Powerfeeding. Yay or Nay?

Grimmdreadly

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
29
I personally powerfeed my slings until they get above the 1" mark. That way they aren't in the fragile stage for way too long. I just want to hear the thoughts of others in this.
Side question for debate: Is it even possible to powerfeed a communal set up?
 

mack1855

Arachnoangel
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Sep 5, 2016
Messages
820
Nope.I feed to keep them heathy,molting,and living as long as I can.
Nature does not drop crickets or dubias or mealworm,s on them day after day.
I don't eat 15 Big Macs a week,dont see why they should.
But I understand the reasoning behind it.Just don't buy into it.

Yes having slings can be a PITA!!.Get big so I don't have to spend as much time worring about you,feeding you,
making sure you have water sources.Your so damn fragile!!.
But its part of the hobby I enjoy,myself.
 

Grimmdreadly

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
29
Nope.I feed to keep them heathy,molting,and living as long as I can.
Nature does not drop crickets or dubias or mealworm,s on them day after day.
I don't eat 15 Big Macs a week,dont see why they should.
But I understand the reasoning behind it.Just don't buy into it.

Yes having slings can be a PITA!!.Get big so I don't have to spend as much time worring about you,feeding you,
making sure you have water sources.Your so damn fragile!!.
But its part of the hobby I enjoy,myself.
Once they hit the inch mark I generally go back to once/twice monthly or as the need arises. I understand what you are saying though. They won't eat daily in the wild, but I also doubt that if a sling managed to catch a meal early in the morning, it would shy away from something similar that crossed its path late that night.
 

Python

Arachnolord
Old Timer
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Mar 21, 2005
Messages
631
I think that it depends on the species as to how often they encounter prey in the wild. Since they come from different places, they would encounter prey with different frequencies. A desert species might not come in contact with another prey item for days or weeks but an arboreal from a jungle, where the insect population is crazy high, might come in contact with a new prey item every few minutes. Of course that doesn't mean they eat every time they meet something edible, but the frequency with which such encounters occur would suggest that in the wild, some T's powerfeed themselves. I don't think powerfeeding to some extent is a bad thing. I think it's just what might happen in nature in some instances. I just have a hard time believing that a tropical forest T wouldn't encounter more than a few prey items a month. Desert species, sure. I can understand that.
 

boina

Lady of the mites
Active Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
Nope.I feed to keep them heathy,molting,and living as long as I can.
Nature does not drop crickets or dubias or mealworm,s on them day after day.
I don't eat 15 Big Macs a week,dont see why they should.
But I understand the reasoning behind it.Just don't buy into it.

Yes having slings can be a PITA!!.Get big so I don't have to spend as much time worring about you,feeding you,
making sure you have water sources.Your so damn fragile!!.
But its part of the hobby I enjoy,myself.
Well, nature kills more than 90% of them, so I don't see the point in that argument. I personally don't powerfeed, but I see that simply as personal preference.
 

Venom1080

Arachnoemperor
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Sep 24, 2015
Messages
4,611
powerfeeding is an ancient term from the reptile hobby that doesn't even mean what it used to. ask 10 different keepers and you'll get ten different answers.

i feed my slings one large meal a week. juvis abut once every other week. subadults bi weekly to monthly. and adults once a month.
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
I do love to 'powerfeeding'. People takes every sort of steroids in Gyms so I fail why I shouldn't 'powerfeed' my T's.

Here my Grammostola pulchripes :)


11c0a758bf75e184b8d1192e8d60fe9d.jpg
 

boina

Lady of the mites
Active Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
Predation,not starvation.
And why don't you powerfeed?.Explain your post,please.
I don't powerfeed, because it only makes sense if you raise the temps, too, and I keep my Ts in my living room and I don't want to heat it up or set up a heated space for them. They grow well enough as it is, so I'm too lazy do go to the trouble of powerfeeding.
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
This is my G.rosea sling. He/she isn't a 'powerfeed' one, he/she's just a little overweight but have you ever see a 'rose hair' that... eat? :troll:

:kiss:

thumbnail_20170428_010510.jpg
 

patriotgator

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 12, 2017
Messages
34
When I first get slings or small juveniles after they get settled I feed them as much as they'll take and then feed them normally.
 

Nixphat

Arachnosquire
Joined
Oct 8, 2016
Messages
62
So far in my very (very) limited experience, I put in a mealworm with a crushed head in every 2-3 days, if the sling eats, great! Otherwise I just take the mealworm back out the next morning. Keep in mind I've only had my sling since 4/22(/17), so it's not much for reference. :happy:
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
wow, didnt know you had any slings.
Aside for jokes, I have two slings. This one (G.rosea) isn't technically mine, I'm only caring for my cousin, but sadly chances that will remain with me are 99.99%

Well at least a 'rose hair' that so far eat like an horse :-s
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
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Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
You can't powerfeed a sling from what I've gathered. It will just go into premolt sooner and stop eating for a longer period of time. You can't speed up the time that is needed to form a new exoskeleton underneath the old one. The concept of powerfeeding came drifting from the herp-hobby but is not applicable on Theraphosidae.
When a sling is full and has all the resources that it needs, it will simply stop eating.
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
Got a leftover brain by any chance? I get sick and tired of mine sometimes :shifty:
:D
No, my friend :-/

All the brains I had were used straight for prepare a cheese cream sort of, like old good Leatherface teaches :)
 
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