Feeding Routines

InvertFix

Arachnobaron
Joined
Aug 29, 2011
Messages
535
Feeding twice a week and 85-90 degree temps sure does seem like a hurry to me. ;)
It's so hot in there due to my reptiles' heating sources adding to my T's heat source. Before the reptiles became part of the room I kept it at about 70-75.
 

mark e sic

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 13, 2011
Messages
94
And :D @mark - basically I got more T's that quickly because I was fed up with the size of feeders you have to buy. Doesn't help me having to herd a bunch of feeders that won't get eaten before they'll die anyways...:)
Hey it makes sense to me lol
 

advan

oOOo
Staff member
Joined
Apr 11, 2010
Messages
2,086
It's so hot in there due to my reptiles' heating sources adding to my T's heat source. Before the reptiles became part of the room I kept it at about 70-75.
No worries, just giving you :poop:. :)
 

Tweak

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
134
I do not really follow a set feeding schedule but I feed all the young spiders generally or on average once every two weeks. I am not in a hurry to make them grow up fast.
Do you find that has any effect on lifespan? I know that people will power feed to make them grow faster but that power feeding tends to shorten the lifespan. Does that principle work the other way around? I guess what I'm asking is do you find your T's live longer since you feed them less?
 

Zoltan

Cult Leader
Old Timer
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
1,465
Do you find that has any effect on lifespan? I know that people will power feed to make them grow faster but that power feeding tends to shorten the lifespan. Does that principle work the other way around? I guess what I'm asking is do you find your T's live longer since you feed them less?
With males you can definitely lengthen their lives by feeding less. I haven't done or know of an actual experiment with females – it could take decades – but in my opinion feeding a lot can shorten females' lifespan as well. I try to feed the grown females as little as possible. I'm not starving them to the brink of death, but I try to avoid getting them fat. As long as their opisthosoma is round and looks normal (not shriveled or abnormally small), they are fine.
 

peterUK

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 21, 2004
Messages
249
I feed slings and small juvs once a week, large juvs and sub adults every 2 weeks and adults once a month.
 

Tweak

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
134
With males you can definitely lengthen their lives by feeding less. I haven't done or know of an actual experiment with females – it could take decades – but in my opinion feeding a lot can shorten females' lifespan as well. I try to feed the grown females as little as possible. I'm not starving them to the brink of death, but I try to avoid getting them fat. As long as their opisthosoma is round and looks normal (not shriveled or abnormally small), they are fine.
Thanks for the explanation I really like your approach and am going to adopt it myself because I want my little fellas to live as long as they can!
 

grayzone

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 17, 2011
Messages
2,461
i generally but a couple dozen crix a week and just feed em all to my ts over the course of the week. i dont regulate, or favor, i just feed them all one or two the first day, then toss a t a crick at random any time i catch myself lookin at them. they all got fat (but not dangerously obese) butts and appear happy/non stressed and healthy.... never had an injury or death...
 
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