Temperature Myth webpage update finally posted.

Stan Schultz · Nov 18, 2012

Well, I finally did it! I've been promising for months a new, more complete and advanced webpage on the myths of temperature vis-à-vis tarantulas, and I finally uploaded it this evening. Visit Temperature: Another Myth Perpetuated by Tarantula Enthusiasts.

I would be interested in comments on it, especially if I messed up someplace, forgot some important sub-topic, or didn't explain some aspect well enough.

Let the war games begin!

Enjoy your little 8-legged "intemperate" buddies!

z32upgrader · Nov 18, 2012

Excellently written, extremely informative, a wonderful effort!
-z32upgrader

le-thomas · Nov 18, 2012

Thank you, Stan. I'll make sure to read this and send it to all the noobs I can find

Scoolman · Nov 18, 2012

Great read Stan.

Found a typo here:
Power feeding may be defined as maintaining a tarantula at a slightly elevated temperature and feeding it excessively to accelerate its growth and maturation rates

Marijan2 · Nov 19, 2012

Wow, keep up the good work man. Definetly worth ot the read.

poisoned · Nov 19, 2012

Hey Stan, that's great.

Invertebrates
This author is not aware of any homeothermoid invertebrates, but there doesn't seem to be any good reason why these shouldn't exist.

Bumblebees are capable of heating themselves up early in the morning. They do it to start collecting food before anyone else is.

MarkmD · Nov 19, 2012

Grate work Stan, I did enjoy reading it and touches a fue good points in Temperature between cold and warm blooded animals.

Tarac · Nov 19, 2012

Well organized and clear, thanks. Perhaps this can be a sticky for the introductory materials here.

goodoldneon · Nov 19, 2012

As always, extremely insightful and a pleasure to read.

Thank you, Stan.

famish · Nov 19, 2012

Another interesting, informative and enjoyable read. Thank you.

Bast · Nov 19, 2012

Very interesting! Thank you for the information

Stan Schultz · Nov 19, 2012

Scoolman said:
Great read Stan.

Found a typo here:
Power feeding may be defined as maintaining a tarantula at a slightly elevated temperature and feeding it excessively to accelerate its growth and maturation rates

Wow! Somebody's actually READING the thing! I'm impressed AND gratified. The correction has been made and uploaded. Thanks so much for all your attention!

:biggrin:

jen650s · Nov 19, 2012

Thanks again Stan! As always a well presented well reasoned discourse.

nepenthes · Nov 19, 2012

Honey Bee's (Apis mellifera) regulate their tempurature as a group. But are rather poor at it individually. During the summer individuals will "fan" the entrances to maintain hive temps. They huddle together during the winter and rotate individuals to keep the brood warm. I'm not sure if this fits into hemotherm though.

Stan Schultz · Nov 19, 2012

poisoned said:
Hey Stan, that's great.

Bumblebees are capable of heating themselves up early in the morning. They do it to start collecting food before anyone else is.

Duly noted, the correction is made. Thanks so much for the added information.

:biggrin:

---------- Post added 11-19-2012 at 11:25 AM ----------

nepenthes said:
Honey Bee's regulate their tempurature as a group. But are rather poor at it individually. During the summer individuals will "fan" the entrances to maintain hive temps. They huddle together during the winter and rotate individuals to keep the brood warm. I'm not sure if this fits into hemotherm though.

Probably not since the temperature control is still largely behavioral. But, note carefully the heading for that sidebar is "THIS IS ALL A LIE!" Everybody is warned that some generalizations have been made and some corners cut. Be careful what you quote in your term paper. I don't want to be responsible for your failing Biology 101!

:roflmao:

captmarga · Nov 19, 2012

Thanks for all you do, Stan! I lost 9 of my 59 Ts (the count at that point) a few years ago when we had a freeze and lost power at the office. I do not know exactly how long they were without power and heat - I was iced in across town. When I did get to them the room temp was 34 degrees. I moved the lot to a warmer room, and gradually let them all warm up. 7 were dead. Two were lethargic. Both showed signs commonly called "DKS" and died within the week. Two others that showed "DKS" signs lived, have gone on to molt, and seem to be "normal" now (although one has a love of sitting in wet sub instead of dry, which she - a PZB - did not do before the freeze).

So indeed, they are hearty creatures.

Marga

Stan Schultz · Nov 19, 2012

captmarga said:
Thanks for all you do, Stan! I lost 9 of my 59 Ts (the count at that point) a few years ago when we had a freeze and lost power at the office. I do not know exactly how long they were without power and heat - I was iced in across town. When I did get to them the room temp was 34 degrees. I moved the lot to a warmer room, and gradually let them all warm up. 7 were dead. Two were lethargic. Both showed signs commonly called "DKS" and died within the week. Two others that showed "DKS" signs lived, have gone on to molt, and seem to be "normal" now (although one has a love of sitting in wet sub instead of dry, which she - a PZB - did not do before the freeze).

So indeed, they are hearty creatures.

Marga

Losing pets en masse is always a huge disaster. I'm sorry you had to go through it.

Out of scientific curiosity, could you supply a list of which species died, which survived, and which ones displayed DKS symptoms? I'm interested in noting any correlation with native habitat.

Thanks.

traxfish · Nov 19, 2012

Excellent read, thanks!

The "tarantulas repuire heat" theory is one that I've personally debated against. I live in the St Louis area, and recently learned that tarantulas (reportedly A. hentzi) can be found just west of St. Louis, where the average low is 22F (-7) during winter.

I also have a friend in who lives just south of Denver that says he sees "whole groups of tarantulas" moving about in October (probably mature males looking for a mate), and he gets average lows below freezing from November to the end of Febuary too, and they often get blanketed with snow.

captmarga · Nov 20, 2012

Pikaia said:
Losing pets en masse is always a huge disaster. I'm sorry you had to go through it.

Out of scientific curiosity, could you supply a list of which species died, which survived, and which ones displayed DKS symptoms? I'm interested in noting any correlation with native habitat.

Thanks.

The two that survived with DKS symptoms were a 4+" B albopilosum female and a 5"+ E campestratus female. One T that survived the freeze laid her eggsac a couple of months later, but the eggs never developed (possibly my fault, my first eggsac). She has since gone on to molt normally last month. The other two (albo and PZB) both have also molted normally. The PZB prefers wet sub and her water dish now, but otherwise acts completely normal. I'll have to go back through my list to see all the losses, but two I know were my H incei - about 1.5" at that time, and a 4" P pulchar (ouch...)

Marga

captmarga · Nov 20, 2012

Losses in the freeze - P cancerides 4", E murinus 2", H incei 1.5", Blue fang 1.25" (had missing leg), P pulchar, 4".

Marga

Temperature Myth webpage update finally posted.

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