Over feeding

[Chris Scholes]

Is it possible to over feed a spiderling? My E.Pulcherrimaklassi is a bit bigger that thumb nail size, and after a recent molt has been eating with quite an appetite. I'm feeding one or two crickets every two or three days. She's getting in there and eating straight away as food is introduced. As I'm new to the hobby, I just thought I'd check that I'm not over feeding her.

Thanks

Chris

[Lisa Grose]

I dont think you can over feed a sling. It does depend on how fast you want her to grow. the more you feed her the quicker she will keep growing. I like mine to grow fast and so I feed quite often, 5 crickets every couple of days. I feed until they show signs of slowing down and that the food is still there after a day, which I then take out and try again in a few days by which time they are usually famished again. slings have big appetites, unless they are approaching a molt and then they go a while without food, but no where near as long as the adult t's do. the best thing you can do is study them when you feed them. welcome to the hobby by the way.

[Chris Scholes]

Thanks for the reply and the welcome. I'll keep going as I am then.

Chris

[scott wilson]

Welcome Chris.....i bought a very small A Geniculata sling and its eating 4 micro crickets every 2 days...im feeding it alot just to get it to a reasonable sling size ie about an inch then i know its settled down and will then feed it slightly less to slow the growth rate down abit....if you buy small slings feed them alot and they will take everything you throw at them..then just slow down alittle when they get to a reasonable size.......

[Kurt Baird]

Well you feed massive amounts more than what I feed mine.

From the time I have had all my spiderlings, and the slings I currently have, they are fed 1 cricket once a week relative to their size.

[Lisa Grose]

How many spiders have you got Kurt? What are their abdomens like? I normally go by the size of their abdomens which are suppose to be a tad bigger than the carapace. If it appears a bit shrivelled and tiny compared to the carapace it is undernurished. Different species differ in diet too. My Large (adult) Lasiodorides has not eatten in 6 mths and she still looks quite fat and shows no sign of eatting even after she has just molted a fortnight ago.

[Jamie Cooper]

The problem I have is finding appropriate sized crickets. My A.Versi slings are about 3cm now and the micro crickets I used to feed them are too small. The next size up (small) I find are a little big and I have to search the cricket tub for the smallest specimen which is still quite a big meal. Like Kurt I feed them all once weekly.

Jamie.

[Colin D Wilson]

A lot depends on the genus of spider
Arboreals do better with a smaller abdomen to aid agility where as terrestrial spiders can do ok with a slightly larger abdomen due to their lifestyle.
I've seen spiders that have eaten so much that their rears rub on the floor as they walk causing worn spots that can harbour infection so it's best to have a spider with nice body proportions.

As far as Avicularia feeding, a 3cm sling should have no trouble taking food items the same size as themselves, just stretch the time between feeding.