curly hair help

[Hypnotic]

Regarding molting, I think I have the most awsome sling ever. Right now he has barricaded himself in his log, even filled up all the holes to it with the substrate so I know the little one is shedding.
He also did this last time, I can simply check daily if he's out or not, and when he's out, he's ready to eat.

I'm personally against feeding mice to tarantulas, I've owned 4 in total and I've never ever fed even one of them a pinky. They don't need mice and when feeding live mice, there can be serious risk attached to it.
Btw Truffs1178, I disagree with your calcium statement, the majority of a mouse's calcium is stored in it's skeleton, wich isn't eaten by the tarantula. However, there are valid arguments that prove mice contain wrong nutrients, proteins and fats.
Tarantulas can thrive on a insect only diet, so I agree on the part where feeding mice is unnecesary and well, it creates a serious mess and leaves the stench of a corpse.

[Truffs1178]

Its funny when they block themselves in their burrow isn't it. My red knee doesnt do it any more though. It is the calcium. Search it if you like. I dont know how they get the calcium but that's what the experts say.

[Truffs1178]

Calcium isn't only stored in the bones of. Mammals. There is also calcium in blood, muscle and other tissues.

[Hypnotic]

Read this link
MYTHS: MICE CALCIUM AND MOLTING

[Glenn]

Slings and adults can be fed on the same schedule; Once a week seems to be a popular choice. I feed most of mine every two weeks. As long as their abdomens are at least the same size as their carapace, they'll be fine.

There is no strong evidence for or against vertebrate prey other than it's a chore to clean up after, and it's not necessary for survival.
I know of several keepers who feed FT mice regularly to their larger Ts with no issues, and one who has fed one of their Asian arboreal nothing but _frogs.
I feed my tarantulas with the same gut loaded, calcium rich feeders my big frog gets, and they're all doing fine.
It's just another one of those myths.
Here's a good read. Note that it's written by an "expert": MYTHS: MICE CALCIUM AND MOLTING

Edit: ...and Hypnotic beat me to it.

[Truffs1178]

Well I guess you guys got me there

While the guy who wrote this may be a T expert he obviously isn't in the biology of mammals. He says that it cant be calcium because they dont digest bones but lime I said before in mammals there is alot of calcium in blood and muscles and other tissues.

[Truffs1178]

Im not dissagreeing with the guy just he doesn't take into account calcium in anything but bones.

[Hypnotic]

Well, the calcium isn't really the issue. It seems we are all on the same page when it comes to feeding gutloaded insects over mice anyday.
However, I do spoil my cranwelli girl once a month with a mouse. Whenever she sees the mouse, her feeding response is through the roof. Once she even leaped up to snag it from my hands.
They are high in fat, but aslong as my girl looks nice and round, I don't see the harm in it.

Edit: Truffs1178, I actually know people who also feed tarantulas nothing else but mice, and had no molting problems ever. I think one of the big problems with this issue is that alot of tarantulas die from molts gone wrong, even ones that aren't fed mice. So I think it's easy to associate the two, but remember, there is no evidence supporting it.
Eitherway, I would love to see a study be released with actual numbers from tarantulas fed only mice during a lifespan, with insect fed tarantulas on the other end.

[Truffs1178]

I guess there is no deffinative proof of either sides of the story. My male bullfrog loves them too.

[Truffs1178]

I was just going off what I have read. Sorry for s.tarting an arguement. I just didn't want to risk killing Lijas T. That's ehy I brought up the calcium thing
.

[Hypnotic]

We're not having an argument! We are agreeing on the same thing, but disagreeing on the reason.
Anyway, it's not important, I think all of us made enough valid arguments so people can decide for themselves.