Just realized my sourdough starter is basically a moody houseguest

I've been feeding my starter for about 5 months now, and last week it hit me that it acts like that one friend who only shows up when they want something. One day it doubles in 4 hours, next day it barely bubbles and I'm left staring at a flat lump, wondering if I did something wrong. I took it with me on a trip to Portland last month thinking I'd bake at my sister's place, and it completely stalled on her counter, even with filtered water and the same flour. Turns out her kitchen sits at like 65 degrees and mine stays at 72, so that explained the drama. Now I'm wondering, do you guys adjust your feeding schedule based on room temp swings or just let the starter sulk until it's ready? Has anyone else dealt with a starter that seems to have a personality of its own?

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faith_thomas1mo ago

Whoa, wait, you took your starter on a trip with you to Portland? That's a whole other level of commitment. I can barely remember to pack my own toothbrush, let alone a jar of living bacteria for a bake-off at my sister's place. Did you have to declare it at security or something, or did you just wrap it in a sweater in your carry-on? I'm seriously impressed, but also a little horrified, like you took a tamagotchi to a business meeting.