Questions Answered

I had a few more hits on my blog today than expected.  Being a blog about tarantulas, you can probably imagine that the stats are not stunning.  However, the same questions and searches seem to keep coming up.  Today, I will use the search terms from this blog today, along with some recurring questions/searches to get you to the right info.

Remember that if you do not find an answer here, you can always join InsectGeeks, visit forums, or ask around your social networks to see what their experience is.  Although most information is useful, you will find outdated or unusable info around the web, so SEARCH WISELY!

The FIRST THING I would recommend is to get a copy of the TARANTULA KEEPERS GUIDE by Stanley A. and Marguerite Schultz.  This is considered the “bible” of the keeping hobby, and is recommended by most top breeders/dealers and hobbyists.  GET THIS BEFORE YOU GET YOUR FIRST TARANTULA.

If you already have a T, and still have questions (and you should) GET THE BOOK.

Then, NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK.

I have many friends across insect geeks, facebook, on forums, and elsewhere.  When I see a blog or site that shares information in a readable non-ad flashy way, I contact the webmaster and compliment them.  This opens up a dialogue for future questions, and lets them know that their hard work is helping someone.  (Like ME!)

Now, on to today’s searches:

brachypelma boehmei when will she get the colors: My boehmei has colors, and she is only a half inch.  Look closely, and if you notice yours getting dark and ugly, then it is probably time for a molt.
why is my b. smithi is pacing? Could be a hunger thing, could be that her soil is too moist, could be that she is looking for a retreat.  Try to fix each of these and see if it helps.  Usually, the pacing stops shortly after the problem is addressed.  My A. avic was doing this, and I realized that I had forgotten to put a climbing branch in after  a cleaning.  When I put the branch back in, Sid climbed up and made a nice new web.  The pacing ceased.
parahybana on girls hand My parabyana is too small to be handled (1″) and I have seen her flick hairs…so I cannot help you there.  Try Google Pictures.
aphonopelma sp care sheet Try THIS
n. chromatus care sheet Try THIS and add enough soil to allow for burrowing!!
brachypelma smithi spiderling care YER KILLIN ME SMALLS!!!!!  Try THIS and if yours is as small as mine (1 1/2″ls approx) use a film canister as a hide.  These are GREAT for any terrestrial spiderling!
how fast do rose hair slings molt I am not too familiar with a rosie as a sling, but I do know that as adults, there is NO TELLING.  Rosies do their own thing at their own pace.  If your sling gets sluggish, gets ugly and darker in color, and refuses food, you are probably headed for a molt.  Hit up some forums for more info.
spiderling care sheet SEE ABOVE ANSWERS!  Please be more specific.  Certain spiderlings (like my E. cyanognathus and P. subfusca require more humidity, and different set ups than other spiderlings.) When you hit the forums, have a species in mind so the community can better assist you.   If you have any specific questions for me, please use the form on the right to ask it.  I won’t bite!  If I can’t answer a question. I will be more than happy to find the answer for you because it will probably benefit me and my growing tarantula zoo as well!! You can always email me directly at 8pinktoes@gmail.com too…. Thanks for looking! ~Tia Marie

Care sheets updates

A few months back I made some quick care sheets for various species using photos and info from around the web.  Now that I have acquired a few new slings, I decided it was time to update the care sheets using my own photos and some information relevant to my critters to give you a quick overview of the desktop.

To see these updated sheets, just visit this link HERE.

The site BUGGYZOO will now host the “Meet the Zoo” page as well.

I see a lot of searches for the Cyclosternum fasciatum and Nhandu chromatus, so I will be sure to keep these pages updated frequently.

Each care sheet now has my critter’s LS, name, common name, and photo- as well as information on temperament and housing etc.

I have been promising these updates, so finally, here they are!

 

PICTURE TIME! and NEW ADDITIONS! and MOLTING!!

First of all, here is something you might like, a lot:

and maybe even this:

and for good measure, how ’bout one more:

 

 

The first picture is of one of the two new additions to the desktop.  It came in the mail yesterday.  I would have blogged about this then, but Ms. Blue Fang was a bit bigger than expected, and was also able to run fast and jump.  Thank God I was not recording the unpacking of this spider. 😐

The 2nd picture is of Isis, after her molt this morning.  After losing Tank this week, I thought for sure that the lack of motion for hours was a sign that Isis wasn’t making it.  All the arachnid forums said to leave her alone (well… based on q and a’s from other users..) so I did as advised and she came out okay.  I am guessing she is between 1 1/2″ -2″ LS now.  Cool huh?

The third photo is of Athene, my beautiful Nhandu chromatus. She molted yesterday afternoon, so this is also a post molt pic!  WHOO!!

