Re: "Venom" p.92&93 update
Description:
The following study has been conducted to explore the various effects of feeding on the growth of a Tarantula sling.
Statement of the Problem:
What is the effect of the quantity and quality of prey on the growth rate of a tarantula sling?
a.) Will there be a difference in the growth rate of a tarantula sling fed on a varied diet of lobster roach nymphs, lateralis roach nymphs, chopped meaworms, and pinhead crickets to a tarantula sling fed with only one food group?
b.) Will there be a difference in the growth rate a tarantula sling fed once a week to a tarantula sling fed every other day?
Subjects and Samplng:
The subjects of the study is a set of locally bred Brachypelma albopilosum and Brachypelma smithi taken from the same eggsac, specifically selected to be of roughly the same size before the study was done.
It has been a pre-established fact that Brachypelma spp, regardless of the gender, have equal growth rates until adult colors come out. Hence, it is safe to assume, that given identical circumstances, the growth rate of the sample population will be equal even if they are of different genders.
Tarantula slings may have different eating habits even if they come from the same eggsac. Subjects were preselected to make sure that all of them are voracious eaters and would readily tackle the prey once introduced in their enclosures.
Not all tarantula slings will readily accept chopped mealworms or non-moving prey. All the subjects have been pre-screened ti make sure that all of them readily accepts chopped mealworms when offered.
Roach nymphs, mealworms, and pinhead crickets used as prey in this study has been fed with the same kind of protein pellets (Thunderbird Platinum High Protein Power Pellets) and Sayote Peel to ensure that they receive the same amount of nutrition.
Methodology:
For a period of months (November 1 - December 31, 2008), 7 pre-selected Barchypelma smithi and Brachypelma albopilosum slings were given ideally the same environmental conditions but controlled feeding.
Feeding Quality
Set A - Fed a variety of lobster roach nymphs, lateralis roach nymphs, chopped mealworms, pinhead crickets
Set B - Fed lobster roach nymphs only
Set C - Fed lateralis roach nymphs only
Set D - Fed chopped mealworms only
Set E - Fed pinhead crickets only
Feeding Quantity
Set F - Fed a varied diet once a week only
Set G - Fed a varied diet every other day only
Ano kaya ang kinalabasan ngayong tapos na ang 2-month period??
Actually, nakakadisappoint. Hahahahaha. Most findings were not significant at halos walang pinagkaiba sa size EXCEPT for 2 particular sets of tarantulas.
Here is a picture of the Brachypelma smithi from Sets F and G:
You can clearly see the difference in the growth rate of the Tarantula sling fed once a week and the Tarantula sling fed every other day.
The sling fed more often molted 5 times during the 2-month period while the one fed only once a week only molted twice.
You can also see that the bigger one is starting show its colors
Another thing notable difference is the sling fed a varied diet (Set A) and the sling fed only chopped mealworms (Set D).
Here is a picture of the Brachypelma albopilosum from that set:
There is no difference in the growth rate as all slings molted 4-5 times during the 2-month period.
However one can notice that the sling fed a varied attained a much larger size than the one fed chopped mealworms only.
This photo was taken several hours after both tarantulas have completed a molt. One can therefore notice that the size of the abdomen of the one fed a varied diet is bigger as compared to the one fed chopped mealworms only, despite the fact that both have just molted and had nothing to eat yet.
It can also be noticed that both tarantulas are starting to show adult coloration hence they are at the same developmental stage (7th Instar) but the are not of the same size.
There is no significant difference in the size and post-molt abdomen of the slings from the other sets. If studied more closely, the slings from Set A are the largest closely followed by the slings on Set B. But the difference is not significant enough and can not be clearly captured on camera.
CONCLUSION
Masmabilis lumaki ang sling na pinapakain every other day kaysa sling na pinapakain once a week lang. (This conclusion covers slings only)
Maslumalaki ang sling na binibigyan ng varied diet kaysa isang klaseng pagkain (chopped mealworms is most significant) lang kahit magkasindami sila ng molt. (This conclusion covers slings only)
Right after a molt, masmalaki ang abdomen ng sling na binibigyang ng varied diet kaysa sling na isang klaseng pagkain (chopped mealworms is most significant) lang. (This conclusion covers slings only)