night cycle. I keep my t room warmer at night to save money. Some keepers even keep theirs in pitch black rooms with no issues.
That is a good cost saving measure. I've just inverted my timer times by 12 hours. I owe you a beer
 

viper69

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There's no real evidence to suggest that tarantulas even need a day/ night cycle
This is the only part I disagree with. I know many of us keep our animals in eternal dark or close to it. I don't because they don't live that way generally.

However, the scientific reason that makes me think this is not true is that scorpions, and I think likely Ts too, have at least one and likely more, of the same conserved genes involved in circadian rhythm that humans have. I know for a fact that one group found one of the genes expresses protein, so it's not silent.
 

cold blood

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Most people feed their slings more frequently than adults to hasten their growth. What name would you give this practice?
A heavier feeding schedule. It doesn't need another special name, as its not special.
 

cold blood

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I was made to believe that temperature plays a vital role in the speed of growth. So yes they'll eat often, but mainly my question was do I have it warm enough, for a long enough period of time to hasten growth? Let's overlook the term I applied
Temps do play a role, but there can be too much of a good thing as there is always a point where optimal temps are surpassed...do this and you are no longer increasing things like intended. 80 however, is IME, just about the perfect temp...I keep my room at 77 to 80 from fall to spring, I don't feed at accelerated rates, but my growth rates are always crazy good.

I think the way you have things is great.

This is the only part I disagree with. I know many of us keep our animals in eternal dark or close to it. I don't because they don't live that way generally.

Actually in the wild many, if not most tarantulas do live exactly like that.....when a t hides all day and only emerges at night, its avoidance of light periods means it never or rarely sees the natural light. If it never sees it or directly benefits from the suns rays, how is it a requirement or even needed? Its more a requirement for much of their prey and their prey's food source than it is a requirement of the tarantula.

Nocturnal animals thrive in darkness...ask Alaskans...In winter Alaska goes through months of no real light, just a few hours of twilight, during this time, nocturnal animals can be seen out and about at any time of the day or night as they now have nothing to restrict their movement. Many become diurnal.

The only difference a dark room makes is that the ts feel the need to hide a lot less. I can't recall, but I bet its been 5 years since I kept a t in a room that was even occasionally lit.
 

Chris LXXIX

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Actually in the wild many, if not most tarantulas do live exactly like that.....when a t hides all day and only emerges at night, its avoidance of light periods means it never or rarely sees the natural light. If it never sees it or directly benefits from the suns rays, how is it a requirement or even needed? Its more a requirement for much of their prey and their prey's food source than it is a requirement of the tarantula.

Nocturnal animals thrive in darkness...ask Alaskans...In winter Alaska goes through months of no real light, just a few hours of twilight, during this time, nocturnal animals can be seen out and about at any time of the day or night as they now have nothing to restrict their movement.

The only difference a dark room makes is that the ts feel the need to hide a lot less. I can't recall, but I bet its been 5 years since I kept a t in a room that was even occasionally lit.
"Eternal darkness" if there's a good air circulation/recycle is of best for Theraphosidae. I do agree. But don't tell me that, Psalmopoeus cambridgei living on those Trinidad - on the shore - taller tree Estates doesn't get a bit of light uh :-s
 

cold blood

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"Eternal darkness" if there's a good air circulation/recycle is of best for Theraphosidae. I do agree. But don't tell me that, Psalmopoeus cambridgei living on those Trinidad - on the shore - taller tree Estates doesn't get a bit of light uh :-s
I said many and most, and not all for a good reason;)
 

viper69

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Actually in the wild many, if not most tarantulas do live exactly like that.....when a t hides all day and only emerges at night, its avoidance of light periods means it never or rarely sees the natural light. If it never sees it or directly benefits from the suns rays, how is it a requirement or even needed? Its more a requirement for much of their prey and their prey's food source than it is a requirement of the tarantula.

Nocturnal animals thrive in darkness...ask Alaskans...In winter Alaska goes through months of no real light, just a few hours of twilight, during this time, nocturnal animals can be seen out and about at any time of the day or night as they now have nothing to restrict their movement. Many become diurnal.

The only difference a dark room makes is that the ts feel the need to hide a lot less. I can't recall, but I bet its been 5 years since I kept a t in a room that was even occasionally lit.
Let me preface by saying that I'm no circadian rhythm biologist....

The very description you provided sounds to me that animals do benefit from a light/dark cycle, (ie avoiding light, an external cue). If they didn't, how come nocturnal bats (fox bats come out during the day, they use sight to find food, no echolocation) don't fly during the day typically.

Ts don't emerge at night by chance or luck. It's a biological process that is controlled by external cues (it is for mammals and other animals too) that in turn control genes, protein synthesis and release, such as hormones. It's a rather interesting process.

Now, I could be wrong here, but I think a T hiding in burrow that is nocturnal has external cues that let it know when it's time to come out.

Perhaps their internal clock is less dependent upon light than other more "advanced" animals. I truly don't know, but I can't help but think they require it.

As for animals in at the poles, I've always wondered how they deal w/that.
 

viper69

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I said many and most, and not all for a good reason;)
BACK PEDDLING.....:D:D:D:D Just kidding, that's what Advan says I do when I don't provide an absolute answer, or so I believe is the reason he does that. haha.
 
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