Now, I did mention that Blue Fang spiderling was one of two additions….  unfortunately the P. subfusca was hiding during picture time…and well….has been hiding since I got it in the new jar.  As soon as I find it (gulp!) I will be posting pictures.  I am guessing that it is about 1/2″ and it really has beautiful markings.  This is my first Pokie, and my first old world species, so prepare for my newbieness in these areas…..

Names? Hmmmm…

Poecilotheria subfusca (Ivory Ornamental) Poe, Edgar Allan. (Poe)

Ephebopus cyanognathus (Skeleton Blue Fang) Osiris or Iris.

These 2 were freebies from the facebook stranger.  I guess it does pay to network, and if you are new to keeping, I would highly recommend using as many forums, social nets and blogs as possible to meet other experienced keepers (and newbies.)  It will save you and your collection massive heartache in the future!  THANK YOU SO MUCH TO JOE FOR THE SPIDERLINGS!!! AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR BLOGS, ARTICLES, BOOKS, SOCIAL NETWORKING PROFILES, YOU TUBE VIDEOS, PHOTOS, CARE SHEETS, and EXPERIENCE! Over the past year I have gone from newbie to almost somewhat experienced keeper because of you, and plan to continue my journey as an invert keeper.

Someday, I will meet a newbie, and give them something the size of a quarter, hairy, fast, and terrifying (while it is running away from the box it was shipped in) so it too can make someone’s desktop a little bit happier.

 

Food/Molt Update

Today, once again I write to you as a lazy blogger.  While feeding the zoo, I noticed that Aphrodite (B. boehmei) finally molted!  Took her long enough…

My N. Chromatus (Athene) took on 2 crickets, and is walking around with both of them in her pedipalps (and fangs…)

Zero is being a booger and is still guarding the molt, AND has yet to completely push it out, or emerge from the hide himself.  Perhaps the crickets I dropped in today will entice him to emerge.

Other than that, I am still adjusting to the longer shifts at work (yesterday was 10 1/2 hours of customer service goodness and freight processing…yay 😐 )

Someday I will be able to do more than type….

Blah,

Tia Marie

So many Molts!

EEEEK!  Every time I peek into a jar or keeper, it appears that someone is molting.  I thought that molting had to do with species….unless they were all hatched around the same time, and I just happened to get the bunch that happen to be on the same schedule….hmmmm…..  is it possible?

Anyway, this morning, Zero (C. fasciatum) is flipped over. Yesterday it was Athene (N. Chromatus) the day before that it was Raven (L. parahybana) then the day before that it was Serj (A. chalcodes.)

Last week it was Flora (N. coloratvillosus) and the week before that it was Isis (B. Smithi.)

That equals half my collection.

Tarantulas are funny, yet seemingly scheduled creatures. I will post an updated Molt Date/New Leg Span/Picture blog on Sunday if I can.  Might as well do them all at once.

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Newbie Tools- Things I have been learning…

Here is a short list of things I use, or have learned over the past few months as a newbie keeper.

1- Naming is important if you don’t want to say proper names over and over again:  EXA- Cyclosternum fasciatum, Brachypelma boehmei (which I had been mispronouncing for weeks!), Aphonopelma (unnamed sp.) “Davis Mountain Rusty” etc…..  Zero, Aphrodite, and Tank are much easier to say, and much easier for my husband to pronounce when he is talking to me.  It is the common place in which he can understand the language that I am speaking…all else leaves him utterly confused….

2-Film containers are the gifts of GODS!!  They can be used for scooping, digging, hiding, transporting and subduing prey.  They are also great for dead cricket removal!

3-A DIG KIT IS NECESSARY!  My dig kit contains the above mentioned film container, a paintbrush, the bottom of a sweater gift box (The kind that lazy people like me use to give sweaters at christmas ’cause I am too lazy to wrap OR get a better gift!) I also have a flashlight on hand at all times, and a spoon.

4-Dig Kits Are Necessary when someone like me wanted a better view of my spiderlings and put them in jars with too much soil. (and then a week or so of NOT seeing my spiderlings at all!,  10 minutes with the jar and a dig kit, and you may  find your spiderling somewhere in the big brown soil void.  I like to use my dig kit on the bed.  My husband likes to sit on the couch at these times.

5-Holding a tarantula in bed is fun- unless your husband is eating. Apearantly he does NOT want to see Sarva, no matter how sweet she is!

6-Tarantulas are a great way to spend the money you saved from quitting smoking!  If your husband does not want the tarantulas, offer to take up smoking again.  Chances are, you will be a master keeper in no time!

7- Tarantulas dance.  I call it the “I Got Food” dance.

8-Forums are useful!  You may look like a newbie, but little do those people know, you are only asking stupid questions so that real newbies won’t have to be embarrassed when they go to ask them!

9- 3 cool tarantulas beat your neighbor’s froofy Bischon poodle yappy thing in the pet department hands down. Your dog wears T- Shirts?  My tarantula does the “I got food” dance.- a 10cents cricket is well worth the spending! …..no Cesar Milan video necessary.

10- Crickets are for quick feeding, or you will surely pack up and leave your home from the stench.

I have many more newbie thoughts…and these are in no random order.  I will keep the list running, and if you have a newbie thought, please share!  Real newbies would hate to feel alone and retarded when it comes to keeping…

Feeding, Sexing and a pig named Zero

You might be wondering why I have 2 videos of Zero here.  Let me explain:

Last night was feeding time on the Desktop, and after everyone was given their crickets, I had one large cricket left.  Zero was already feasting on a cricket, but since I know how much she loves to eat, I decided to give the last one to her.

In the videos, you can see her chewing on one, next to the cricket she was originally feasting on!  PIG!!!

If you notice, Zero’s sex is being referred to as “SHE”.  Thanks to one of my many learning aids, I am pretty sure she is a FEMAL!!  WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! (Just learned about doing this roughly 45 minutes ago!)

Feeding:

Everyone got a cricket except for Aphrodite- who appears to be not eating.  My N. Coloratvillosus traded its cricket for a roach that was living in its soil (iin a new enclosure.)  Both Nhandu sp. were moved into jars!  WHOOOO!!!

Isis is also not eating…..but I think the last cricket may have filled (her?) up for a while….

Raven ate well (L. parahybana), but her sibling is also not eating…hmmmmm..

Nhandu coloratvillosus Makes Rare Appearance! (With Pics)

I was finally able to capture my elusive Nhandu coloratvillosus on camera yesterday morning, as we were both in rare form.  It was actually sitting outside of its burrow, and I was able to assemble a light and my rink-e-dink webcam in perfect time!

This one, unlike the Chromatus of the same species, likes to hide, and only comes out when it is looking for food.  So, the reward for sitting so pretty?

A freshly killed cricket!

Bon Appetit!

N. coloratvillosus Spiderling

Nhandu coloratvillosus Spiderling

Nhandu coloratvillosus Spiderling

*After picture time, I put the cricket in his deli cup (pre killed) and I went to work.  By the time I got home, both N. Color, and the cricket had vanished…..

Success and Cool Spider Dancing Update

I am winning the battle of spiderling feeding!  I have 2 L. parahybana’s that are roughly 1/8″ and feeding them was one of those tasks that I have been deathly afraid of!

So, taking the advice of everyone, I tried killing feeder roaches with no success, as they (apparently) do not die very well. Then, still taking the advice of everyone, I tried killing mini crickets with huge success!!  One parahybana took about a minute before it pounced on the head of the dearly departed cricket, and the other was showing interest.  I AM WINNER!!!

On another note, I have noticed that one of my Nhandu sp. burrows while the other likes to remain in view…weird!  Both of those guys are pretty good eaters with an appetite for living crickets.

Even my Tigerrump is enjoying larger crickets, but the last one it was given just wound up being tossed by a hole that my spider made…. I don’t know if this is normal behavior, but it was interesting to see.

As you guys may have seen, I posted a video of my Tigerrump (I call it Zero) eating it’s first meal at home.  I thought it was cool because it appears to be dancing with the food in its mouth.  Tonight, I noticed the same behavior from my N. chromatus sling, and have seen it also from my older Chilean Roses.  I am calling it the Spider I GOT FOOD dance- which oddly resembles an 8 point turn.  Very cool to watch!!

On one last note, I have learned by watching that even 1/8″ L. parahybanas WILL kick hairs.  An (unfortunately) alive roach found this out when he managed to piss off my little one, and I got to witness it.

Sorry for the long update, but I wanted to just let you guys know what’s happening, and share my feeding success.  This was a huge step for me, and no one was lost, smooshed, or injured during the process-except for a few crickets….

New Spiderling Pictures!!

Zero the Tigerrump and Buddha

Nhandu chromatus spiderling

Aphrodite the Brachypelma boehmei

Annabel Lee the Lasidora parahybana

These are just some of the pictures I have of the new spiderlings.  I am now in possession of Serj photos (A. chalcodes sling), which I have been lacking and will post later.  There are also some Hissers I will be posting.

My N. coloratvillosus likes to hide in her deli cup, so she was MIA for photo time.  I even have a second L. parahybana named Raven that will be featured later.